Buckeyes survive bold Terps in OT
Ohio State went to overtime to avoid one of the most stunning upsets of the season, beating Maryland 52-51 on Saturday when the Terrapins failed to convert a 2-point conversion after matching the Buckeyes' touchdown in the first extra period.
Favored by 14 1/2 points, No. 8 Ohio State (10-1, 7-1 Big Ten, No. 10 CFP) trailed by two touchdowns in the third quarter and 45-38 with under two minutes left before rallying.
After a 5-yard touchdown run by Dwayne Haskins gave the Buckeyes the lead to start overtime, Tayon Fleet-Davis scored to get the Terrapins within a point. Interim coach Matt Canada decided to end it right there, going for 2, but Tyrrell Pigrome's pass to Jeshaun Jones was off target.
The Buckeyes stayed in the hunt for the Big Ten title and a spot in the College Football Playoff. They finish the regular season next week in a game against Michigan that will decide the Big Ten East winner.
The Buckeyes never led until overtime against the upstart Terrapins (5-6, 3-5). Haskins ran for three touchdowns and was 28 for 38 for 405 yards and three TDs.
Ohio State finished with a whopping 688 yards, including 203 on the ground by J.K. Dobbins, but the defense allowed 535 yards and seven touchdowns.
Maryland freshman Anthony McFarland had touchdown runs of 81 and 75 yards in the first quarter and finished with 298 yards rushing — seven short of the school record.
No. 3 Notre Dame 36, No. 12 Syracuse 3: Ian Book returned to the starting lineup for Notre Dame and threw for 292 yards and two touchdowns to help the Fighting Irish stay on target for a trip to the College Football Playoff.
The Fighting Irish held out Book from last week's home game against Florida State with a rib injury, and he wasn't missed as Notre Dame (11-0, No. 3 CFP) rolled with Brandon Wimbush at quarterback.
Notre Dame clearly wanted to be cautious with Book ahead of its trip to Yankee Stadium to face high-scoring Syracuse (8-3, No. 12 CFP). The junior quarterback, who took over as the starter four games into the season, looked as good as new.
Isaiah Bowser rushed for 85 yards and two touchdowns and Northwestern turned three turnovers by Minnesota quarterback Tanner Morgan into 10 points.
Clayton Thorson completed 15 of 21 passes for 230 yards without a turnover and had a 13-yard touchdown run in the first half for the Wildcats (7-4, 7-1 Big Ten, No. 22 CFP). They pushed their school-record road winning streak to eight and have their best conference record since 1996.
Nate Hall had two interceptions for the Wildcats. Minnesota 5-6, 2-6), who fell to 4-13 in conference play under coach P.J. Fleck.
Coach Pat Narduzzi wasn't worried about a jinx. The Pitt coach had his equipment staff to bring the commemorative ACC caps and T-shirts all the way from Pittsburgh.
Kenny Pickett threw a careerbest three touchdown passes, all in the second half, and Pittsburgh beat Wake Forest 34-13 on Saturday to clinch its first berth in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game.
Pickett finished 23 of 30 for a career-high 316 yards with scoring passes of 4 yards to Rafael Araujo-Jones, 63 yards to Taysir Mack and 23 yards to Maurice Ffrench.