Ezekiel Elliott ran through, around and past Michigan’s defense a week after running his mouth. It was his fifth career 200-yard rushing game, tying Eddie George for the school record, and the performance moved him up to No. 2 on the Ohio State rushing list behind Archie Griffin.
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The Wolverines (9-3, 6-2, No. 10 CFP) simply could not stop their rivals from running at will. They fell behind early, and quarterback Jake Rudock was knocked out of the game when he was slammed onto his left shoulder. Because excuses and reasons aside, what Penn State needed to show these last few weeks was not necessarily wins, but an indication it could play the type of solid, effective, no-nonsense game Michigan State did Saturday.
Clemson extended its nation’s best winning streak to 15 games. There are reports that Memphis coach Justin Fuente will replace Beamer, and Tech athletics director Whit Babcock did not deny them, saying they are “not official at this time” and that the focus should be on Beamer – who will coach the team’s bowl game.
Barrett capped the drive with a seven-yard touchdown run, his first of a career-high three for the day. The excitement was short-lived, however, when the Spartans’ L.J. Scott dashed six yards around the Penn State defense to bring the score to 41-16 with 11:18 remaining.
Alabama (11-1, No. 2 CFP) hammered Auburn with a heavy dose of Derrick Henry (46 carries, 271 yards) in a 29-13 victory. That marked their worst loss in the Land Grant Trophy series, one that encompasses 30 games and dates back to 1914. That went for a 3-yard touchdown, the only one in the scrimmage.
Don Speck | The Lima News Ohio State players and coaches take the field for the start of Saturday’s game at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Mich.
Christian Hackenberg still insists he isn’t looking too far into the future, that his only goal right now is to make Penn State a better football team.
Michigan State became the first Big Ten team to win a non-conference, regular-season top 10 showdown since a 2006 Ohio State win over Texas.
But Penn State still managed some big plays, including a 59 yard pass in the third quarter and a 22 yard rush on a PSU 3rd-and-23. Michigan State picked up the loose ball and ran it back for a touchdown. It lost to the 5-7 Huskers that Iowa just beat.
The Wolverines cut the deficit to 7-3 on a Kenny Allen 25-yard field goal early in the second quarter. Whether that would translate to a No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff, who knows?
An interception in the end zone on a deep ball.
It was little consolation for the Gators, who will be huge underdogs next week for the Southeastern Conference championship game in Atlanta against second-ranked Alabama.
When he’s matched up in single coverage, most of the time he’s going to have a chance to make a play. The Seminoles probably locked up a spot in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on December 31 in Atlanta.
Before the game, junior college prospect Maurice Chandler set the table with the ideal tweet to summarize the rivalry between these two teams.
Mark Dantonio’s Spartans prevented the defending national champs from a CFB Playoff return. Quarterback J.T. Barrett contributed 139 yards and three touchdowns.
Your starting quarterback, throwing pretty passes again.
Prior to the game the 4th and 5th year Seniors and their families were recognized.
Ohio State and Michigan State players wore “ChadToughFDN” decals and Michigan players wrote #CHADTOUGH in black marker on the back of their helmets.
He ran more than he passed.
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Even without Corey Clement, the Badgers still rushed for 326 yards in their final non-conference tune-up Saturday, a 28-0 win over Hawaii at Camp Randall Stadium. They won most of the battles against Penn State’s revamped defensive line, which had Anthony Zettel at end for the first time in two years and Tarow Barney making his first start at tackle.
