USC defense bails out slow-starting Darnold
BERKELEY, Calif. — With Sam Darnold and Southern California’s usually potent offense struggling, the defense kept getting the ball in good positions for the Trojans.
Fifth-ranked USC forced four of its six turnovers in the fourth quarter to set up a touchdown run by Stephen Carr and a TD pass by Darnold, and the Trojans won their 13th straight game by pulling away late for a 30-20 victory over California on Saturday.
Darnold threw for 223 yards and two touchdowns but also had an interception as Cal’s defense forced him out of the pocket numerous times. “I felt a little bit of pressure,” Darnold said. “I think it’s mostly our fault for not connecting on some of those deep balls and taking advantage of those opportunities when they come our way.”
Jack Jones intercepted two passes, Josh Fatu and Christian Rector each forced fumbles on sacks and Chris Hawkins and Ykili Ross added picks to give USC (4-0) its 14th straight win in the series against the Golden Bears (3-1).
ALABAMA 59, VANDERBILT 0: Damien Harris ran for a career-high 151 yards and three TDs, Bo Scarbrough added two TDs and top-ranked Alabama (4-0) routed Vanderbilt(3-1) in Nashville. Alabama (4-0) has won 19 straight over the SEC East. The Crimson Tide hasn’t lost to Vandy since 1984.
CLEMSON 34, BC 7: Adam Choice had a 6-yard tiebreaking TD in the fourth quarter and Travis Etienne had two scoring runs in the final six minutes as No. 2 Clemson (40) wore down visiting Boston College (1-3). Clemson finally got going in the fourth quarter. Quarterback Kelly Bryant led the Tigers on a 76-yard drive, capped by Choice’s go-ahead score. The next series, they were at it once more on a 90-yard series and the speedy freshman Etienne burst through the weary Eagles to finally give the Tigers some breathing room.
OKLAHOMA 49, BAYLOR 41: Baker Mayfield threw three touchdowns, including the goahead score the next snap after his unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, and thirdranked Oklahoma overcame a feisty Baylor team in Waco to stretch
the USA TODAY nation’s longest winning streak to 14 games. Abdul Adams had a 99-yard touchdown for the Sooners (4-0), his school-record run coming after a botched kickoff return. Baylor (0-4) led 31-28 after Connor Martin’s 46-yard field goal late in the third quarter. PENN STATE 21, IOWA 19: Juwan Johnson caught a seven-yard TD pass as time expired and fourth-ranked Penn State rallied on the road. Saquon Barkley had 211 yards rushing and 94 yards receiving for the Nittany Lions (4-0), who outgained Iowa 579-273 but nearly blew a game that could’ve been crippling to their postseason hopes. Akrum Wadley had a 70-yard TD reception midway through the fourth quarter and a 35-yard touchdown run with 1:42 left to put the Hawkeyes (3-1, 0-1) ahead 19-15. Penn State went 80 yards on 12 plays to close out the game, and Trace McSorley found Johnson in a crowded end zone on fourth down. McSorley finished with 284 yards passing on 48 tries. OHIO STATE 54, UNLV 21: J.T. Barrett threw touchdown passes to five different receivers in the first half as No. 10 Ohio State (3-1) cruised at home. Barrett, who has taken the brunt of the criticism for Ohio State’s inconsistent passing game this season, was barely slowed by an outgunned UNLV defense, completing 12 of 17 passes for 209 yards before handing the game over to backup Dwayne Haskins near the end of the first half. The big half for Barrett moved him into second place behind Art Schlichter for alltime passing yards at Ohio State. MICHIGAN 28, PURDUE 10: Chris Evans ran for two touchdowns in the second half and backup quarterback John O’Korn rallied No. 8 Michigan (4-0) from a halftime deficit on the road. TCU 44, OKLAHOMA ST. 31: Darius Anderson ran for a