Minnesota shocks No. 4 Penn St.
MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota’s Jordan Howden picked off Sean Clifford’s pass in the end zone with 1:01 left, the third interception thrown by Penn State’s quarterback, and the 17th-ranked Gophers held on for a 31-26 victory Saturday over the fourthranked Nittany Lions for their first win over a topfive team in 20 years.
Tanner Morgan passed for 339 yards and three touchdowns to direct a dismantling of Penn State’s staunch defense. Minnesota (9-0, 6-0) not only remained undefeated, but stayed on track for its first trip to the Big Ten championship game.
The first sellout crowd for the Gophers at home in four years swarmed the field after the clock ran out, reveling in the biggest step forward yet under coach P.J. Fleck in his third season. The Gophers scrambled the College Football Playoff picture, too, after Penn State (8-1, 5-1) emerged with a top-four spot in the first edition of the rankings.
Clifford went 23 for 43 for 340 yards and one score.
OHIO STATE 73, MARYLAND 14
Justin Fields threw for three touchdowns and ran for another in the first half, and No. 1 Ohio State hardly missed suspended defensive star Chase Young.
A team that gave the Buckeyes (9-0, 6-0 Big Ten) headaches last season was no trouble this time, even without the fierce pass rushing of Young. The preseason All-American was suspended Friday while Ohio State investigates a possible NCAA violation involving a loan.
J.K. Dobbins rushed for 90 yards and two touchdowns as the Buckeyes built a 42-0 halftime lead
and the backups added to it in the second half.
CLEMSON 55, NORTH CAROLINA STATE 10
In Raleigh, N.C., Trevor Lawrence threw for two scores and ran for another in a dominating first quarter for fifth-ranked Clemson (10-0, 7-0), which clinched a trip to Atlantic Coast Conference championship game.
GEORGIA 27, MISSOURI 0
In Athens, Ga., Jake Fromm threw two touchdown passes to George Pickens, and No. 6 Georgia posted its third shutout, dominating a Missouri offense missing two of its biggest playmakers.
Georgia (8-1, 5-1 Southeastern Conference) moved closer to its third straight berth in the SEC championship game.
The Bulldogs can clinch the SEC East by beating No. 12 Auburn next week.
Missouri (5-4, 2-3) fell to 0-4 in road games with its third straight loss.
Quarterback Kelly Bryant and leading receiver Johnathon Johnson did not play.
WISCONSIN 24, IOWA 22
Jonathan Taylor rushed for a season-high 250 yards, and Danny Davis ran for a touchdown and caught a scoring pass for No. 13 Wisconsin in Madison, Wis.
Taylor became the first running back this season to rush for more than 100 yards against Iowa as Wisconsin (7-2, 4-2 Big Ten) held on to the Heartland Trophy, given each year to the winner of this game. Wisconsin has beaten No. 18 Iowa (6-3, 3-3) four straight times.
NOTRE DAME 38, DUKE 7
Ian Book rushed for a career-best 139 yards and threw four touchdown
passes in Durham, N.C., and No. 15 Notre Dame (7-2) rolled.
Book finished 18 of 32 for 181 yards passing,
Chris Finke caught touchdown passes of 18 and 6 yards, and Chase Claypool and George Takacs also had short scoring catches.
CINCINNATI 48, CONNECTICUT 3
Desmond Ridder threw for a pair of touchdowns and Michael Warren II ran for two more scores as the No. 20 Bearcats (8-1, 5-0) remained the only unbeaten team in American Athletic play.
VIRGINIA TECH 36, WAKE FOREST 17
Hendon Hooker accounted for 311 yards of total offense and ran for a touchdown in Blacksburg, Va., to help Virginia Tech (6-3, 3-2) beat No. 19 Wake Forest (7-2, 3-2).
How the CFP Top 25 fared
No. 1 Ohio State (9-0): beat Maryland 73-14.
No. 2 LSU (9-0): beat No. 3 Alabama 46-41.
No. 3 Alabama (8-1): lost to No. 2 LSU 46-41.
No. 4 Penn State (7-1): lost to No. 17 Minnesota 31-26. No. 5 Clemson (10-0): beat N.C. State 55-10.
No. 6 Georgia (8-1): beat Missouri 27-0.
No. 7 Oregon (8-1): idle.
No. 8 Utah (8-1): idle.
No. 9 Oklahoma (8-1): beat Iowa St. 42-41.
No. 10 Florida (8-2): beat Vanderbilt 56-0.
No. 11 Auburn (7-2): idle.
No. 12 Baylor (9-0): beat TCU 29-23.
No. 13 Wisconsin (7-2): beat Iowa 24-22.
No. 14 Michigan (7-2): idle.
No. 15 Notre Dame (7-2): beat Duke 38-7.
No. 16 Kansas St. (6-3): lost to Texas 27-24.
No. 17 Minnesota (9-0): beat Penn St. 31-26.
No. 18 Iowa (6-3): lost to Wisconsin 24-22.
No. 19 Wake Forest (7-2): lost to Virginia Tech 36-14. No. 20 Cincinnati (8-1): beat UConn 48-3.
No. 21 Memphis (8-1): idle.
No. 22 Boise State (7-1): vs. Wyoming, late
No. 23 Oklahoma State (6-3): idle.
No. 24 Navy (7-1): idle.
No. 25 SMU (9-1): beat East Carolina 59-51.