Top-25 College Football Game Capsules
Starkville, MS (SportsNetwork.com) – Dak Prescott had two touchdown passes and ran in another as top-ranked Mississippi State thumped UT Martin, 45-16. Prescott went 14-of-23 for 206 yards and added 54 yards on six carries for the Bulldogs (9-0), who also got rushing touchdowns from Ashton Shumpert and Brandon Holloway. Mississippi State has a big matchup next week at Alabama. Jarod Neal had 159 yards on 14-of-27 attempts with a touchdown passing and running for the Skyhawks (5-6), who had won four straight coming in.
Final Score: (2) Florida State 34, Virginia 20
Tallahassee, FL (SportsNetwork.com) – Jameis Winston accounted for two touchdowns and No. 2 Florida State extended its winning streak to 25 games with a 34-20 victory over Virginia on Saturday. Winston overcame two early interceptions and completed 22-of-35 passes for 261 yards and a touchdown, while also adding a score on the ground for the Seminoles (9-0, 6-0 ACC), who have won 21 consecutive games against conference foes. Rashad Greene caught 13 passes for 136 yards and a score, and Karlos Williams rushed for 70 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries. Greyson Lambert threw for 220 yards and three touchdowns with an interception on 20-of-35 efficiency, while Canaan Severin, Darius Jennings and Andre Levrone each hauled in a TD pass for the Cavaliers (4-6, 2-4), who lost their fourth straight game.
Final Score: Texas A&M 41, (3) Auburn 38
Auburn, AL (SportsNetwork.com) – Kyle Allen threw four first-half touchdowns and Auburn lost a pair of fumbles in the final minutes, as Texas A&M produced a 41-38 victory over the No. 3 Tigers at Jordan-Hare Stadium on Saturday. Allen ended up with 277 yards passing on 19-of-29 attempts for the Aggies (7-3, 3-3 SEC), as Josh Reynolds posted two TD receptions and Malcome Kennedy and Ricky Seals-Jones one apiece. Kennedy led all receivers with 118 yards on just four grabs, while Reynolds totaled six catches for 88 yards. Nick Marshall completed 15-of-21 passes for 219 yards, two scores, an interception and a costly fumble for the Tigers (7-2, 4-2), who nearly completed a comeback from a 35-17 halftime deficit. He also ran for 67 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Cameron Artis-Payne rumbled to 221 yards and two TDs on 30 carries, but coughed up the ball twice, the final time on a potential go-ahead scoring chance with 2 1/2 minutes left in regulation.
Final Score: (4) Alabama 20, (14) LSU 13 (OT)
Baton Rouge, LA (SportsNetwork.com) – Despite a late fourth-quarter turnover, Alabama is still alive in the national championship race. Blake Sims threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to DeAndrew White in overtime to boost the fourth- ranked Crimson Tide to a 20-13 win over No. 14 LSU Saturday night. T.J. Yeldon fumbled at the Alabama 6 with 1:13 left, and Colby Delahoussaye kicked a 39-yard field goal to give LSU the lead with 50 seconds left. Sims, though, led Alabama down the field with some clutch plays and Adam Griffith’s 27-yard field goal with three seconds left forced OT. The Crimson Tide got the ball first in OT, and White caught Sims’ looping pass on the right side of the end zone. Anthony Jennings then threw four straight incompletions to end the game. The final attempt to the end zone was knocked away to finish the fourth overtime game since 2005 between the foes. The victory for Alabama (8-1, 5-1 SEC) came on a day Auburn lost to Texas A&M. Auburn entered the week No. 3 in the College Football Playoff Selection Committee Rankings, while Alabama was fifth. Alabama welcomes No. 1 Mississippi State to Bryant-Denny Stadium next Saturday. Mississippi State (5-0 SEC) is barely ahead of Alabama in the Western Division. Sims completed 20-of-45 passes for 209 yards with a pair of TDs, and Amari Cooper had eight receptions for 83 yards and a score. Anthony Jennings connected on 8-of-26 throws for 76 yards with a TD and an interception for LSU (7-3, 3-3), which won its previous three contests.
Final Score: (6) TCU 41, (9) Kansas State 20
Fort Worth, TX (SportsNetwork.com) – Trevone Boykin failed to stick the landing on a somersault into the end zone, but it was an otherwise flawless performance for the TCU quarterback on Saturday. Boykin accounted for 342 yards and four touchdowns and No. 6 TCU made its national title case by routing No. 9 Kansas State, 41-20, in a Big 12 showdown. What was billed as an elimination game for the inaugural college football playoff turned into a one-sided affair, with the Horned Frogs (8-1, 5-1 Big 12) gashing the Wildcats’ vaunted defense for 553 yards. Boykin did most of the damage with 219 yards and a TD on 23-of-34 passing while adding 123 yards and three scores on the ground, including an acrobatic run early in the third quarter that ended with him being flipped into the end zone. Aaron Green ran for 171 yards and a touchdown for TCU, which forced a three-way tie atop the conference. The Horned Frogs will be heavy favorites against Kansas, Texas and Iowa State the rest of the way and will likely move up from No. 6 in the playoff rankings. Jake Waters threw for 291 yards with two touchdowns and an interception for Kansas State (7-2, 5-1), which had allowed just 17 points per game during its five-game winning streak coming in.
