4 PLUS 4 EQUALS 8
Dobbins, Fields each log 4 TDs as OSU beats Michigan for 8th straight year
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — J.K. Dobbins ran for four touchdowns and Justin Fields threw four TD passes, providing plenty of firepower for No. 2 Ohio State to rout No. 10 Michigan 56-27 Saturday for a school-record eighth straight win in the series.
“It feels great just to continue the legacy of this great Ohio State tradition,” defensive end Chase Young said. “We're just going to try to keep it moving next week.”
The Buckeyes (12-0, 9-0 Big Ten, No. 1 CFP) will head to the Big Ten championship game with a spot in the College Football Playoff in sight against Wisconsin next Saturday.
Fields went down in the third quarter, grabbing his left knee, and walked off the field to be evaluated in a tent behind Ohio State's sideline. The sophomore quarterback came back in the game and on the next snap, he scrambled and threw a 30-yard touchdown pass to Garrett Wilson.
“It was a magical moment,” Ohio State's firstyear coach Ryan Day said. “I thought it was a Heisman moment.”
The Wolverines (9-3, 6-3, No. 13 CFP) will have to settle for a second- or thirdtier bowl game after coach Jim Harbaugh fell to 0-5 in the rivalry, and they lost to Ohio State for the 15th time in 16 years.
“We didn't really put them in position to have pressure on them,” Harbaugh said. “They played really well.”
Michigan got off to a strong start, driving 75 yards on the opening drive and scoring on Giles Jackson's 22-yard run.
The Wolverines, though, followed that up with the first of too many mistakes that doomed their chances of pulling off an upset as a heavy underdog. Quinn Nordin missed the extra point and less than a few minutes later, the Buckeyes took the lead for good.
Northwestern 29, Illinois 10: Andrew Marty ran for 111 yards and two touchdowns while passing for another and Northwestern upset Illinois.
It was the first Big Ten win for Northwestern (3-9, 1-8). Illinois — 21-point favorites going into the game — finished the regular season 6-6 and 4-5 in the conference. Illinois is bowlbound despite the loss and will learn its destination on Dec. 8.
Marty made his first career start for the Wildcats after replacing Hunter Johnson during last week's game.
Marty was the first Northwestern quarterback since Clayton Thorason in 2015 to gain at least 100 yards rushing in a game.
Perhaps the biggest surprise for Northwestern was true freshman and former cornerback Coco Azema, who led the way on the ground for the Wildcats with 123 rushing yards and two scores on just seven carries.
Illinois quarterback Matt Robinson, a sophomore starting in place of Brandon Peters (out with a concussion) was 8-of-17 passing for 108 yards.
No. 13 Wisconsin 38, No. 9 Minnesota 17: Jack Coan delivered two momentumshifting touchdown passes in the snow for No. 13 Wisconsin, Jonathan Taylor added three touchdowns to his FBS-leading total and the Badgers forcefully repossessed Paul Bunyan's Axe by beating No. 9 Minnesota to win the Big Ten West Division.
Quintez Cephus caught five passes for 114 yards, including a 47-yarder for a score midway through the third quarter that gave Wisconsin (10-2, 7-2, No. 12 CFP) a 17-7 lead. Coan connected with Taylor for a 28-yard touchdown strike late in the second quarter that gave the Badgers the lead after a slow start, sending them to the Big Ten championship game for a rematch with second-ranked Ohio State.
Tanner Morgan passed for 296 yards and two touchdowns for the Gophers (10-2, 7-2). They watched their dream season take a painful hit from their oldest rival after ending a 14-game losing streak to the Badgers a year ago with a 37-15 victory at Wisconsin.
Minnesota was seeking to go undefeated at home for the first time since 1954, but the Badgers reasserted their recent dominance by taking home the traveling trophy for the 22nd time in the last 25 seasons. They
took a 61-60-8 series lead.
No. 10 Penn State 27, Rutgers 6: Journey Brown ran for 103 yards with three touchdowns and No. 12 Penn State pulled away from Rutgers.
Wi l l L ev i s played quarterback for the Nittany Lions (10-2, 7-2 Big Ten, No. 10 CFP) in place of injured started Sean Clifford and added 108 rushing yards on 17 carries and a 42-yard touchdown pass to Jahan Dotson in the fourth quarter.
Isaih Pacheco led Rutgers (2-10, 0-9 Big Ten) with 102 yards rushing on 18 carries and Johnny Langan completed 12 of 24 passes for 164 yards with 58 rushing yards.
Penn State led 7-3 after a sleepy first half that featured six combined punts. The Nittany Lions took control of the game early in the third quarter. Levis ripped off a 49-yard run on Penn State's first play of the half to set up an 18-yard touchdown run from Brown, who bounced off defenders for his second score of the day. Penn State led 13-3 after Rutgers blocked Jake Pinegar's extra point try.
Michigan State 19, Maryland 16: Matt Coghlin kicked a 33-yard field goal with 2:14 remaining, and Michigan State became bowl eligible.
It was hardly an impressive performance for the Spartans (6-6, 4-5 Big Ten) against a Maryland team that had lost eight of its previous nine games, but Michigan State did just enough late.
The Spartans drove 74 yards in 12 plays to set up the decisive kick by Coghlin, who also made a 32yard field goal earlier in the final quarter.
The Terrapins (3-9, 1-8) still had a chance after Michigan State took the lead, but Josh Jackson's pass toward Chigoziem Okonkwo fell incomplete on fourth down from the Maryland 47. Xavier Henderson was providing tight coverage on the play for the Spartans.
Brian Lewerke threw for 342 yards for Michigan State but was intercepted twice in the first quarter.
The Spartans had all sorts of trouble against Maryland, which had lost each one of its previous four contests by at least 31 points.