Ohio State survives
The Buckeyes managed to avoid one of the most stunning upsets of the season, beating Maryland.
COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Ohio State went to overtime to avoid one of the most stunning upsets of the season, beating Maryland 52-51 on Saturday when the Terrapins failed to convert a 2-point conversion after matching the Buckeyes’ touchdown in the first extra period.
Favored by 14½ points, No. 10 Ohio State (10-1, 7-1 Big Ten, No. 10 CFP) trailed by two touchdowns in the third quarter and 45-38 with under two minutes left before rallying.
The Buckeyes stayed in the hunt for the Big Ten title and a spot in the College Football Playoff. They finish the regular season next week in a game against Michigan that will decide the Big Ten East winner.
NO. 1 ALABAMA 50, THE CITADEL 17
In Tuscaloosa, Ala., Tua Tagovailoa passed for 340 yards and three touchdowns, but Alabama struggled for 30-plus minutes before putting away The Citadel.
The Crimson Tide (11-0) went into halftime tied at 10 with the FCS Bulldogs (4-6). Alabama scored two touchdowns in a 12-second span on its way to a 27-point third quarter.
NO. 2 CLEMSON 35, DUKE 6
In Clemson, S.C., Trevor Lawrence was 21 for 38 for 251 yards and two touchdowns and No. 2 Clemson overcame a slow start to beat Duke to finish a perfect Atlantic Coast Conference season.
Clemson (11-0, 8-0) fell behind 6-0 early. Lawrence was 0 for 7 on third downs in the first half and the Travis Etienne ran for just 4 yards as the Tigers led 14-6 at the break.
NO. 3 NOTRE DAME 36, NO. 12 SYRACUSE 3
In New York, Ian Book returned to the starting lineup for Notre Dame and threw for 292 yards and two touchdowns to help the Fighting Irish stay on target for a trip to the College Football Playoff.
The Fighting Irish held out Book from last week’s home game against Florida State with a rib injury, and he wasn’t missed as Notre Dame (11-0, No. 3 CFP) rolled with Brandon Wimbush at quarterback.
NO. 4 MICHIGAN 31, INDIANA 20
In Ann Arbor, Mich., Karan Higdon ran for a go-ahead touchdown early in the third quarter and Jake Moody set a Michigan record with six field goals.
The Wolverines (10-1, 8-0 Big Ten, No. 4 CFP) looked sluggish and it may have had something to do with looking ahead to next week’s game at No. 9 Ohio State, where they need a win to reach the Big Ten championship game for the first time.
NO. 5 GEORGIA 66, UMASS 27
In Athens, Ga., freshman Justin Fields threw two scoring passes and ran for another touchdown, Tyler Simmons had rushing and receiving scores, and Georgia protected its playoff hopes.
Another freshman, James Cook ran for 76 yards on only three carries, including his first two career scoring runs, from 26 and 27 yards. Georgia gained 701 yards, including 426 yards on the ground, and never punted. Fields led the Bulldogs with 100 yards rushing, including a career-long run of 47 yards and a 3-yard scoring run. He completed 5 of 8 passes for 121 yards and two touchdowns.
NO. 6 OKLAHOMA 55, KANSAS 40
In Norman, Okla., Kyler Murray accounted for two of his five touchdowns in the fourth quarter to help Oklahoma survive Kansas freshman running back Pooka Williams Jr.’s big game.
Oklahoma (10-1, 7-1 Big 12, No. 6 CFP) moved closer to a spot in the conference championship game, and Murray boosted his Heisman Trophy campaign in likely his final home game.
OKLAHOMA STATE 45, NO. 7 WEST VIRGINIA 41
In Stillwater, Okla., Taylor Cornelius threw a touchdown pass to Tylan Wallace with 42 seconds remaining to rally Oklahoma State. Will Grier led West Virginia (8-2, 6-2, No. 9 CFP) to the Oklahoma State 14, but couldn’t connect with David Sills V on the final play. The loss all but ended West Virginia’s shot at the College Football Playoff. West Virginia faces Oklahoma next Friday and still has a shot at reaching the Big 12 title game.
NO. 10 LSU 42, RICE 10
In Baton Rouge, La., Joe Burrow passed for a career-high 307 yards and two touchdowns in less than three quarters for LSU.
The Tigers (9-2, No. 7 CFP) led 35-3 midway through the third quarter en route to a victory in which the only drama involved whether LSU would cover a point spread hovering around 44 points before kickoff.
NO. 11 UCF 38, NO. 19 CINCINNATI 13
In Orlando, Fla., McKenzie Milton threw for 268 yards and accounted for four touchdowns to help 11 UCF remain unbeaten and extend the nation’s longest winning streak to 23 games.
The junior from Kapolei, Hawaii, passed for three TDs without an interception and scored on a 3-yard run as the Knights (10-0, 7-0) clinched the American Athletic Conference East Division title and a spot in the league’s championship game.
NO. 13 TEXAS 24, NO. 18 IOWA STATE 10
In Austin, Texas, Sam Ehlinger ran for a touchdown and passed for another before leaving with a shoulder injury, and Texas smothered Iowa State freshman quarterback Brock Purdy.
Texas (8-3, 6-2, No. 15 CFP) is in second place in the Big 12 and on track to play in the league title game if it wins at Kansas next week. Texas hasn’t won the Big 12 since 2009.
NO. 14 UTAH STATE 29, COLORADO STATE 24
In Fort Collins, Colo., Collin Hill’s apparent 34-yard touchdown pass to Preston Williams with no time left was negated by penalty, giving Utah State the victory in a wild and stunning finish to a game played in snow and freezing rain.
NO. 15 FLORIDA 63, IDAHO 10
In Gainesville, Fla., Feleipe Franks passed for 274 yards and three touchdowns — all in the first half — and Florida ran up 600 total yards.
NO. 16 PENN STATE 20, RUTGERS 7
In Piscataway, N.J., Trace McSorley threw two touchdown passes to tight end Pat Freiermuth and Penn State’s defense set up two touchdowns with turnovers.
NO. 17 WASHINGTON 42, OREGON STATE 23
In Seattle, Jake Browning threw three touchdown passes and Myles Gaskin rushed for 135 yards in the final home game of their careers, and Washington scored 28 first-quarter points.
NO. 20 KENTUCKY 34, MIDDLE TENNESSEE 23
In Lexington, Ky., Mike Edwards had two takeaways leading to Kentucky’s first two touchdowns, and the Wildcats made several fourth-quarter defensive stops.
NO. 21 UTAH 30, COLORADO 7
In Boulder, Colo., Jason Shelley threw for 221 yards and two touchdowns in the snow, and Utah moved closer to its first Pac-12 title game appearance.
FLORIDA STATE 22, NO. 22 BOSTON COLLEGE 21
In Tallahassee, Fla., Deondre Francois threw a 74-yard touchdown pass to Tamorrion Terry with 1:49 left and Florida State beat Boston College to keep its bowl hopes alive.
NO. 24 NORTHWESTERN 24, MINNESOTA 14
In Minneapolis, Isaiah Bowser rushed for 85 yards and two touchdowns and Northwestern turned three turnovers by Minnesota quarterback Tanner Morgan into 10 points.
NO. 25 MISSISSIPPI STATE 52, ARKANSAS 6
In Starkville, Miss., Nick Fitzgerald threw four touchdown passes and ran for another score to lead Mississippi State.