Final Score: (13) Ohio State 49, (7) Michigan State 37
East Lansing, MI (SportsNetwork.com) – J.T. Barrett threw three touchdown passes and added two scores on the ground, leading the 13th-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes to a 49-37 victory over No. 7 Michigan State in the first-ever November night game at Spartan Stadium. Ohio State avenged its loss to Michigan State in last year’s Big Ten Championship Game and now has the inside track at reaching this year’s title game. The Buckeyes also remained in the mix for college football’s four-team playoff. Barrett completed 16- of-26 passes for 300 yards for the Buckeyes (8-1, 5-0 Big Ten), who set a Big Ten record with their 21st straight regular-season conference win. Barrett also carried the ball 14 times for 86 yards. Ezekiel Elliott rushed for 154 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries for Ohio State, which has won seven in a row. Devin Smith caught six passes for 129 yards and a score. Connor Cook connected on 25-of-45 passes for 358 yards and two touchdowns for the Spartans (7-2, 4-1), who had won 13 straight Big Ten games. Jeremy Langford carried the ball 18 times for 137 yards and three touchdowns for Michigan State, which had a six-game winning streak snapped. Langford has surpassed 100 yards rushing in six straight games.
Final Score: (11) Arizona State 55, (8) Notre Dame 31
Tempe, AZ (SportsNetwork.com) – Taylor Kelly accounted for four touchdowns to outduel a mistake-prone Everett Golson, and 11th-ranked Arizona State vaulted itself into the College Football Playoff conversation with a thrilling 55-31 victory over No. 8 Notre Dame. Golson threw a career-high four interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns by Damarious Randall and Lloyd Carrington, and lost a fumble to offset a 446-yard passing day and likely end Notre Dame’s hopes for a selection in the end-of-the-year playoff. The Irish (7-2) entered the matchup 10th in the latest playoff rankings, one spot behind Arizona State (8-1), which also got seven sacks from its swarming defense in addition to the five takeaways. Kelly threw for 224 yards and three touchdowns on a 17-of-28 completion rate while adding a late score on the ground. Demario Richard added a rushing and receiving touchdown in the Sun Devils’ fourth triumph over a ranked opponent since a lopsided loss to UCLA on Sept. 25, with D.J. Foster contributing 120 rushing yards on 21 carries. Golson did connect on touchdown passes to Will Fuller and Amir Carlisle while hitting on 22-of-41 attempts. Fuller finished with 95 yards on six catches and Carlisle had three receptions for 92 yards.
Final Score: (10) Baylor 48, (16) Oklahoma 14
Norman, OK (SportsNetwork.com) – Devin Chafin and Shock Linwood both ran for two touchdowns as 10th-ranked Baylor posted an impressive 48-14 win over No. 16 Oklahoma on Saturday. Bryce Petty set a career high with 32 completions and finished with 387 passing yards and one touchdown for the Bears (8-1, 5-1 Big 12), who scored the final 45 points en route to posting the program’s first-ever win in 12 trips to Norman. Corey Coleman caught 15 passes for 224 yards, the second-highest totals in a game in Baylor history, and scored two touchdowns. Oklahoma quarterback Trevor Knight completed 12- of-27 passes for 146 yards with two touchdowns and one interception before being forced out of the game on a fourth-quarter sack. Knight was placed on a backboard and pointed to the sky as he was being removed on a cart. Alex Ross amassed 71 yards on six carries for Oklahoma (6-3, 3-3), which had produced at least 30 points in 12 straight games.
Final Score: (12) Ole Miss 48, Presbyterian 0
Oxford, MS (SportsNetwork.com) – Following tough losses against two SEC West foes, Ole Miss let off some steam against an FCS opponent. Bo Wallace passed for 140 yards and two touchdowns, all in the first half, and the No. 12 Rebels rolled to a 48-0 win over Presbyterian on Saturday. Wallace threw touchdown passes of 66 and 23 yards to Vince Sanders in the first quarter and rushed for a score during a 21-point second quarter as the Rebels (8-2) shook off losses to LSU and Auburn with their first win since Oct. 18. Mark Dodson rushed for 128 yards for the Rebels in the first half, almost all of it coming on touchdown carries of 65 and 62 yards in the second quarter. Jordan Wilkins added 10 carries for 171 yards, including a 73-yard touchdown. Heys McMath was 9-of-17 passing for 59 yards for Presbyterian (5-5) and Ed Britt intercepted Wallace in the second quarter.
