Georgia’s defense stifles Texas A&M
George Pickens scored Georgia’s only touchdown, Rodrigo Blankenship booted four field goals and the defense stymied Texas A&M, leading the No. 4 Bulldogs to a lackluster 19-13 victory over the 24thranked Aggies on Saturday at Athens, Georgia.
Georgia (10-1, 7-1 Southeastern Conference, No. 4 CFP) wrapped up its conference schedule and stayed on course to make a run at the College Football Playoff.
While the Bulldogs struggled offensively, the defense turned in another dominating performance. Texas A&M (7-4, 4-3) was held to just minus-1 yards rushing and 274 yards overall, one week after piling up 319 yards on the ground in a rout of South Carolina.
But it was a struggle all the way for the Bulldogs, who managed only 260 total yards and didn’t seal the victory under D’Andre Swift broke off an 11-yard run on third-and-1 with 21/2 minutes remaining.
Blankenship connected on field goals of 41, 49, 37 and 31 yards to become Georgia’s career scoring leader with 418 points. He passed Marshall Morgan (407), Billy Bennett (409) and previous leader Blair Walsh (412).
Athens was hit by heavy rain before the game, and another line of torrential storms struck again in the second quarter, keeping famed mascot Uga X confined to his doghouse.
Then, suddenly, the showers cleared.So did the cloud over the Georgia offense.
Georgia kept settling for field goals until Texas
A&M finally reached the end zone with their most impressive drive of the game. Going 75 yards in 10 plays, the Aggies scored on Kellen Mond’s 19-yard touchdown pass to Jhamon Ausbon with 11:16 remaining.
A No. 5 Alabama 66, Western Carolina 0: , NoonTUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) – Mac Jones passed for 275 yards and three touchdowns in little more than a half and No. 5 Alabama began life without Tua Tagovailoa with a 66-3 romp Saturday over FCS Western Carolina.
With Tagovailoa watching much of the game from a cart behind the bench, the Crimson Tide (10-1) treated its injured quarterback to a one-sided show against the Catamounts (3-9). Alabama is ranked fifth in the College Football Playoff rankings and hoping to somehow make the field despite failing to win the SEC West.
A No. 11 Minnesota 38, Northwestern 22: Tanner Morgan led the Golden Gophers to scores on their first three possessions and finished with four touchdown passes, and visiting Minnesota (10-1, 7-1 Big Ten, No. 10 CFP) bounced back from its first loss of the season with a romp over the host Wildcats
(2-9, 0-8).
A No. 12 Michigan 39, Indiana 14: Shea Patterson threw five touchdown passes and Nico Collins scored a career-high three times to lead the Wolverines (9-2, 6-2 Big Ten, No. 13 CFP) to a blowout victory over the host (7-4, 4-4). The Wolverines have won four straight overall and 24 straight in the series since 1987.
A No. 13 Baylor 24, Texas 10: Charlie Brewer accounted for 296 yards and two touchdowns and the host Bears (10-1, 7-1 Big 12, No. 14 CFP) wrapped up a spot in the Big 12 championship game with a victory over the Longhorns (6-5, 4-4), a week after the Bears missed a chance to do so with their first loss of the season.
A No. 14 Wisconsin 45, Purdue 24: Jonathan Taylor rushed for at least 200 yards for the 12th time in his career and the host Badgers (9-2, 6-2 Big Ten, No. 12 CFP) defeated the Boilermakers (4-7, 3-5).
A No. 15 Notre Dame 40, Boston College 7: Ian Book threw three touchdown passes and the host Fighting Irish (9-2, No. 15 CFP) corralled the Eagles’ (5-6) star running back AJ Dillon.
A No. 16 Auburn 52, Samford 0: Auburn’s defense held Samford to 114 yards and forced four turnovers, JaTarvious Whitlow scored twice, and the the host Tigers (7-3) tuned up for the Iron Bowl with a rout of the Bulldogs (5-7).
A No. 18 Memphis 49, South Florida 10: Brady White threw for 222 yards and two touchdowns as the Tigers (10-1, 6-1, No. 18 CFP) shrugged off two early turnovers to beat the host Bulls (4-7, 2-5) and retain a share of first place in the American Athletic Conference West Division.
A No. 19 Iowa 19, Illinois 10: Nate Stanley threw for 308 yards and Keith Duncan kicked four field goals to set a new Big Ten singleseason mark as the host Haweyes (8-3, 5-3) shut down the Illini (6-5, 4-4).
A Navy 35, No. 21 SMU
28: Navy quarterback Malcolm Perry generated 357 yards of total offense and scored the game-winning touchdown as the host Midshipman (8-2, 6-1 American Athletic Conference) beat the Mustangs (9-2, 5-2).
A No. 22 Oklahoma State 20, West Virginia 13: Dru Brown threw two touchdown passes in his first start, Chuba Hubbard surpassed 100 yards rushing for the ninth consecutive game and the Cowboys (8-3, 5-3 Big 12, No. 21 CFP) won their fourth straight, beating the host Mountaineers (4-7, 2-6).
A No. 23 Appalachian State 35, Texas State 13: Darrynton Evans ran for 154 yards and three second-half touchdowns and the host Mountaineers (10-1, 6-1 Sun Belt) avoided another home upset with a big second half to beat Texas State (3-8,
2-5).
A No. 25 Virginia Tech
28, Pittsburgh 10: Hendon Hooker threw for 153 yards and two touchdowns to lead the host Hokies (8-3, 5-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) over the Panthers (7-4, 4-3 ACC).