Ohio State escapes in overtime
No. 10 Ohio State avoided what would have been one of the most stunning upsets of the college football season Saturday by edging Maryland 52-51 in overtime when the Terrapins failed to convert a two-point conversion after scoring the potential tying touchdown.
Favored by 14½ points, the Buckeyes (10-1, 7-1 Big Ten) trailed by two touchdowns in the third quarter and 45-38 with less than two minutes left before rallying to a pivotal victory.
After a five-yard touchdown run by Dwayne Haskins gave Ohio State a 52-45 lead to start overtime, Tayon Fleet-Davis scored to pull Maryland to 52-51. Interim coach Matt Canada decided to go for the two-point conversion and the victory, but Tyrrell Pigrome’s pass to Jeshaun Jones was off-target.
The victory kept the Buckeyes in the hunt for the Big Ten title and a spot in the College Football Playoff. Ohio State concludes the regular season next Saturday against archrival Michigan in a game that will determine the winner of the Big Ten East.
Haskins passed for 405 yards and three touchdowns and ran for three more for the Buckeyes, who rolled up 688 yards of offense. Anthony McFarland rushed for 298 yards, including touchdowns of 81 and 75 yards in the first quarter, for the Terrapins (5-6, 3-5).
Michigan 31, Indiana 20
Karan Higdon ran for a goahead touchdown early in the third quarter, Jake Moody set a school record by kicking six field goals and the No. 4 Wolverines (10-1, 8-0) fought off the Hoosiers (5-6, 2-6) in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The result set up a showdown Saturday between Michigan and archrival Ohio State for the Big Ten East title.
Indiana again was competitive against the Wolverines — the Hoosiers entered the game having lost in overtime twice in the last three games between the teams — but managed only three points in the second half after leading 17-15 at the break. Indiana finished with more yards — 385 — than anyone has had against Michigan’s defense this season.
Wisconsin 47, Purdue 44 (3 OT)
Jonathan Taylor rushed for a career-high 321 yards and scored three touchdowns, including a 17-yarder in the third overtime, and the Badgers (7-4, 5-3) rallied from a 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter to outlast the Boilermakers (5-6, 4-4) in West Lafayette, Indiana. Wisconsin has won the last 13 games between the teams.
David Blough threw for 386 yards and four touchdowns but came up short of leading Purdue to a victory that would have clinched a bowl berth. Rondale Moore had nine catches for 114 yards and two touchdowns for the Boilermakers.
Penn State 20, Rutgers 7
Trace McSorley threw two touchdown passes to Pat Freiermuth — both set up by turnovers — and the No. 14 Nittany Lions (8-3, 5-3) handed the Scarlet Knights (1-10, 0-8) their 10th consecutive loss in Piscataway, New Jersey. Penn State has beaten Rutgers 12 times in a row.
The victory was No. 30 for McSorley as a starter, making him the winningest quarterback in school history. He had been tied with Todd Blackledge (1980-82) and Tony Sacca (1988-91).
Nebraska 9, Michigan State 6
Barrett Pickering kicked three field goals in the fourth quarter, the last a 47-yarder with 5:13 left, to lift the Cornhuskers (4-7, 3-5) past the Spartans (6-5, 4-4) in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Research indicated it was the first time Nebraska had won a game without scoring a touchdown since a 3-0 victory against Kansas State in 1937.