About time for a win for the Irish
Notre Dame turns USC turnovers into scores
Brandon Wimbush passed for two touchdowns and ran for two more, Josh Adams added three touchdown runs and No. 13 Notre Dame took advantage of three turnovers by No. 11 USC to win 49-14 on Saturday in South Bend, Ind.
The Fighting Irish (6-1) turned all three USC turnovers into touchdowns, giving them their first victory over a ranked USC team since 1995. The turnovers came on a fumble and interception by USC quarterback Sam Darnold and a dropped punt by Jack Jones as host Notre Dame posted an easy victory in a series that dates to 1926, opening up a 28-0 lead at the half.
“The turnovers were key for us in the first half and being opportunistic, which really we’ve been all year offensively,” Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly said.
Adams had an 84-yard touchdown run and finished with 191 yards on 19 carries. Wimbush ran for 106 yards on 14 carries as the Irish amassed 377 yards on the ground.
Wimbush still wasn’t sharp passing, completing nine of 19 passes for 120 yards. But he came up with key passes when needed.
Linebacker Te’Von Coney, starting because Greer Martini injured his knee during the bye week, got the Irish going on a strip sack of Darnold on USC’s first play from scrimmage after Darnold bobbled the snap. Wimbush threw a 26-yard touchdown pass to Equanimeous St. Brown three plays later.
Darnold completed 20 of 29 passes but could not overcome the turnovers or USC (6-2) being held to 76 yards rushing, including minus-4 in the first half. He threw two touchdown passes, the first cutting Notre Dame’s lead to 28-7.
“I thought Notre Dame was really well prepared. I thought they played an excellent game. We helped them by mistakes,” USC coach Clay Helton said.
“We want to be unique,” Kelly said. “Unique means this is not the crown jewel for us. We want more.”
#15 Washington St. 28, Colorado 0: Luke Falk threw three touchdown passes as the Cougars (7-1, 4-1 Pac-12) rolled on a rainy night in Pullman, Wash. Jamal Morrow ran for 73 yards and a touchdown. Colorado (4-4, 1-4) could muster only 174 yards of total offense.
UCLA 31, Oregon 14: Josh Rosen threw for 266 yards and two touchdowns as the Bruins (4-3, 2-2 Pac-12) moved to 4-0 at the Rose Bowl. Braxton Burmeister threw for 74 yards with one interception and ran for two touchdowns for the Ducks (4-4, 1-4), who have lost three straight since starting quarterback Justin Herbert broke his collarbone. Arizona St. 30, Utah 10: Demario Richard and Kalen Ballage combined for 168 yards rushing and the visiting Sun Devils forced four turnovers. Manny Wilkins threw for 140 yards on 19-of-29 passing to help Arizona State (4-3, 3-1 Pac-12) snap a seven-game road losing streak. #1 Alabama 45, Tennessee 7: Bo Scarbrough had two fourthdown touchdown runs and the host Crimson Tide (8-0, 5-0 SEC) improved to 11-0 in the traditional Third Saturday in October game under coach Nick Saban while dealing another blow to the slumping Volunteers (3-4, 0-4) and embattled coach Butch Jones. Alabama outgained Tennessee 604-108 even with reserves in the offensive backfield most of the second half. #2 Penn St. 42, #19 Michigan 13: Saquon Barkley and Trace McSorley cut through the visiting Wolverines’ stingy defense, each scoring three touchdowns, and Penn State emphatically avenged its last regular-season loss with a victory. Heisman Trophy candidate Barkley ran 15 times for 108 yards for Penn State (7-0, 4-0 Big Ten), opening the scoring with a 69-yard run. Penn State has not lost a regular-season game since getting trounced 49-10 by Michigan (5-2, 2-2) last season.
