Top-25 College Football Game Capsules

Tuscaloosa, AL (SportsNetwork.com) – No. 1 Alabama saw its perfect season hanging in the balance with Saturday’s matchup against 10th-ranked LSU locked at 17-17 early in the third quarter. But behind a pair of second-half touchdowns from T.J. Yeldon, the top-ranked Crimson Tide ripped off 21 unanswered points to rally for a 38-17 victory over the Tigers in an SEC showdown from Bryant-Denny Stadium. Yeldon, who finished with 133 yards on 25 carries, scored from four yards out to break the tie before adding a 1-yard touchdown run early in the fourth. AJ McCarron capped the second-half flurry with a 3-yard TD pass to Jalston Fowler and finished 14-of-20 passing for 179 yards and three touchdowns for Alabama (9-0, 6-0 SEC), which has won three straight and five of seven in the series after a thrilling 21-17 come-from-behind victory in Baton Rouge last season. Zach Mettenberger completed 16-of-23 passes for 241 yards and a touchdown, while Jeremy Hill added 42 yards and a score on 13 carries for the Tigers, (7-3, 3-3), who fell to 2-11-1 all-time against No. 1 ranked teams.

Final Score: (3) Florida State 59, Wake Forest 3

Winston-Salem, NC (SportsNetwork.com) – There was clearly no letdown for Florida State. Coming off last week’s thorough victory over Miami-Florida, the third-ranked Seminoles went into Wake Forest and dominated the Demon Deacons from start to finish in a 59-3 rout. Jameis Winston threw for 159 yards with a pair of touchdowns on 17-of-28 passing in just over two quarters of play and got plenty of help from the Florida State defense, which accounted for a pair of scores. The Seminoles came up with six interceptions, including two by Nate Andrews, who returned one for a touchdown. Jalen Ramsey also scored on a fumble return for Florida State (9-0, 7-0 ACC), which clinched a berth in the ACC Championship Game and will close its league slate next Saturday at home against Syracuse before playing Idaho in a tune-up for the annual regular-season finale against Florida. James Wilder Jr. and Devonta Freeman rushed for touchdowns in still another lopsided victory for the Seminoles. Florida State has scored at least 41 points in each of its nine games and has surrendered more than 17 just once. The Demon Deacons (4-6, 2-5), coming off a 13-0 loss at Syracuse last week, got a fourth-quarter field goal to avoid a second straight shutout. Wake Forest hasn’t been blanked in consecutive games since an incredible five-game stretch during the 1974 season.

Final Score: (7) Auburn 55, Tennessee 23

Knoxville, TN (SportsNetwork.com) – The run-heavy formula is clearly working well for the seventh-ranked Auburn Tigers. Tre Mason rushed for three touchdowns and quarterback Nick Marshall accounted for three more scores in the visiting Tigers’ resounding 55-23 win over the Tennessee Volunteers. Mason carried the ball 20 times for 117 yards in the sixth straight victory for Auburn (9-1, 5-1 SEC). Marshall added 214 yards and two touchdowns on 14 rushes while throwing only seven passes. Chris Davis returned a punt for a touchdown and Corey Grant scored on a kickoff return. True freshman Joshua Dobbs had 128 yards and one interception on 16-of-25 passing for the Volunteers (4-6, 1-5), who faced their fifth straight ranked opponent and a school-record seventh overall in the regular season this year.

Final Score: (9) Missouri 48, Kentucky 17

Lexington, KY (SportsNetwork.com) – Maty Mauk threw five touchdown passes, including four to Dorial Green-Beckham, leading ninth-ranked Missouri to a 48-17 victory over Kentucky. Mauk completed 17-of-28 passes for 203 yards with Green-Beckham accounting for 100 yards on seven receptions. Henry Josey ran for 113 yards on 11 carries with an 86-yard TD scamper in the victory. Missouri (9-1, 5-1 SEC) heads to a bye week still in control of the SEC East. The Tigers have won two in a row since a double-overtime loss to South Carolina and will close the season with a trip to Ole Miss before a visit from Texas A&M. Jalen Whitlow threw for 225 yards and ran for 44 yards with a score for Kentucky (2-7, 0-5), which has dropped 13 straight conference games. The Wildcats haven’t won an SEC contest since the 2011 season-finale against Tennessee.

Final Score: (11) Texas A&M 51, Mississippi State 41

College Station, TX (SportsNetwork.com) – Johnny Manziel matched a career high with five touchdown passes in powering the 11th-ranked Texas A&M Aggies to a 51-41 win over a Mississippi State Bulldogs squad that had a quarterback playing with a heavy heart. Manziel finished with 446 yards on 30-of-39 passing and overcame three interceptions. Travis Labhart and Malcome Kennedy both caught two touchdown passes for Texas A&M (8-2, 4-2 SEC), which registered the 700th win in program history. Dak Prescott played for the Bulldogs just days after his mother passed away. He completed 14-of-26 passes for 149 yards with two touchdowns and one interception to go along with 154 yards rushing. Tyler Russell also saw action at quarterback and threw a fourth-quarter touchdown pass for the Bulldogs (4-5, 1-4).

