Book returns to lead Irish over Orange
NEW YORK — 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 with a 36-3 defeat of Syracuse.
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.
NO. 8 OHIO STATE 52, MARYLAND 51
COLLEGE PARK, Md. — 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 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.
NO. 1 ALABAMA 50, THE CITADEL 17
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Tua Tagovailoa passed for 340 yards and three touchdowns, but Alabama struggled for 30-plus minutes before putting away The Citadel.
The Crimson Tide (11-0) went into halftime tied at 10 with the FCS Bulldogs (4-6). Alabama scored two touchdowns in a 12-second span on its way to a 27point third quarter.
Tagovailoa completed 18 of 22 passes in three quar- ters, including touchdown strikes of 21 and 5 yards to Jaylen Waddle and a 68yarder to tight end Irv Smith Jr. Tagovailoa broke AJ McCarron’s school single-season record of 30 touchdown passes, reaching 31.
NO. 14 UTAH STATE 29, COLORADO STATE 24
FORT COLLINS, Colo. — Collin Hill’s apparent 34-yard touchdown pass to Preston Williams with no time left was negated by penalty, giving Utah State the victory in a wild and stunning finish to a game played in snow and freezing rain.
Colorado State was flagged for illegal touching after it was determined Williams had stepped out of bounds and was the first to touch the ball when he came back in bounds and made the leaping catch between two defenders in the end zone.
NO. 15 FLORIDA 63, IDAHO 10
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Feleipe Franks passed for 274 yards and three touchdowns — all in the first half — and Florida ran up 600 total yards.
NO. 16 PENN STATE 20, RUTGERS 7
PISCATAWAY, N.J. — Trace McSorley threw two touchdown passes to tight end Pat Freiermuth and Penn State’s defense set up two touchdowns with turnovers.
The Nittany Lions (8-3, 5-3 Big Ten, No. 14 CFP) beat Rutgers (1-10, 0-7) for the 12th straight time. Rutgers has lost 10 straight.
McSorley won for ther 30th time as starter, making him the winningest quarterback in school history. The senior broke a tie with Todd Blackledge (1980-82) and Tony Sacca (1988-91). The two touchdowns increased his total — running and passing — to 101.
NO. 20 KENTUCKY 34, MIDDLE TENNESSEE 23
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Mike Edwards had two takeaways leading to Kentucky’s first two touchdowns, and the Wildcats made several fourth-quarter defensive stops.
NO. 21 UTAH 30, COLORADO 7
BOULDER, Colo. — Jason Shelley threw for 221 yards and two touchdowns in the snow, and Utah moved closer to its first Pac-12 title game appearance.
The Utes (8-3, 6-3) will win the Pac-12 South if Arizona State loses at Oregon later Saturday or if the Sun Devils lose to Arizona next week.
NO. 24 N’WESTERN 24, MINNESOTA 14
MINNEAPOLIS — Isaiah Bowser rushed for 85 yards and two touchdowns and Northwestern turned three turnovers by Minnesota quarterback Tanner Morgan into 10 points.
NO. 25 MISSISSIPPI STATE 52, ARKANSAS 6
STARKVILLE, Miss. — Nick Fitzgerald threw four touchdown passes and ran for another score to lead Mississippi State.
Mississippi State (7-4, 3-4 Southeastern Conference, No. 21 CFP) held Arkansas (2-9, 0-7) to 219 total yards.