#4 TCU 43, Kansas 0: Kenny Hill matched his career high with five touchdown passes, KaVontae Turpin returned a punt 90 yards for a score after going backward to the 3 and the Horned Frogs’ (7-0, 4-0 Big 12) defense dominated visiting Kansas. The Jayhawks (1-6, 0-4) had 21 yards total offense while tying an 81-year-old NCAA record with their 44th straight loss in a road game. #5 Wisconsin 38, Maryland 13: Jonathan Taylor ran for a touchdown and broke the 1,000-yard mark for the season and Alex Hornibrook passed for two scores for the host Badgers (7-0, 4-0). Taylor finished with 126 yards on 22 carries. Playing in his seventh game, Taylor tied a major college football record shared by five other backs for fewest games by a freshman to get to 1,000 yards. Maryland is 3-4, 1-3 in the Big Ten. #8 Miami 27, Syracuse 19: Malik Rosier threw for 344 yards and two touchdowns, and Travis Homer’s 33-yard touchdown run with 2:48 left helped the host Hurricanes (6-0, 4-0 ACC) to their 11th straight victory. It was the third consecutive down-to-the-end game for Miami, off to its best league start since joining the ACC in 2004. Syracuse’s Eric Dungey threw four interceptions, all in the first half. Christopher Herndon had a careerbest 10 catches for 96 yards and a touchdown for Miami. #9 Oklahoma 42, Kansas St. 35: Rodney Anderson ran 22 yards for the go-ahead score with 7 seconds remaining, Baker Mayfield threw for 410 yards and accounted for four touchdowns, and the visiting Sooners (6-1, 3-1 Big 12) rallied for a wild win over the Wildcats (3-4, 1-3). Anderson finished with 147 yards rushing for the Sooners, who trailed 21-10 at the break but proceeded to shred the overmatched secondary of the Wildcats (3-4, 1-3) in the second half. #10 Oklahoma St. 13, Texas 10: Ramon Richards intercepted Sam Ehlinger’s pass in the end zone in overtime after Matt Ammendola kicked a field goal for the visiting Cowboys (6-1, 3-1 Big 12). On the interception, the Longhorns (3-4, 2-2) had a first down on the Oklahoma State 12 after a pass interference penalty. The Cowboys beat Texas for the fifth straight time in Austin, most by a Longhorns opponent. #14 Virginia Tech 59, N. Carolina 7: Josh Jackson threw three touchdown passes and the host Hokies (6-1, 2-1 ACC) scored on fumble, interception and punt returns. Jackson passed for 132 yards and the Hokies dominated in sending the Tar Heels (1-7, 0-5) to their fifth straight loss. #16 South Florida 34, Tulane 28: Quinton Flowers passed for two touchdowns, ran for 138 yards and another score, and the Bulls extended the nation’s longest active winning streak to 12 games. South Florida (7-0, 4-0 American) also scored at least 30 points in a game for a modern-era record 24th straight time, but needed to hold on after host Tulane (3-4, 1-2) nearly clawed back from a 27-point hole. #18 Michigan St. 17, Indiana 9: Brian Lewerke threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Felton Davis with 5:59 remaining for the host Spartans (6-1, 4-0 Big Ten). Indiana (3-4, 0-4) came up just short for a second straight week against a team from Michigan. #20 C. Florida 31, Navy 21: Adrian Killins ran for 122 yards and two touchdowns, McKenzie Milton passed for 233 yards as the visiting Knights are 6-0 (4-0 American Athletic) for the first time in the 39-year history of the program. For the Midshipmen (5-2, 3-2), quarterback Zach Abey, the key figure in Navy’s triple option, carried 25 times for 126 yards and a touchdown — his schoolrecord eighth straight 100-yard game. He also threw a touchdown pass. #21 Auburn 52, Arkansas 20: Kamryn Pettway rushed for 90 yards and three touchdowns and the Tigers (6-2, 4-1 Southeastern Conference) bounced back from a loss to LSU. Auburn outgained the Razorbacks 629-334 and have outscored their SEC West counterpart 108-23 over the past two seasons. The host Razorbacks (2-5, 0-4) have lost seven of their past nine games. #23 West Virginia 38, Baylor 36: Xavier Preston sacked Charlie Brewer on a two-point conversion attempt with 17 seconds left and the visiting Mountaineers (5-2, 3-1 Big 12) withstood a fourth-quarter Baylor rally. #24 LSU 40, Mississippi 24: Derrius Guice ran for a seasonhigh 276 yards and a touchdown to lead LSU over host Ole Miss. The Tigers (6-2, 3-1 Southeastern Conference) have won three straight games, all in conference play. Ole Miss (3-4, 1-3) came into the game with the SEC’s most prolific passing offense, but struggled most of the night against LSU.
Junior College
CCSF 54, Santa Rosa 7: Ina game moved from Santa Rosa to City College of San Francisco because of the Wine Country fires, Isaiah Floyd had 162 yards rushing and three touchdowns and quarterback Zach Masoli added two TDs passing and one rushing as the Rams (5-2, 2-0 Bay 6) rolled over winless Santa Rosa (0-6, 0-2). Admission was free to the game, and donations were accepted to help victims of the fire.