Final Score: (17) Georgia 63, Kentucky 31
Lexington, KY (SportsNetwork.com) – Isaiah McKenzie returned the game’s opening kickoff for a touchdown and scored on a punt return as No. 17 Georgia blasted Kentucky 63-31 on Saturday. Hutson Mason threw a career-high four touchdown passes despite not playing one snap in the fourth quarter for Georgia (7-2, 5-2 SEC), which rebounded from last week’s 38-20 loss to Florida. Mason was 13-of-16 for 174 yards, and Nick Chubb rushed for 170 yards and a touchdown in the bounce-back win. The Bulldogs had a three- touchdown lead just over 10 minutes into the game. Patrick Towles totaled 139 yards with a touchdown pass and ran for another score for the Wildcats (5-5, 2-5), who suffered their fourth straight loss. Towles completed 16- of-31 passes with one interception and added 60 yards on the ground.
Final Score: (21) Arizona 38, Colorado 20
Tucson, AZ (SportsNetwork.com) – Anu Solomon tossed two of his four touchdown passes to Semajie Grant and No. 21 Arizona pulled away in the fourth quarter to defeat Colorado 38-20 on Saturday night. Solomon was 21-of-38 for 211 yards and added 105 yards on the ground, while Grant recorded 83 yards receiving on six catches for Arizona (7-2, 4-2 Pac-12), which had dropped two of its previous three games coming in. Nick Wilson posted 153 of the Wildcats’ 288 rushing yards in the triumph. Sefo Liufau completed 24-of-33 passes for 252 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions for the Buffaloes (2-8, 0-7), who have lost six in a row.
Final Score: (22) Duke 27, Syracuse 10
Syracuse, NY (SportsNetwork.com) – Jamison Crowder scored on a 52-yard punt return to break a tie and spark a big fourth quarter that lifted No. 22 Duke to a 27-10 win over Syracuse on Saturday. Anthony Boone passed for 161 yards with two touchdown throws to Issac Blakeney and the Blue Devils (8-1, 4-1 ACC) scored 17 unanswered points in the last 12:45 of the game to finish off their fourth straight win. They moved to 16-1 in their last 17 regular-season games. The Orange (3-7, 1-5) have lost three in a row. It was the first football game between the two traditional basketball powerhouses since 1939.
Final Score: (23) Marshall 63, Southern Miss 17
Hattiesburg, MS (SportsNetwork.com) – Rakeem Cato threw two touchdown passes and ran for another as 23rd-ranked Marshall steam rolled Southern Miss, 63-17, to remain unbeaten. Cato completed 13-of-19 passes for 186 yards as the Thundering Herd (9-0, 5-0 C-USA) moved one step closer towards a perfect season. Marshall was without star running back Devon Johnson, who was held out with an injury, but Remi Watson, Steward Butler and Cato were able to carry the load. Watson scored three times on the ground, Butler carried five times for 118 yards and two touchdowns and Cato picked up 92 yards on nine runs. Tommy Shuler and Watson had touchdown grabs for Marshall, which has won every game this season by at least 15 points. Ito Smith gained 141 yards on 27 carries and scored two first-quarter touchdowns for Southern Miss (3-7, 1-5), which saw backup quarterback Cole Weeks complete 11 passes to nine different receivers. Weeks got his second straight start in place of injured starter Nick Mullens.
Final Score: Texas 33, (24) West Virginia 16
Austin, TX (SportsNetwork.com) – Johnathan Gray led a potent Texas rushing attack with a career-high three touchdowns as the Longhorns rolled past 24th- ranked West Virginia by a 33-16 score on Saturday. Gray finished with 101 yards on 10 carries and Malcolm Brown ran 20 times for 90 yards for a Longhorns ground game that garnered 227 yards. Tyrone Swoopes threw for 124 yards with a touchdown and interception on 11-of-29 passing and Geoff Swaim hauled in a short TD pass for Texas (5-5, 4-3 Big 12), which has won three of its last four games. Clint Trickett completed 36-of-49 passes for 248 yards with an interception and Dreamius Smith and Wendell Smallwood each ran in a score for the Mountaineers (6-4, 4-3), who had scored at least 30 points in their previous eight games.
Final Score: (25) Wisconsin 34, Purdue 16
West Lafayette, IN (SportsNetwork.com) – Melvin Gordon rushed for 205 yards and a touchdown and No. 25 Wisconsin beat Purdue 34-16 on Saturday. Joel Stave passed for 219 yards and two touchdowns in the win, most of it in the first half as the Badgers (7-2, 4-1 Big Ten) played their first game as a ranked team in over a month. They overcame a shaky start to the second half, which included Gordon’s fumble and failed fourth-down run and a near-onside kick recovery by the Boilermakers after Austin Appleby’s 79-yard touchdown pass to Akeem Hunt got them within 24-16. Appleby passed for 204 yards for Purdue (3-7, 1-5), which has lost three in a row. Paul Griggs kicked three field goals in the loss, including two over 50 yards.
Categorized in: NCAA Football