Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Bearcats complete 12-0 regular season
GREENVILLE, N.C. — No. 4 Cincinnati looked comfortable playing its first game in playoff position.
The Bearcats handled business in their final road game of the season Friday, beating East Carolina 3513 in a quest to maintain a spot among the top four in the College Football Playoff rankings.
“We knew there were more things at stake,” Coach Luke Fickell said. “It’s great when you have a mature group that you don’t have to go over every little thing. You trust that they’re enjoying it, but they have to understand that to whom much is given, much is expected.”
Desmond Ridder threw two touchdown passes and Cincinnati (12-0, 8-0 AAC) completed a perfect regular season. The Bearcats are trying to become the first team outside of a Power Five conference to compete in the four-team CFP.
“We got another one and we have to finish strong,” Ridder said.
They’ll be at home when facing Houston next week in the AAC title game.
“Put yourselves in position to play for championships, a lot of other things can happen,” Fickell said.
Defense and special teams helped put the game away for Cincinnati. Arquon Bush blocked a field goal and Ahmad Gardner returned the ball 60 yards for a fourth-quarter touchdown to make it 28-6.
“We always get the job done,” Bush said.
Less than four minutes later, Darrian Beavers intercepted a pass at the 7:27 mark, but the ensuing possession resulted in Cincinnati’s second turnover inside the East Carolina 5-yard line.
The Bearcats had four trips into East Carolina territory that resulted in no points, which let ECU hang around, but never really threaten.
East Carolina (7-5, 5-3) had a four-game winning streak snapped.
NO. 16 IOWA 28, NEBRASKA 21
LINCOLN, Neb. — Spencer Petras had a 2-yard touchdown run with 2:58 left to give Iowa its first lead and the Hawkeyes came back from a 15-point deficit in the third quarter to beat Nebraska.
Iowa won the border battle for the seventh consecutive year, but not before Jermari Harris intercepted Logan Smothers’ pass at the Iowa 2 with 43 seconds to play.
The Hawkeyes (10-2, 7-2) stayed alive in the Big Ten West race and now need Minnesota to beat Wisconsin today to go to the conference championship game next week in Indianapolis.
The loss was another gut punch to Nebraska (3-9, 1-8) in its worst season since 1957. The Cornhuskers, who won’t go to a bowl for a fifth consecutive year, finished with losses in six consecutive games and eight of nine.
Tyler Goodson ran for 156 yards on 23 carries to become Iowa’s first 1,000-yard rusher since Akrum Wadley in 2017.
NO. 19 UTAH 28, COLORADO 13
SALT LAKE CITY — Cameron Rising threw three touchdown passes, Tavion Thomas ran for 142 yards and a score and Utah beat Colorado.
The Utes (9-3, 8-1 Pac-12), who won their fifth consecutive game, rushed for 265 yards and held Colorado (4-8, 3-6) to 148 yards of total offense with the Pac-12 Championship game looming.
Rising scrambled and found Britain Covey on an improvised forward pitch for a 13-yard touchdown with 6:45 left in the third quarter to cap the scoring.
Thomas proved tough to tackle on any play, but especially when he powered through the first level and into the secondary to extend his school-record to 18 rushing touchdowns.
Rising was 14 of 23 for 179 yards passing. T.J. Pledger added 103 yards on the ground.
NO. 20 N.C. STATE 34, NORTH CAROLINA 30
RALEIGH, N.C. — Devin Leary threw two touchdown passes in a 26-second span, with No. 20 North Carolina State recovering an onside kick in between, to stun North Carolina and remain alive in the ACC Atlantic Division title chase.
With N.C. State down 30-21, Leary found Emeka Emezie on a busted coverage for a 64-yard touchdown strike with 1:33 left. The Wolfpack recovered the onside kick, then Leary threw a 24yard sideline pass to Emezie with 1:09 remaining.
N.C. State (9-3, 6-2) beat North Carolina (6-6, 3-5) for the first time since 2018 to remain in contention for a trip to the conference championship game. It also officially eliminated six-time reigning league champion Clemson from the Atlantic Division race.
The Wolfpack would reach the title game if No. 21 Wake Forest loses at Boston College today, creating a threeway tie atop the division that would favor N.C. State by virtue of its division record and head-to-head win over Clemson.
NO. 21 SAN DIEGO STATE 27, BOISE STATE 16
CARSON, Calif. — Jordon Brookshire led San Diego State to 24 straight points after replacing Lucas Johnson late in the first half, and the Aztecs beat Boise State to win the Mountain West’s West Division title.
Brookshire passed for 192 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 46 yards and another score. The Aztecs (11-1, 7-1) celebrated at their temporary home in the Los Angeles suburbs after completing their first 11-win regular season in 99 years of football.
The Aztecs, who have never had a 12win season, will host the Mountain West title game next Saturday, Dec. 4, against Air Force or Utah State.
San Diego State erased an early 13- point deficit with a bounce- back effort from its vaunted defense, which shut out the Broncos (7-5, 5-3) over the final 38 minutes.
Jesse Matthews caught nine passes for 133 yards, and Greg Bell rushed for a touchdown.