Tyler’s TD propels Army past Navy
WEST POINT, N. Y. — Tyhier Tyler scored on a 4- yard run early in the fourth quarter, the Army defense stoned Navy with a goal- line stand in the third, and the Black Knights beat their archrival 15- 0 on Saturday at fog- shrouded Michie Stadium.
It was the first meeting between the teams at West Point since 1943. The game was moved to Michie Stadium from its customary site in Philadelphia because COVID- 19 regulations in Pennsylvania would not have allowed the Corps of Cadets and Brigade of Midshipmen to attend.
The Black Knights ( 8- 2) posted their first shutout in the series since a 27- 0 victory in 1969 and have won four of five against Navy ( 3- 7). They had lost all three games played previously at West Point to the Midshipmen, including 13- 0 in 1943 during World War II.
Navy still leads the series 61- 53- 7. No fans were allowed, so there wasn’t much of a home field advantage for the Black Knights. When the game began the Mids and Cadets were seated in groups on different sides and behind both goalposts, and the stadium literally shook after President Donald Trump conducted the coin toss and the Mids won.
Army had three weeks off to prepare after its game Nov. 7 against Air Force was switched to next Saturday because of COVID- 19 concerns in and around the Air Force academy. Navy was coming in off four straight losses.
NO. 1 ALABAMA 52, ARKANSAS 3
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — DeVonta Smith returned a punt 84 yards for a touchdown as Alabama scored 28 points in a span of 11 minutes in the first half and rolled past Arkansas.
After the teams traded field goals, Smith started the Crimson Tide ( 10- 0, CFP No. 1) spree. Najee Harris scored touchdowns 14 seconds apart and a final plunge from 1 yard by Brian Robinson Jr. had Alabama cruising toward the Southeastern Conference championship game next week against No. 6 Florida.
It was an otherwise quiet day for Smith, with three catches for 22 yards, but the receiver bolstered his surging case for Heisman Trophy consideration on one play.
NO. 20 NORTH CAROLINA 62, NO. 9 MIAMI 26
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Michael Carter and Javonte Williams set an NCAA record by combining for 544 yards rushing, and North Carolina embarrassed Miami in the regularseason finale for both teams.
Carter ran for 308 yards and two touchdowns, while Williams had 236 yards and three touchdowns for the Tar Heels ( 8- 3, 7- 3 Atlantic Coast Conference). Per the NCAA, it was the seventh time that two teammates each ran for at least 200 yards, the first since 2016 and the first such instance in ACC history.
NO. 11 COASTAL CAROLINA 42, TROY 38
TROY, Ala. — Jaivon Heiligh caught a 23- yard touchdown pass from Grayson McCall with 45 seconds left and Coastal Carolina preserved its first perfect regular season.
McCall needed just 45 seconds to move the Chanticleers ( 11- 0, 8- 0 Sun Belt Conference), who didn’t have any timeouts, 75 yards for the winning score. He completed all four of his passes on the drive, three of them to Heiligh.
NO. 12 GEORGIA 49, MISSOURI 14
COLUMBIA, Mo. — JT Daniels threw three touchdown passes, two to George Pickens, and Georgia routed Missouri.
Zamir White ran for 126 yards and a score for Georgia ( 7- 2). Missouri
( 5- 4) managed just 200 yards of offense after topping the 600- yard mark each of the past two weeks.
NO. 15 NORTHWESTERN 28, ILLINOIS 10
EVANSTON, Ill. — Cam Porter ran for a career- high 142 yards and two touchdowns, Evan Hull added a season- best 149 yards on the ground, and Northwestern tuned up for the Big Ten championship game by beating Illinois.
Porter came in with just 32 yards and one TD. But the freshman broke out in a big way, leading the Wildcats ( 6- 1, No. 14 CFP) to an easy victory over the Illini ( 2- 5).
NO. 19 IOWA 28, NO. 25 WISCONSIN 7
IOWA CITY, Iowa — Spencer Petras threw for 211 yards and two touchdowns to Ihmir Smith- Marsette to lead Iowa past Wisconsin, the Hawkeyes’ sixth win in a row.
Iowa ( 6- 2, 6- 2 Big Ten) beat the Badgers ( 2- 3, 2- 3) for the first time since 2015 to reclaim the Heartland Trophy. Hawkeyes players celebrated by making snow angels after flurries picked up in the second half and blanketed the field in white.
UTAH 38, NO. 21 COLORADO 21
BOULDER, Colo. — Ty Jordan scored twice, including a sealing 66yard burst, and Utah’s revamped defense forced three turnovers to help the Utes rally past Colorado in the snow to thwart the Buffaloes’ Pac- 12 title hopes.
The soon- to- be- unseated Pac- 12 South champion Utes ( 2- 2, 2- 2 Pac- 12) found their footing on the frozen field in the second half, turning around a 21- 10 deficit by scoring 28 straight points.
NO. 24 BUFFALO 56, AKRON 7
AMHERST, N. Y. — Jaret Patterson ran for 105 yards and matched a major- college football record by reaching 1,000 yards for the season in five games as Buffalo routed Akron as a tune- up for the Mid- American Conference championship.
Patterson scored two touchdowns before halftime, bringing his season totals to 1,025 yards and 18 rushing TDs for the Bulls ( 5- 0). He is the 12th player in FBS history to surpass 1,000 yards in as many games.