Auburn dominates No. 1 Georgia, 40-17
Clemson wins ACC Atlantic; Wisconsin, Ohio St., Penn St. roll
Kerryon Johnson ran for 167 yards and caught a 55-yard touchdown pass from Jarrett Stidham and No. 10 Auburn smothered No. 1 Georgia’s running game in a 40-17 victory Saturday.
The Tigers (8-2, 6-1 Southeastern Conference) remained in Western Division and potentially playoff contention after ending a three-year losing streak to one of their top rivals. The Bulldogs (9-1, 6-1) came in with the top spot in the playoff rankings and could get a rematch if Auburn can beat No. 2 Alabama in two weeks.
The first go around wasn’t pretty for Georgia. Auburn held Nick Chubb, Sony Michel and the SEC’s top ground game to 46 yards, 233 below their season average.
Johnson ran 32 times and caught two passes for 66 yards. Stidham threw for 214 yards and three touchdowns, all of 30-plus yards.
NO. 2 ALABAMA 31, NO. 16 MISSISSIPPI STATE 24: Jalen Hurts hit DeVonta Smith for a 26-yard touchdown pass with 25 seconds remaining to lift the visiting Crimson Tide (10-0, 7-0 SEC) over the Bulldogs (7-3, 3-3).
Alabama won its 10th straight game against Mississippi State, but this one was much more difficult than most of the others.
NO. 4 CLEMSON 31, FLORIDA STATE 14: Travis Etienne rushed for 97 yards and two touchdowns, including a 1-yard burst with 3:05 left, and the host Tigers (9-1, 701) won the ACC Atlantic Division with a win over the Seminoles (3-6, 3-5).
Clemson and their dominant defense looked to have this one wrapped up when they opened a 17-0 lead with two minutes left in the third quarter.
NO. 8 WISCONSIN 38, NO. 20 IOWA 14: Receiver Kendric Pryor scored twice, and the host Badgers (10-0, 7-0 Big Ten) relied on stifling defense to overcome four turnovers and Iowa cornerback Josh Jackson’s two touchdowns in a win over the Hawkeyes (6-4, 3-4).
The win allowed Wisconsin to clinch a trip to the league conference title game as West champions.
NO. 13 OHIO STATE 48, NO. 12 MICHIGAN STATE 3: J.T. Barrett threw for two touchdowns and ran for two more, and Mike Weber rushed for 162 yards and a pair of scores as the host Buckeyes (8-2, 6-1 Big Ten) routed the Spartans (7-3, 5-2).
Ohio State scored on five of their first six possessions, led 35-3 at the half and cruised the rest of the way to claim sole possession of first place in the Big Ten East with two games remaining.
NO. 14 PENN STATE 35, RUTGERS 6: Trace McSorley accounted for 258 total yards and three touchdowns as the host Nittany Lions (8-2, 5-2 Big Ten) beat the Scarlett Knights (4-6, 3-4).
McSorley became Penn State’s alltime touchdown leader with 68, overtaking Daryll Clark’s record of 65 with one rushing and two passing scores, and the Nittany Lions scored 35 unanswered points after going down 6-0 in the first quarter.
Saquon Barkley ran for two touchdowns and DaeSean Hamilton and Mike Gesicki each caught one for Penn State. Barkley, a Heisman Trophy candidate, ran for just 35 yards on 14 carries.
NO. 15 OKLAHOMA STATE 49, NO. 21 IOWA STATE 42: Mason Rudolph threw for 376 yards and three touchdowns — including two in the final 5:55 — and the visiting Cowboys (8-2, 5-2 Big 12) beat the Cylcones (6-4, 4-3) to keep their Big 12 title hopes alive.
Justice Hill had 134 yards and three touchdown runs for Oklahoma State, which remain in a tie for second place in the league with two games to go.
The top two finishers in the Big 12 will meet in the championship game in Arlington, Texas, on Dec. 2.
GEORGIA TECH 28, NO. 17 VIRGINIA TECH 22: TaQuon Marshall got two long touchdown passes out of his only completions, including an 80-yarder to Ricky Jeune with 6 minutes remaining, and Ajani Kerr swatted away a fourthdown pass in the end zone to preserve the upset by the host Yellow Jackets (5-4, 4-3 ACC) over the Hokies (7-3, 3-3).
NO. 18 CENTRAL FLORIDA 49, CONNECTICUT 24: Otis Anderson rushed for 84 yards and two touchdowns, McKenzie Milton passed for 311 yards and the host Knights (9-0, 6-0 American Athletic Conference) beat the Huskies (3-7, 2-5).