Final Score: Virginia Tech 42, (14) Miami-Florida 24

Miami, FL (SportsNetwork.com) – Trey Edmunds rushed for 74 yards and four touchdowns on 14 carries as Virginia Tech upended No. 14 Miami-Florida, 42- 24, in an ACC clash from a rain-soaked Sun Life Stadium. Logan Thomas completed 25-of-31 passes for 366 yards and two touchdowns, while Joshua Stanford caught seven passes for 107 yards and a score for the Hokies (7-3, 4-2 ACC), who snapped a two-game skid to move into a tie in the loss column atop the Coastal Division with Miami (7-2, 3-2), Duke and Georgia Tech, which was idle. Stephen Morris threw for 324 yards and two scores on 16-of-29 efficiency, with Allen Hurns and Stacy Coley each hauling in a touchdown pass for the Hurricanes, who were coming off a 41-14 thrashing at the hands of No. 3 Florida State.

Final Score: (15) Oklahoma State 42, Kansas 6

Stillwater, OK (SportsNetwork.com) – Justin Gilbert wasted no time getting 15th-ranked Oklahoma State on the board in its inter-conference matchup against the Kansas Jayhawks. Gilbert returned the opening kickoff 100 yards and Oklahoma State (8-1, 5-1 Big 12) used a dominant first half for a 42-6 win over the Jayhawks at Boone Pickens Stadium. Cowboys’ quarterback Clint Chelf passed for 265 yards and 3 touchdowns on 19-of-37 passing while running back Desmond Roland scored a pair of touchdowns, one rushing and another receiving. Wide receiver Tracy Moore added six receptions for 77 yards and two touchdowns for the Cowboys, who have scored 20 or more in 47 straight games, which is the longest active streak in the nation. Kansas (2-7, 0-6), which lost its 27th consecutive conference game, interchanged quarterbacks throughout the game with BYU transfer Jake Heaps and freshman Montell Cozart splitting snaps under center. Heaps finished with 56 yards on 4-of-8 passing with an interception and Cozart, a more versatile option, rushed for 55 yards on 18 attempts and completed 6-of-17 for 58 yards.

Final Score: (16) UCLA 31, Arizona 26

Tucson, AZ (SportsNetwork.com) – Myles Jack played both ways Saturday at Arizona Stadium, and UCLA’s true freshman linebacker was simply sensational. Jack, forced to play offense due to several injuries in the backfield, carried the ball six times and gained an eye-popping 120 yards, 66 coming on what proved to be the game-winning touchdown in the 16th-ranked Bruins’ 31-26 victory over the Arizona Wildcats in a Pac-12 clash. Jack’s iron-man effort, coupled with Brett Hundley’s three total touchdowns, gave UCLA (7-2, 4-2 Pac-12) its second straight win and the ability to control its own fate in the South Division. Hundley threw two TD passes to Shaquelle Evans and finished with 227 yards through the air and 56 yards and a score on the ground. B.J. Denker also tossed a pair TD passes to Nate Phillips but was intercepted on Arizona’s final drive. Denker completed 20-of-33 passes for 186 yards, while Ka’Deem Carey ran for 149 yards and a TD for the Wildcats (6-3, 3-3), winners of three straight coming in.

Final Score: (17) Fresno State 48, Wyoming 10

Laramie, WY (SportsNetwork.com) – Once Derek Carr got humming, Fresno State’s offense could not be stopped. Carr threw four touchdown passes and No. 17 Fresno State remained unbeaten following a 48-10 triumph over Wyoming on Saturday. The Cowboys jumped out to a 10-0 lead early in the second quarter before the Bulldogs tallied 48 unanswered points. Carr was 33-of-46 for 360 yards, Josh Harper caught nine passes for 159 yards and Davante Adams hauled in 11 receptions for 79 yards and a score for Fresno State (9-0, 6-0 MWC), which is off to its best start since the 1989 squad won their first 10 games. Josh Quezada carried the ball 16 times for 105 yards and a score, while Marcel Jensen caught a pair of TD passes in the triumph. Brett Smith completed 18-of-32 throws for 141 yards with a touchdown and interception for the Cowboys (4-5, 2-3), who have dropped three straight tilts and four of their past five.

