Illinois stuns Penn State in record 9 overtimes
STATE COLLEGE, PA. — Casey Washington caught a 2-point conversion pass from Brandon Peters to end the first nine-overtime game in NCAA history and lift Illinois over No. 7 Penn State 20-18 Saturday.
The teams were tied at 10 after regulation, exchanged field goals in the first two overtimes, then began to alternate 2-point attempts in the third OT as part of a format tweaked ahead of the 2021 season.
Neither team converted until the eighth overtime, when Isaiah Williams ran one in to put Illinois up 18-16. Penn State’s Noah Cain kept the game alive with a 2-point run of his own.
In the ninth OT, Sean Clifford’s pass to Parker Washington was broken up by linebacker Khalan Tolson. Peters then found Washington near the back of the end zone for the winning completion.
The 2-point conversion shootout started in 2019, the season after LSU and Texas A&M played a seven overtime game that left both teams badly beaten up. The rule was tweaked this season, with the 2-point conversion possessions beginning with the third overtime instead of the fifth.
■No. 3 Oklahoma 35,
Kansas 23: Caleb Williams threw two touchdown passes, ran 40-yards for a score on a pivotal fourth down and the Sooners rallied to avoid an enormous upset.
The Sooners (8-0, 5-0 Big 12) trailed by double figures on two occasions — including 10-0 at the half — but outscored the Jayhawks 35-13 in the second half to win their 16th straight game.
“I’m excited for the win, but we played poor football in the first half,“Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley said. “We couldn’t get Kansas off the field and missed several opportunities. I give our team credit for rising up. Kansas deserves a lot of credit, and they did a few things that gave us trouble.”
Jason Bean passed for 246 yards and a score for Kansas (1-6, 0-4), which led 17-7 late in the third quarter.
■No. 6 Michigan 33, Northwestern 7: Blake Corum and Hassan Haskins combined for 229 yards rushing and four touchdowns to lead the Wolverines.
Michigan (7-0, 4-0 Big Ten) led the Wildcats (3-4, 1-3) by just three at halftime. They pulled away by outscoring them 23-0 in the first 16:40 of the second half.
Michigan had 294 yards rushing, nearly 50 yards more than its average.
The Wolverines next play at Michigan State in a highly anticipated matchup of undefeated rivals.