No. 2 Notre Dame beats No. 25 North Carolina 31-17
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Ian Book kept No. 2 Notre Dame’s offense moving while the defense locked down Sam Howell and No. 25 North Carolina’s potent offense for the final three quarters in a 31-17 victory on Friday.
Book threw for 279 yards and a score and ran for 48 yards for the Fighting Irish (9-0, 8-0 Atlantic Coast Conference, No. 2 CFP), using his mobility and elusiveness to keep plays alive on a night when both offenses frequently faced long fields.
Receiver Ben Skowronek got Notre Dame its first lead with his 13-yard run around the right side midway through the third quarter.
Kyren Williams ran for 124 yards — including a 47-yarder with about 5 1/2 minutes left as the Irish burned clock and sealed the game
Williams closed that drive with his second rushing TD, a clinching 1-yarder with 1:20 left that kept the Fighting Irish alone atop the ACC standings ahead of No. 4 Clemson and No. 10 Miami.
More impressively, though, was a defensive effort that forced Howell and the high-scoring Tar Heels to work for every gain after the opening quarter.
UNC (6-3, 6-3) sprinted to touchdowns on its first two drives, but Notre Dame surrendered only one field goal from there.
OREGON STATE 41, NO. 9 OREGON 38
CORVALLIS, Ore. — Taking his first college snap after starting quarterback Tristan Gebbia limped off, Chance Nolan scored on a 1-yard, fourth-down run with 33 seconds left to give Oregon State a upset victory over No. 9 Oregon.
Jermar Jefferson ran for 226 yards and two touchdowns to help the Beavers (2-2) win their second straight game. Jefferson has run for at least 100 yards in each of Oregon State’s four games and is on pace to hit 1,000 despite the short season.
Oregon (3-1) had won seven in a row and three straight over the rival Beavers. The loss dashed any slim hopes the Ducks had of a spot in the College Football Playoffs.
The Ducks were ranked No. 15 in the first CFP rankings released Tuesday.
Gebbia threw for 263 years and a score and had a touchdown run during the foggy game at Reser Stadium.
While no fans were allowed in the game, cars passing near the stadium honked for the home team in the aftermath.
Tyler Shough threw for 266 yards and two touchdowns for Oregon.
NO. 15 IOWA STATE 23, NO. 20 TEXAS 20
AUSTIN, Texas — Breece Hall scored on a 3-yard run with 1:25 remaining and Iowa State held off last-minute drive by Sam Ehlinger and Texas to remain in first place in the Big 12.
After Iowa State sacked Ehlinger on third down, Texas’ Cameron Dicker barely missed left with a 58-yard field goal attempt as time expired.
The Cyclones (7-2, 7-1) have almost locked up a spot in the Big 12 championship game for the first time.
Hall gained 91 yards on 20 carries, his first game under 100 this season, but had 30 on the final 69-yard touchdown drive. Brock Purdy completed 25 of 36 passes for 312 yards and a touchdown.
Charlie Kolar had six receptions for 131 yards.
Ehlinger was 17 of 29 for 298 yards and one touchdown in what could be his final home game for the Longhorns. Ehlinger and Brennan Eagles set up touchdowns in the first and third quarters, connecting for 59 and 45 yards.
STANFORD 24, CALIFORNIA 23
BERKELEY — Austin Jones ran for a pair of short touchdowns, Davis Mills threw for 205 yards and a TD, and Stanford blocked a would-be tying extra point in the final minute to take back The Axe trophy by beating Bay Area rival California in the Big Game.
Christopher Brown Jr. ran for a 3-yard touchdown with 58 seconds remaining then Thomas Booker got a hand on Dario
Longhetto’s PAT attempt, sending the Cardinal cheering and celebrating along their sideline. Once the clock ran out, Stanford players danced and hooted and hollered some more on Cal’s home turf in Memorial Stadium.
The Cardinal spoiled Cal’s long-awaited home opener — it had been scheduled for Nov. 7 against Washington but that game got canceled because of a positive coronavirus test on the Bears.
This marked the first time both Cal and Stanford were winless coming into the game, and they also had never previously faced off on a Friday.