Top-25 College Football Game Capsules

College Station, TX (Sports Network) – A.J. McCarron put on his own Heisman- worthy performance, and Alabama exacted a measure of revenge on Johnny Manziel and Texas A&M with an action-packed 49-42 victory at Kyle Field. McCarron completed 20-of-29 passes for a career-high 334 yards and four touchdowns, helping the top-ranked Crimson Tide (2-0, 1-0 SEC) gain some payback from last November’s 29-22 loss to the Aggies in Tuscaloosa that nearly derailed Alabama’s BCS title hopes. T.J. Yeldon did his part as well for the two-time reigning national champions, who scored 35 straight points after spotting sixth-ranked Texas A&M a 14-0 lead and held off a late comeback attempt. The sophomore back accounted for 149 of Alabama’s 234 rushing yards and had a touchdown among his 25 carries. Manziel, whose outstanding effort in last year’s meeting helped win him the Heisman Trophy, put on another terrific display in the rematch, racking up personal bests of 464 yards and five touchdowns through the air and adding 98 rushing yards. He also threw two costly interceptions, one of which was returned 73 yards for a score by Vinnie Sunseri, that helped seal the Aggies’ (2-1, 0-1) fate.

Final Score: (2) Oregon 59, Tennessee 14

Eugene, OR (Sports Network) – Marcus Mariota threw for a career-high 456 yards and coupled four touchdown passes with a score on the ground to lead No. 2 Oregon past Tennessee, 59-14. After giving up an early touchdown, Oregon (3-0) responded with 59 straight points. They went ahead, 10-7, after Bralon Addison 40-yard punt return set up the Oregon offense at Tennessee’s 37 yard line. Mariota faked a Tennessee defender while scrambling and tossed a 16-yard pass to Johnny Mundt for the touchdown. Mundt had two touchdown catches for Oregon with 121 yards receiving, while Josh Huff had 125 receiving yards on six receptions with a touchdown. De’Anthony Thomas powered the ground game with 13 carries for 86 yards and a score. The Tennessee (2-1) defense allowed 687 yards. Justin Worley completed 13-of-25 passes for 126 yards in the Vols’ first loss of the season.

Final Score: (4) Ohio State 52, California 34

Berkeley, CA (Sports Network) – Kenny Guiton threw four touchdown passes to lead fourth-ranked Ohio State in a 52-34 victory over California on Saturday. Guiton, who got the start in place of injured Braxton Miller, finished the game 21-for-32 for 276 yards and tossed two of his scores to Devin Smith, who had three catches for 149 yards for the Buckeyes (3-0), who got 168 yards and three touchdowns on 30 carries from Jordan Hall. Jared Goff passed for 371 yards on three scores with one interception while going 31-for-53 for the Golden Bears (1-2), who were coming off a 37-30 win over Portland State last Saturday.

Final Score: (5) Stanford 34, Army 20

West Point, NY (Sports Network) – Kevin Hogan threw for three touchdowns, Tyler Gaffney collected two scores with 132 yards rushing and visiting No. 5 Stanford marched into West Point to take a 34-20 victory against Army. Other than a late interception, Hogan was an efficient 11-of-18 for 188 yards and threw a touchdown to three different receivers. Ty Montgomery caught one among his six receptions, amassing 130 yards to help Stanford (2-0) to a win in its road opener. Gaffney ran 20 times, rushing for one touchdown and catching another. The Cardinal defense allowed 284 yards to the Black Knights’ potent rushing attack, but surrendered just two touchdowns — one with 17 seconds remaining. Terry Baggett led 10 Army (1-2) rushers with 96 yards on nine attempts. Quarterback Angel Santiago ran for 54 yards on 17 carries and Larry Dixon produced a score for the Black Knights, who have dropped two straight games.

Final Score: (7) Louisville 27, Kentucky 13

Lexington, KY (Sports Network) – Teddy Bridgewater threw for 250 yards with a touchdown and Senorise Perry ran for a pair of scores, as seventh-ranked Louisville came away with a 27-13 victory over Kentucky at Commonwealth Stadium. Bridgewater completed 16-of-28 passes and Perry added 100 yards on 11 carries for the Cardinals (3-0), who took a step up in competition after opening the season with easy home routs of Ohio and Eastern Kentucky. Jalen Whitlow threw a touchdown pass for Kentucky (1-2), which was coming off a 41-7 win over Miami-Ohio last week.

Final Score: (8) LSU 45, Kent State 13

Baton Rouge, LA (Sports Network) – Zach Mettenberger threw for three touchdowns and Jeremy Hill had two on the ground for No. 8 LSU, which rolled to a 45-13 victory over Kent State to remain unbeaten on the young season. Mettenberger completed 13-of-18 attempts for 264 yards without a turnover, while Hill racked up 117 yards on just 11 carries to help the Tigers (3-0) to their FBS-record 44th consecutive non-conference regular-season win. Jarvis Landry was on the receiving end of two of Mettenberger’s scoring passes, while Odell Beckham finished with five catches for 76 yards and a touchdown in the rout. Colin Reardon threw for 190 yards on 20-of-29 efficiency for Kent State (1-2) and scored the Golden Flashes’ lone touchdown on a 2-yard run in the second quarter.

