COLLEGE FOOTBALL: TOP 25 ROUNDUP Texas beats Kansas, Big 12 title game next
No. 11 Texas 24, Kansas 17: Sam Ehlinger threw for two touchdowns and ran for a score, and Texas held off host Kansas to clinch a spot in the Big 12 title game.
The Longhorns opened a 24-7 lead on Cameron Dicker’s 34-yard field goal in the fourth quarter, but the lowly Jayhawks responded with Peyton Bender’s 31-yard touchdown pass to Daylon Charlot and recovered the ensuing onside kick.
After Gabriel Rui made it a onescore game with a 45-yard field goal with 1:37 remaining, Kansas was unable to recover another onside kick and Texas (9-3, 7-2, No. 15 CFP) closed out its third consecutive victory.
No. 6 Oklahoma 59, No. 12 West Virginia 56: Kyler Murray threw three touchdown passes and ran for another score and No. 6 Oklahoma scored two defensive TDs as the Sooners beat No. 12 West Virginia 59-56 Friday night to earn a spot in next week’s Big 12 championship game.
The Sooners (11-1, 8-1, No. 6 CFP) survived a wild and mostly defenseless affair that featured 1,372 yards of offense to earn a rematch Dec. 1 in Arlington, Texas, against No. 11 Texas, which beat Kansas earlier Friday.
Oklahoma also kept its College Football Playoff chances alive.
West Virginia (8-3, 6-3, No. 13 CFP) lost to Oklahoma for the seventh straight time since joining the league in 2012.
Murray finished 20 of 27 for 364 yards and converted a late fourth down to seal a matchup of Heisman Trophy hopefuls. West Virginia’s Will Grier threw for four touchdowns and a career-high 539 yards on 32 of 49 passing.
No. 8 UCF 38, South Florida 10: UCF lost quarterback McKenzie Milton to injury but still trounced host South Florida to extend the nation’s longest winning streak to 24 games and complete a second consecutive undefeated regular season.
Milton, eighth in Heisman Trophy balloting a year ago, hurt his right knee when he was tackled at the end of a 5yard run in the second quarter. Darriel Mack Jr. replaced him and may make his second start of the year when UCF (11-0, 8-0, No. 9 CFP) faces Memphis next week in the American Athletic Conference title game.
No. 16 Washington 28, No. 7 Washington State 15: Myles Gaskin broke free for an 80-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter, and No. 16 Washington won its second Pac-12 North Division title in three years, beating No. 7 Washington State 28-15 on a snowy Friday night.
On a blustery cold night with snow falling and blanketing the turf at Martin Stadium, Gaskin found enough traction to carry the Huskies into the Pac-12 title game and ruin yet again the title hopes of Washington State. It was Washington’s sixth straight win over the Cougars and the third straight year the Huskies denied Washington State the North crown. Gaskin rushed for 170 yards and three touchdowns, a year after running for 192 yards and four scores against the Cougars.
The Huskies (9-3, 7-2 Pac-12) will face Utah in the conference title game next Friday in Santa Clara, California.