NO. 15 NORTHWESTERN 28, ILLINOIS 10
EVANSTON, Ill. – Cam Porter ran for a career-high 142 yards and two touchdowns, Evan Hull added a season-best 149 yards on the ground, and Northwestern (6-1, 6-1, No. 14 CFP) tuned up for the Big Ten championship game by beating Illinois (2-5, 2-5) on Saturday.
Porter came in with just 32 yards and one TD. But the freshman broke out in a big way, leading the Wildcats to an easy victory over the Illini.
Northwestern’s focus now shifts to the Big Ten championship game against No. 3 Ohio State next week. It’s the second title matchup in three years between the teams.
Northwestern won the Big Ten West after finishing last in the division in 2019. The Buckeyes had their ticket to Indianapolis punched when conference administrators and athletic directors called an audible, voting to drop the six-game requirement for eligibility.
Porter scored from the 2 near the end of the second quarter. He added an 18yarder on the opening drive of the second half.
Hull broke off a 32-yard TD late in the third to make it 28-3. He also had a 50yard run and averaged 11.5 yards on 13 carries.
Peyton Ramsey threw for 82 yards and a touchdown, completing 7 of 12 passes against a short-handed defense.
MINNESOTA 24, NEBRASKA 17
LINCOLN, Neb. – Mohamed Ibrahim ran for two touchdowns following Nebraska (2-5, 2-5) turnovers, and a Minnesota team missing nearly three dozen players to COVID-19 protocols or injuries left Memorial Stadium with a stunning win after being idle three weeks.
Ibrahim scored on fourth-and-goal from the 1 to give Minnesota (3-3) a 10point lead early in the fourth quarter after Adrian Martinez fumbled at the Nebraska 39.
Connor Culp’s 30-yard field goal cut it to 24-17 with 4:42 left. The Gophers then called on Ibrahim to finish off the game, having him carry six straight times for 59 yards before they went into victory formation at the Nebraska 6.
The Gophers had their last two games canceled because of a COVID-19 outbreak on the team, and most of their missing 33 players were in the conference’s 21-day return to play protocol.
PENN STATE 39, MICH. STATE 24
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – Sean Clifford completed 17 of 27 passes for 232 yards and two touchdowns to lead Penn State (3-5) to a win over Michigan State (2-6).
Penn State’s quarterback added 48 yards and another touchdown on the ground while Parker Washington hauled in a pair of touchdown passes for the Nittany Lions who trailed 21-10 at halftime.
Backup quarterback Will Levis added a rushing touchdown and receiver Jahan Dotson returned a punt 81 yards for a score for the Nittany Lions who won their third straight.
Payton Thorne made his first start at quarterback and completed 22 of 39 passes for 325 yards with three touchdowns and an interception for the Spartans.