Final Score: (10) Florida State 62, Nevada 7

Tallahassee, FL (Sports Network) – Jameis Winston threw for 214 yards and two touchdowns while adding a rushing score — one of six by his team on Saturday — before being rested, as 10th-ranked Florida State shook off a slow start and routed Nevada, 62-7, at Doak Campbell Stadium. Winston ended at 15-of-18 efficiency with one interception for the Seminoles (2-0), who rolled to victory thanks to 59 consecutive points following an early deficit — including 31 in the third quarter alone. Karlos Williams recorded a 65-yard TD run as part of a 110-yard, eight carry performance, while Devonta Freeman added 109 yards on nine rushes including a score. Devin Combs and Tyler Stewart combined to complete 13-of-24 passes for only 86 yards and a touchdown for the Wolf Pack (1-2), who were coming off a win against UC-Davis but have allowed 120 points in their two defeats this season.

Final Score: (11) Michigan 28, Akron 24

Ann Arbor, MI (Sports Network) – After beating Notre Dame last week in what could be the Fighting Irish’s last trip to Michigan Stadium for awhile, surely Akron would not pose a threat to mighty Michigan in its first visit to the Big House. Think again. The 11th-ranked Wolverines needed a late Fitzgerald Toussaint touchdown run and a goal-line stand in the closing seconds to earn a 28-24 victory over the Zips in another thriller. Michigan quarterback Devin Gardner was both good and bad Saturday. He ran for 103 yards with a touchdown on 10 carries and threw for 248 yards with a pair of touchdowns, but was also picked off three times and lost a fumble with the Wolverines threatening to score. Toussaint finished with 71 yards on 19 carries for the Wolverines (3-0), who will venture out on the road for the first time this season next week with a trip to Connecticut. Kyle Pohl finished 25-of-49 for 311 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions in defeat. L.T. Smith had five catches for 125 yards and Zach D’Orazio hauled in six passes for 97 yards with a touchdown for Akron (1-2).

Final Score: (12) Oklahoma State 59, Lamar 3

Stillwater, OK (Sports Network) – With plenty of turmoil surrounding the Oklahoma State football program, a non-conference clash with Lamar was just what the doctor ordered for the 12th-ranked Cowboys. Jeremy Smith rushed for three first-half touchdowns and Oklahoma State stifled the Cardinals in a 59-3 rout on Saturday at Boone Pickens Stadium. Earlier this week, Sports Illustrated reported that several Oklahoma State football players apparently received improper benefits dating back to 2001. Although an NCAA investigation appears imminent, the Cowboys (3-0) were able to maintain their focus on the field, racking up 26 first downs and 426 yards of total offense en route to the victory. J.W. Walsh completed 17-of-30 passes for 181 yards, one touchdown, and one interception, while backup quarterback Clint Chelf threw for a score and rushed for another in the win.

Final Score: (13) South Carolina 35, Vanderbilt 25

Columbia, SC (Sports Network) – Connor Shaw passed for 284 yards and three touchdowns on 21-of-29 efficiency, adding 84 yards and a score on the ground as No. 13 South Carolina held on late to down Vanderbilt, 35-25, at Williams- Brice Stadium. Bruce Ellington posted 111 yards and a score on eight receptions for the Gamecocks (2-1, 1-1 SEC), while Brandon Wilds and Nick Jones also posted TD catches for the victorious hosts. Austyn Carta-Samuels was 12-of-22 for 147 yards and an interception, throwing for one touchdown and rushing for another for the Commodores (1-2, 0-2). Jordan Matthews racked up 106 yards on eight receptions for Vanderbilt, while Wesley Tate caught a 19-yard touchdown pass and gained 71 yards on 10 carries in the setback.

Final Score: (14) Oklahoma 51, Tulsa 20

Norman, OK (Sports Network) – Blake Bell, in his first career start, passed for 413 yards and four touchdowns Saturday to lead No. 14 Oklahoma to a 51-20 win over Tulsa. The Sooners (3-0) had rushed for more than 300 yards in both of their first two games but their passing attack had barely gotten off the ground until Bell took over. The junior was 27-for-37 without an interception and had touchdown passes of 29 yards to Roy Finch and 35 yards to Sterling Shepard. Shepard caught eight passes for 123 yards and two touchdowns. Cody Green was 17-of-33 for 226 yards with an interception for Tulsa (1-2). Oklahoma is 3-0 going into a particularly tough stretch of the season, which will begin after an off week. The Sooners will play at Notre Dame, at home against TCU and in Dallas against Texas. The Sooners scored on their first five drives of the game.