careerhigh 160 yards and three touchdowns, and No. 16 TCU upset No. 6 Oklahoma State in Stillwater to stamp the Horned Frogs as a Big 12 contender. Kenny Hill passed for 228 yards for the Horned Frogs (4-0). The Frogs ran 52 times for 238 yards. TCU gave Oklahoma State’s Mason Rudolph plenty of time to throw, but he often couldn’t find enough open receivers. He completed 22 of 41 passes for 398 yards and two touchdowns, but he threw two interceptions. James Washington caught six passes for 153 yards and a touchdown and Marcell Ateman caught six passes for 100 yards for the Cowboys (3-1). WASH. STATE 45, NEVADA 7: Luke Falk threw five TD passes as No. 18 Washington State (4-0) posted its best start in 16 years. LOUISVILLE 42, KENT STATE 3: Lamar Jackson accounted for three TDs to set a Louisville career record and lead the No. 19 Cardinals (3-1) to an easy home win. Despite missing Jaylen Smith, the team’s top receiver, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner threw for 299 yards and two touchdowns on 18-of22 passing. His 16-yard touchdown pass to Javonte Bagley in the third quarter ended the scoring and gave him 88 total touchdowns, breaking Chris Redman’s career mark. In all, Jackson, who did not play in the fourth quarter, finished with 333 yards total offense.
N.C. STATE 27, FLORIDA STATE 21: Ryan Finley threw for 230 yards and two touchdowns as NC State got its first road win over a ranked team since 2008. Jaylen Samuels had two touchdowns as the Wolfpack (31) broke a 10-game losing streak to ranked teams. Their last win over a Top 25 team coincidentally was against Florida State in 2012. Their last victory on the road over a ranked team was at North Carolina. The No. 12 Seminoles, who had a 21-day layoff due to Hurricane Irma, have dropped their first two games to open a season for the first time in 28 years.
VA. TECH 38, OLD DOMINION 0: Josh Jackson threw for three touchdowns and Steven Peoples scored three, leading No. 13 Virginia Tech (4-0) at home.
MIAMI 52, TOLEDO 30: Malik Rosier threw for 333 yards and three touchdowns, Mark Walton needed only 11 carries to rush for a career-best 204 yards and another score to power No. 14 Miami at home. The Hurricanes (2-0) hadn’t played in 21 days because of the effects of Hurricane Irma.
GEORGIA 31, MISS. STATE 3: Freshman Jake Fromm threw a pair of touchdown passes as No. 11 Georgia routed No. 17 Mississippi State in Athens.
COLUMBIA 35, GEORGETOWN 14: Anders Hill threw for a career-high four touchdowns as the host Lions opened 2-0 for the first time since 2006 and have a threegame winning streak for the first time since the 2010 season.
NEBRASKA 27, RUTGERS 17: Tanner Lee led host Nebraska on a 97-yard scoring drive for the go-ahead touchdown after Rutgers returned an interception for a touchdown. Devine Ozigbo ran for 101 yards as the Huskers (2-2) picked up a much-needed victory for coach Mike Riley two days after AD Shawn Eichorst was fired following last week’s humiliating home loss to Northern Illinois. Rutgers (1-3) lost its 15th straight Big Ten game. Kiy Hester intercepted Lee and returned it 33 yards for a touchdown and a 17-14 Rutgers lead early in the third quarter.
TULANE 21, ARMY 17: The Black Knights (2-2) had taken a 17-14 lead with 5:32 left. Connor Slomka gained 4 yards on a fourth-and-1 and on the next play he ran 5 yards for a touchdown that capped a 15-play, 71-yard drive. But Jonathan Banks led the Green Wave (2-2) on a 19-play, 75-yard drive on which it converted three fourth downs and two third downs.
BRYANT 45, FORDHAM 40: Kevin Anderson threw for 366 yards and five touchdowns for the visiting Rams (1-3).
STONY BROOK 25, TOWSON 17: Joe Carbone threw two touchdown passes and Alex Lucansky kicked four field goals for host Stony Brook held on. — AP