Final Score: (19) UCF 19, Houston 14

Orlando, FL (SportsNetwork.com) – Storm Johnson rushed for 127 yards, William Stanback added 74 yards and a pair of touchdowns and UCF’s defense came up with a goal-line stand in the final minute to help the No. 19 Knights hold on for a 19-14 win over Houston in a battle for first place in the American Athletic Conference. With a prior win over preseason conference favorite Louisville and now Houston, the Knights (7-1, 4-0 AAC) have the inside track to the newly-formed league’s automatic BCS bid. Blake Bortles was 17-of-24 for 210 yards and an interception for the Knights, who have won four straight since a 28-25 loss to South Carolina on Sept. 28. John O’Korn completed 24-of-46 passes for 231 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions for Houston (7-2, 4-1). Greenbery had 94 yards receiving on eight receptions.

Final Score: (21) Wisconsin 27, BYU 17

Madison, WI (SportsNetwork.com) – James White racked up 194 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns to lead the 21st-ranked Wisconsin Badgers past the BYU Cougars, 27-17, in a non-conference tilt from Camp Randall Stadium. White gained 147 yards on 23 carries with two rushing scores and caught six passes for 47 yards and a touchdown. Wisconsin (7-2) won its 29th straight non-conference home game. Only LSU (40) has more consecutive non-conference home wins. Joel Stave completed 23-of-32 passes for 196 yards, a touchdown and an interception for the Badgers, winners of four straight overall. Melvin Gordon ran for 86 yards on 19 carries and Jared Abbrederis hauled in eight passes for 67 yards. Taysom Hill threw for 207 yards, two touchdowns and an interception on 19-of-41 efficiency in defeat. Cody Hoffman made seven catches for 113 yards and both scores as BYU (6-3) had its five-game winning streak halted.

Final Score: (23) Arizona State 20, Utah 19

Salt Lake City, UT (SportsNetwork.com) – Taylor Kelly’s 14-yard touchdown pass to Richard Smith with 2:37 remaining completed a fourth-quarter comeback that lifted No. 23 Arizona State to a hard-earned 20-19 decision over Utah in a Pac-12 matchup. Kelly added a pair of rushing touchdowns in addition to completing 19-of-31 throws for 144 yards. Marion Grice ran for 136 yards on 20 carries to help Arizona State (7-2, 5-1 Pac-12) rally from a 19-7 deficit and maintain a one- game lead atop the South Division. Travis Wilson tossed two touchdown passes for Utah (4-5, 1-5), but had two late interceptions and went just 6-of-21 for 121 yards through the air. Dres Anderson compiled 100 yards and a touchdown on four catches in the loss, the third straight for the Utes following their upset of fifth-ranked Stanford on Oct. 12. Utah mustered just 247 total yards and generated only one first down in six drives after building a 12-point lead on Sean Fitzgerald’s 12- yard touchdown grab with 5:19 left in the third quarter.

Final Score: Pittsburgh 28, (24) Notre Dame 21

Pittsburgh, PA (SportsNetwork.com) – Pittsburgh played mistake-free and forced three Notre Dame turnovers to knock off the 24th-ranked Fighting Irish, 28-21, at Heinz Field. Ray Vinopal picked off Tommy Rees twice in the fourth quarter, the second to set up James Conner’s second touchdown of the game, a go-ahead 1-yard run with 9:36 remaining. Notre Dame (7-3) had two more possessions and only got as far as the opposing 38-yard line to fall short. The loss ended the Fighting Irish’s string of 10 straight wins in games decided by a touchdown or less as well as their slim chances of reaching a BCS bowl. Tom Savage threw a pair of touchdown passes to Devin Street and finished with 243 yards on 22-of-35 attempts for the Panthers (5-4), who halted a two-game skid and snapped Notre Dame’s four-game winning streak. Rees completed just 18-of-39 passes for 318 yards and two touchdowns with the two costly interceptions. T.J. Jones scored twice — once through the air and once on the ground — but lost a key fumble in the setback.

Final Score: Kansas State 49, (25) Texas Tech 26

Lubbock, TX (SportsNetwork.com) – Kansas State used its potent rushing attack to get the better of Texas Tech in a meeting between two teams trending in opposite directions. The Wildcats ran for 298 yards as they beat the 25th- ranked Red Raiders, 49-26, to win their third straight game while TTU has dropped three in a row on the heels of the fourth 7-0 start in program history. John Hubert carried 23 times for 157 yards and a touchdown for KSU (5-4, 3-3 Big 12), while quarterbacks Jake Waters and Daniel Sams picked up two rushing scores apiece. Waters also passed for 65 yards on 6-of-9 efficiency with a touchdown. Wildcats’ head coach Bill Snyder became the 11th coach in FBS history to reach 175 wins with the same program. Davis Webb, who became the first freshman in Texas Tech (7-3, 4-3) history to record multiple 400-yard passing games in a season, completed 13-for-20 for 77 yards and a touchdown before giving way to fellow freshman Baker Mayfield in the second quarter. Mayfield threw for 265 yards and ran for a touchdown but was picked off twice and lost a fumble.

Categorized in: NCAA Football