Final Score: (16) UCLA 41, (23) Nebraska 21

Lincoln, NE (Sports Network) – Playing with heavy hearts following the tragic death of a teammate, the 16th-ranked and emotionally-charged UCLA Bruins overcame a significant deficit to post a 41-21 road win over No. 23 Nebraska. The Bruins scored 38 unanswered points, including 28 during a dominant third quarter that saw them produce touchdowns on all four of their possessions. Quarterback Brett Hundley had three TD passes in the third and finished with 294 yards on 16-of-24 throws. Jordon James totaled 105 yards on 22 carries and scored one touchdown for the Bruins (2-0). UCLA receiver Nick Pasquale died Sunday after he was hit by a car in his hometown of San Clemente, Calif. Taylor Martinez threw three first-half touchdown passes, but the Cornhuskers (2-1) were shut out after building a 21-3 lead. Martinez completed 21-of-35 passes for 203 yards. Ameer Abdullah ran the ball 23 times for 98 yards for Nebraska, which had its home winning streak snapped at 10 games.

Final Score: (17) Northwestern 38, Western Michigan 17

Evanston, IL (Sports Network) – Treyvon Green rushed for 158 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries, while Kain Colter accounted for a pair of scores, as No. 17 Northwestern notched a 38-17 victory over Western Michigan on Saturday in a non-conference bout at Ryan Field. Colter completed 6-of-7 passes for 40 yards with a touchdown and an interception while adding 106 yards and a score on 15 carries for the Wildcats (3-0), who recorded their second straight 21-point triumph. The victory extended Northwestern’s home winning streak in non-conference action to 15 in a row. Tyler Van Tubbergen threw for 202 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception on 16-of-41 passing, with freshman wideout Corey Davis catching five passes for 112 yards and a score for the Broncos (0-3), who were coming off a 27-23 setback against FCS foe Nicholls State.

Final Score: (19) Washington 34, Illinois 24

Chicago, IL (Sports Network) – Bishop Sankey rushed for 208 yards and a touchdown on 35 carries while adding three catches for 63 yards and a score, as No. 19 Washington held off Illinois, 34-24, on Saturday in a non-conference matchup at Soldier Field. Keith Price passed for 342 yards and two touchdowns on 28-of-35 passing, while Jesse Callier carried the ball six times for 66 yards and a score for the Huskies (2-0), who posted an impressive 38-6 victory over Boise State in their season-opener prior to last week’s bye. Nathan Scheelhaase completed just 9-of-25 passes for 156 yards, one touchdown, and one interception while adding 21 yards and a score on 12 carries for the Fighting Illini (2-1), who were coming off a 45-17 victory over Cincinnati.

Final Score: Arizona State 32, (20) Wisconsin 30

Tempe, AZ (Sports Network) – A controversial ending resulted in the Arizona State Sun Devils beating the 20th-ranked Wisconsin Badgers, 32-30, on Saturday. Wisconsin quarterback Joel Stave, after leading the Badgers into field goal range with time winding down, tried to place the ball in the center of the field for a potential game-winning kick. It appeared that Stave took a knee before putting the ball down, but an Arizona State player jumped on top of the ball claiming it was a fumble. The clock kept running, though, and the refs failed to make a decision. The Badgers couldn’t get another play off after scrambling to the line of scrimmage. The drive started from the Wisconsin 17-yard line with 1:36 to play. Jeff Duckworth caught a 51-yard pass along the left sideline on 3rd-and-4. Jared Abbrederis hauled in a six-yard pass on the next third down situation, moving the ball to the 13-yard line and setting up the wild ending. Marion Grice carried the ball 22 times for 84 yards and four touchdowns for the Sun Devils (2-0), who recorded a 55-0 shutout of Sacramento State last time out. The senior running back also caught five passes for 50 yards.

Final Score: (21) Notre Dame 31, Purdue 24

West Lafayette, IN (Sports Network) – Tommy Rees and DaVaris Daniels hooked up for two touchdowns in the fourth quarter and No. 21 Notre Dame fended off Purdue, 31-24, despite trailing most of the game. Rees and Daniels connected on two scores in a 2:07 span early in the fourth, the second an 82-yard TD that saw Daniels tip-toe down the sideline and stiff-arm Ricardo Allen to give Notre Dame its first lead, 24-17. Three snaps later, Bennett Jackson stepped in front of a Rob Henry pass and returned the interception 34 yards for a Fighting Irish touchdown, but Henry came right back and threw a fourth-down 9-yard touchdown pass to Justin Sinz to pull Purdue back within a touchdown. The Boilermakers recovered a fumble in Notre Dame territory on the ensuing possession, but a personal foul penalty pushed them back and they went three- and-out and did not see the ball over the final 7:22, falling to their in- state rival for a sixth straight time.

Final Score: (25) Ole Miss 44, Texas 23

Austin, TX (Sports Network) – Bo Wallace threw two touchdowns passes and ran in another score as 25th-ranked Ole Miss defeated Texas, 44-23, on Saturday. Wallace went 17-for-25 with 177 yards and added 12 carries for 57 yards for the Rebels (3-0), who saw Jeff Scott run for 164 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries and added a punt return for a touchdown. Case McCoy was 24-for-36 for 196 yards and a touchdown, while Jonathan Gray ran for 91 yards and a score on 19 carries for the Longhorns (1-2), who have lost their past two games after opening the season with a win over New Mexico State.

Categorized in: NCAA Football