Walker, Michigan State rally to beat Michigan
EAST LANSING, Mich. — Kenneth Walker ran for 197 yards and five touchdowns, helping No. 8 Michigan State top No. 6 Michigan 37-33 in a thrilling comeback victory Saturday.
The Spartans (8-0, 5-0 Big Ten) trailed by nine at halftime and 30-14 with 6:47 left in the third quarter before Walker boosted his chances of winning the Heisman Trophy.
Walker’s fifth touchdown — a 23-yard run — lifted the Spartans to a 37-33 lead with 5:08 remaining.
The Wolverines (7-1, 4-1) forced a final punt and had the ball at their 33 with 1:15 and no timeouts left.
After a roughing-the-passer penalty gave Michigan the ball at midfield, Michigan State cornerback Charles Brantley sealed the victory by picking off a floating pass from Cade McNamara.
McNamara threw for 383 yards and two touchdowns, but his interception was costly, as was freshman quarterback J.J. McCarthy’s lost fumble in the fourth quarter.
The rivals were on the same field with 7-0 or better records for the first time, matching up as top-10 teams for the first time since 1964.
NO. 1 GEORGIA 34, FLORIDA 7
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — No. 1 Georgia and its top-ranked defense dominated Florida, scoring three touchdowns off turnovers in a 12-play sequence that turned “The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party” into another lopsided affair.
Georgia (8-0, 6-0 Southeastern Conference) won its 12th consecutive game since getting steamrolled in Jacksonville a year ago. The Bulldogs’ injury-riddled defense allowed 571 yards in that one, the most in coach Kirby Smart’s six seasons.
Georgia vowed to not let it happen again and responded with another demoralizing effort that might be their most impressive all season.
Florida (4-4, 2-4) managed no points, 11 first downs and 214 yards through three quarters and looked like its decades-old, NCAA-record scoring streak might be in jeopardy down the stretch. But the Gators finally got on the scoreboard with 2:49 remaining, extending the streak to 418 games. They have scored in every outing since getting shut out by Auburn in 1988.
The late touchdown run by Emory Jones did little to negate Georgia’s mastery for three-plus hours on a cool, sundrenched afternoon. All the empty seats on Florida’s side of TIAA Bank Field told the real story.
This one was over by halftime.
NO. 2 CINCINNATI 31, TULANE 12
NEW ORLEANS — Desmond Ridder threw two touchdown pass to tight end Josh Whyle and Cincinnati beat Tulane to remain undefeated.
Jerome Ford rushed for 65 yards and a touchdown — his 14th this season — for Cincinnati (8-0, 4-0 American Athletic Conference). The Bearcats briefly trailed in the second quarter and led by just two points at halftime.
Ridder passed for 227 yards and three touchdowns to go with his 47 yards rushing, but also was sacked in the end zone for a safety and threw an intercepted. Whyle caught four passes for 79 yards.
Tulane (1-6, 0-4) played without starting quarterback Michael Pratt because of his concussion during last weeks loss at SMU. Running back Tyjae Spears, coming back from a knee injury that wiped out his 2020 season, rushed for 106 yards on 19 carries, highlighted by his 47-yard touchdown dash in the first half.
Third-string QB Kai Horton, a freshman, started for Tulane because backup Justin Ibieta also was hurt. He was 7 of 16 passes for 79 yards with two interceptions and four sacks.
WISCONSIN 27, NO. 9 IOWA 7
MADISON, Wis. — Graham Mertz scored on two quarterback sneaks and threw a touchdown pass to help Wisconsin beat Iowa for its fourth consecutive victory.
Wisconsin (5-3, 3-2 Big Ten) forced three turnovers, had six sacks and limited Iowa to 24 yards rushing on 30 carries. The Badgers maintained control of their destiny in the Big Ten West Division race and regained possession of the Heartland Trophy that goes to the winner of the annual matchup.
Iowa (6-2, 3-2) has been outscored 51-14 in its last two games after being ranked second in the nation just a couple of weeks ago. This was the Hawkeyes’ first game since a 24-7 home loss to Purdue on Oct. 16.
Wisconsin’s Braelon Allen rushed for 104 yards on 20 attempts The 17-year-old freshman has run for over 100 yards in four straight games after totaling just 12 carries in Wisconsin’s first four games.
NO. 16 BAYLOR 31, TEXAS 24
WACO, Texas — Ben Sims had a 1-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter, Abram Smith spun away for a 32-yard scamper to the end zone and Baylor became the third team in a row to overcome a double-digit deficit to beat Texas.
The handoff to the sweeping Sims for a score with 12:48 left put the Bears (7-1, 4-1 Big 12) back ahead for the first time since the first quarter. Texas then had a failed fake punt attempt, setting up Smith’s nifty run three plays later when he took a quick pitch left, reversed field after spinning away from a defender.
Texas (4-4, 2-3) was coming off its open date, which followed consecutive losses to No. 4 Oklahoma and No. 15 Oklahoma State in which the Longhorns led by at least two touchdowns before halftime both times.
Big 12 rushing leader Bijan Robinson was limited to 43 yards on 17 carries, well below his 132 yards a game average with a 2.5 yard-per-carry that was the lowest in his career.
MIAMI 38, NO, 17 PITTSBURGH 34
PITTSBURGH — Miami freshman Tyler Van Dyke outdueled Kenny Pickett, throwing for 426 yards and three touchdowns in the Hurricanes; victory over Pittsburgh,
Van Dyke completed 31 of 41 passes to help Miami (4-4, 2-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) beat a ranked opponent for the second straight week.
Pickett bolstered his Heisman resume by throwing for a school-record 519 yards and four touchdowns, but he also threw his second and third interceptions of the season, both of which led to huge momentum shifts.
Pitt (6-2, 3-1) remains in control of its destiny in the ACC Coastal Division but any remote shot at crashing the College Football Playoff is long gone.
WEST VIRGINIA 38, NO. 22 IOWA STATE 31
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Jarret Doege threw three touchdown passes, Leddie Brown ran for two scores and West Virginia beat Iowa State.
West Virginia (4-4, 2-3 Big 12) came alive on offense after averaging 20 points in its first four conference games.
Iowa State (5-3, 3-2) was missing leading tackler Mike Rose because of an undisclosed injury and the league’s top defense gave up a season-high 492 yards. The linebacker had started all 45 previous games in his career.
Doege completed 30 of 46 passes for 370 yards. He threw two interceptions, one on a deflected pass. Breece Hall rushed for 167 yards, including a 70-yard scoring run on Iowa State’s third play from scrimmage.