Rudolph leads Cowboys
Wake Forest's Greg Dortch kept zipping around, finding inventive ways to reach the end zone. For a change, the most explosive player in a Louisville game was someone other than Heisman Trophywinner Lamar Jackson.
Dortch caught a school-record four of John Wolford's five touchdown passes in Wake Forest's 42-32 victory over the Cardinals on Saturday.
“The impact he's had is, we have a bigplay threat,” coach Dave Clawson said of Dortch, “and that opens up everything.”
Wolford became the first Wake Forest player in 19 years to throw for more than 400 yards, passing for 461 and completing 28 of 34 passes and adding a short scoring run for the Demon Deacons (5-3, 2-3 Atlantic Coast Conference).
Matt Colburn rushed for a career-best 134 yards to help the Wake Forest offense roll up a season-best 625 total yards and snap its three-game losing streak.
“You've just got to find a way,” Clawson said. “Today we found a way, and probably got one of the biggest wins we've gotten in our four years here.”
On this day, when the outcome was still in doubt, the biggest plays were made by Dortch, who finished with 10 catches for 167 yards. Wolford hit Dortch with a 32-yard catch-and-run touchdown and found the speedster again on a swing pass.
Mason Rudolph threw three touchdown passes and ran for another score to lead No. 11 Oklahoma State to a 50-39 victory over No. 22 West Virginia on Saturday.
Freshman J.D. King ran for a seasonhigh 142 yards on 36 carries and scored twice in place of Big 12 leading rusher Justice Hill for the Cowboys (7-1, 4-1 Big 12).
In winning its fourth straight, Oklahoma State scored four touchdowns following West Virginia turnovers, and the Mountaineers couldn't come back from their biggest deficit of the season.
Rudolph, the national passing yards leader, stood out in a steady light rain in a matchup against West Virginia's Will Grier, who entered the game first in the FBS with 26 touchdown passes.
Rudolph finished 20 of 34 for 216 yards. He earned his 29th win as a starter, breaking the school record set by current coach Mike Gundy from 1986 to 1989.
Grier threw four interceptions and his streak of seven straight 300-yard passing games ended. He finished 20 of 42 for 285 yards and two TDs.
Wisconsin has relied all season on star freshman running back Jonathan Taylor to provide the winning edge.
When Taylor went down with an injury against Illinois on Saturday, the fifth-ranked Badgers showed how well they can play defense, forcing three turnovers to help key a 24-10 victory.
Wisconsin had five sacks and three quarterback hurries against the Illini's inexperienced quarterbacks. The pressure up front led to two interceptions, one by defensive back Joe Ferguson, and a fumble recovery.
“When someone does get a pick or fumble, everybody is juiced-up and excited for them,” Ferguson said. “It makes everyone else want to make a play.”
On offense, Wisconsin did just enough to get by. Alec Ingold and Garrett Groshek scored on short runs in the first half, and offensive lineman Michael Deiter added another touchdown on a trick play late in the game.
Taylor entered the game averaging 158.6 yards rushing, but only had 73 before leaving the game in the second quarter. Head coach Paul Chryst said he does not know the extent of the injury.
“It was fun to see other guys have to step up,” Chryst said.
“We'll find out more this week.” about JT at practice