SOONER THE BETTER
Clemson routs BC, claims ACC title bid
Trevor Lawrence threw a touchdown pass and ran for a score and No. 2 Clemson knocked Boston College quarterback Anthony Brown out of the game early on the way to routing the 17th-ranked Eagles 27-7 on Saturday night.
The battle for first-place in the ACC Atlantic Division was not much of a fight. The Tigers (10-0, 7-0, No. 2 CFP) wrapped up a fourth straight trip to the Atlantic Coast Conference title game as division champions and kept rolling toward another trip to the College Football Playoff.
Boston College (7-3, 4-2) lost Brown on its first possession when the sophomore got off a third-and-9 pass, but was thrown to the turf by star defensive tackle Christian Wilkins. Athletic trainers attended to Brown on the field and he walked to the sideline on his own. He wasn’t there long before heading to the locker room. In the second quarter, it was announced he would not return. His injury was not immediately known.
Michigan 42, Rutgers 7
In Piscataway, N.J., Shea Patterson threw for 260 yards and three touchdowns, Karan Higdon ran for a pair of 1-yard scores and No. 4 Michigan kept its national championship hopes intact with a win over Rutgers.
The Wolverines (9-1, 7-0 Big Ten, No. 4 CFP) have won nine straight and remain in first place in the conference’s East Division.
The Scarlet Knights (1-9, 0-7) were held without a yard passing until the third quarter, and the only upset came in the total time it took Michigan to score. The Wolverines didn’t take the lead until Higdon’s 1yard run with 45 seconds left in the first quarter.
Rutgers tied it at 7 when Isaih Pacheco took off for an 80-yard TD run, the longest rushing score for afreshman in program history. He finished with 142 yards on 16 carries.
Alabama 24, Miss. St. 0
In Tuscaloosa, Ala., Josh Jacobs ran for a touchdown and caught a scoring pass and top-ranked Alabama (10-0, 7-0 SEC, No. 1 CFP) had its second straight shutout in beating No. 18 Mississippi State (6-4, 2-4).
Notre Dame 42, Fla. St. 13
In South Bend, Ind., Brandon Wimbush threw three-first half touchdown passes, Dexter Williams ran for a career-high 202 yards and Notre Dame (10-0, No. 3 CFP) routed Florida State (4-6).
Wimbush, who led the Irish to their first three victories, got the start in place of injured junior Ian Book, who suffered a rib injury last week against Northwestern.
Georgia 27, Auburn 10
In Athens, Ga., D’Andre Swift broke off a 77-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter after No. 5 Georgia (9-1, 7-1 SEC, No. 5 CFP) had struck for a pair of scores late in the first half to take control and the Bulldogs, who finished with 303 rushing yards, defeated Auburn (6-4, 3-4).
West Virginia 47, TCU 10
In Morgantown, W.Va., Will Grier threw for 343 yards and three touchdowns and No. 7 West Virginia (8-1, 6-1 Big 12, No. 9 CFP) rolled over TCU (4-6, 2-5), scoring three TDs in a 3:25 span of the second quarter to break open a tie game.
LSU 24, Arkansas 17
In Fayetteville, Ark., Joe Burrow was 15 of 21 for 195 yards and a touchdown and the LSU defense dominated Arkansas. The win comes after LSU (8-2, 5-2 SEC) was shut out by No. 1 Alabama, and it improves coach Ed Orgeron to 8-0 in games following a loss.
Ohio St. 26, Michigan St. 6
In East Lansing, Mich., Drue Chrisman kept Michigan State pinned back with a sensational second half of punting, and No. 8 Ohio State (9-1, 6-1 Big Ten, No. 10 CFP) eventually pulled away from the 24th-ranked Spartans (6-4, 4-3).
Wash. St. 31, Colorado 7
In Boulder, Colo., Gardner Minshew II overcame a slow start and three fourthdown failures to pass for 335 yards and a pair of touchdowns to lead No. 10 Washington State (9-1, 6-1 Pac-12, No. 8 CFP) past nose-diving Colorado (5-5, 2-5).
Central Florida 35, Navy 24
In Orlando, Fla., McKenzie Milton threw for two touchdowns and ran for a third, helping No. 11 Central Florida (9-0, 6-0 AAC, No. 12 CFP) beat Navy (2-8, 1-5) to extend the nation’s longest winning streak to 22 games.