No. 2 Michigan withstands Penn State
Harbaugh’s suspension doesn’t stop Wolverines
With Jim Harbaugh banned by the Big Ten Conference, J.J. McCarthy, Blake Corum and No. 2 Michigan played unfazed by a scandal that has hounded the program for weeks — and their toughest opponent yet — grinding past No. 9 Penn State 24-15 Saturday.
Corum ran for 145 yards and two touchdowns, McCarthy made few key plays with his arms and legs and the Wolverines (10-0, 7-0, No. 3 CFP) improved to 3-0 since it was revealed the program was under NCAA investigation for a sign-stealing scheme.
The struggles in big games continued for coach James Franklin and Penn State (8-2, 5-3, No. 10 CFP), which scored a combined 26 points in losses to Big Ten East rivals Ohio State and Michigan this season.
In a game Harbaugh no doubt loved from afar, on what turned into a chilly and gray day in Happy Valley, the Wolverines ran the ball on 32 straight plays that counted, starting with the final two of the first half and ending with a couple of kneeldowns.
The 27th run was Corum’s 30-yard touchdown to seal it with 4:15 left.
No. 8 Alabama 49, Kentucky 21:
Jalen Milroe had a career-high six touchdowns, three each rushing and passing, and Alabama cruised past Kentucky to clinch the Southeastern Conference West Division title.
A week after rushing for a career-best four touchdowns in a 42-28 victory over LSU, the sophomore quarterback used his arm and his feet to surpass that total and guide the Crimson Tide (9-1, 7-0 SEC, No. 8 CFP) to an eighth consecutive victory and third conference championship appearance in four seasons.
Milroe passed for his three of four TDs by halftime, including strikes of 26 and 40 yards to Amari Niblack and Kobe Prentice.
Texas Tech 16, No. 19 Kansas 13:
Gino Garcia hit a game-winning 30-yard field goal with 3 seconds to play and visiting Texas Tech upset Kansas as the Jayhawks struggled after losing quarterback Jason Bean in the first half.
Tahj Brooks ran for 133 yards and a touchdown as the Red Raiders (5-5, 4-3 Big 12) came back after Kansas (7-3, 4-3) tied the game on a 22-yard field goal by Seth Keller with 26 seconds left in regulation.
Bean went down with an injury in the second quarter and returned for just one drive the rest of the game. Cole Ballard finished up and was 9 of 20 for 124 yards and an interception.
Makhi Hughes rushed for 131 yards and a touchdown, Shedro Louis returned a kickoff 100 yards for a score and Tulane defeated Tulsa in New Orleans to win its eighth straight game.
Michael Pratt passed for 194 yards and a touchdown to help the Green Wave (9-1, 6-0 American Athletic Conference, No. 23 CFP) remain on track to defend their league title and possibly receive a bid to a second straight major New Year’s Day bowl game.
Louis’ return came on the kickoff to open the second half and gave the Wave a 21-10 lead. It was his first touchdown since transferring from Liberty and came when Tulane needed some breathing room over a Tulsa team that delivered a feisty performance as it tried to snap a losing streak that has now reached five.
No. 20 Tulane 24, Tulsa 22: No. 23 Arizona 34, Colorado 31:
Tyler Loop connected on a 24-yard field goal with no time remaining at sold-out Folsom Field.
Jonah Coleman rushed for 179 yards as the Wildcats (7-3, 5-2 Pac-12, No. 21 CFP) won their fourth straight game.
Arizona trailed 24-17 at the break and didn’t take its first lead until Loop’s field goal. The Wildcats are 13-74 when trailing at halftime in the Pac-12 era.
Shedeur Sanders ran for a score and threw for two more as the Buffaloes (4-6, 1-6) lost for the sixth time in seven games since a 3-0 start. Sanders also finished with 262 yards passing to go over the 10,000-yard mark for his career.