No. 2 Michigan stays unbeaten as coach Harbaugh serves ban in 24-15 win over No. 9 Penn State
Sat, Nov 11, 2023
NCAAF News (AP)
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) - With Jim Harbaugh banned by the Big Ten Conference, J.J. McCarthy, Blake Corum and No. 2 Michigan played unfazed by a scandal that has hounded the program for weeks - and their toughest opponent yet - grinding past No. 9 Penn State 24-15 Saturday.
Corum ran for 145 yards and two touchdowns, McCarthy made few key plays with his arms and legs and the Wolverines (10-0, 7-0, No. 3 CFP) improved to 3-0 since it was revealed the program was under NCAA investigation for a sign-stealing scheme.
The struggles in big games continued for coach James Franklin and Penn State (8-2, 5-3, No. 10 CFP), which scored a combined 26 points in losses to Big Ten East rivals Ohio State and Michigan this season.
In a game Harbaugh no doubt loved from afar, on what turned into a chilly and gray day in Happy Valley, the Wolverines ran the ball on 32 straight plays that counted, starting with the final two of the first half and ending with a couple of kneeldowns.
No 8 ALABAMA 49, KENTUCKY 21
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) - Jalen Milroe had a career-high six touchdowns, three each rushing and passing, and Alabama cruised past Kentucky to clinch the Southeastern Conference West Division title.
A week after rushing for a career-best four touchdowns in a 42-28 victory over LSU, the sophomore quarterback used his arm and his feet to surpass that total and guide the Crimson Tide (9-1, 7-0 SEC, No. 8 CFP) to an eighth consecutive victory and third conference championship appearance in four seasons.
Milroe passed for his three of four TDs by halftime, including strikes of 26 and 40 yards to Amari Niblack and Kobe Prentice. The first score came after he sat out the game's sixth snap with an injured left thigh while being tackled on a 16-yard keeper.
Jamarion Miller also ran for a 3-yard TD as Alabama beat Kentucky (6-4, 3-4) for the eighth consecutive time.
TEXAS TECH 16, No. 19 KANSAS 13
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) - Gino Garcia hit a game-winning 30-yard field goal with 3 seconds to play and Texas Tech upset Kansas as the Jayhawks struggled after losing quarterback Jason Bean in the first half.
Tahj Brooks ran for 133 yards and a touchdown as the Red Raiders (5-5, 4-3 Big 12) came back after Kansas (7-3, 4-3) tied the game on a 22-yard field goal by Seth Keller with 26 seconds left in regulation.
Texas Tech opened as 10-0 lead in the first quarter as Brooks scored early in a 5-yard TD run. Garcia added a 32-yard field goal late in the quarter.
The Red Raiders extended their lead to 13-0 early in the third quarter on Garcia's second field goal before Kansas got back in the game on a Devin Neal 60-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter.
No. 20 TULANE 24, TULSA 22
NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Makhi Hughes rushed for 131 yards and a touchdown, Shedro Louis returned a kickoff 100 yards for a score and Tulane defeated Tulsa to win its eighth straight game.
Michael Pratt passed for 194 yards and a touchdown to help the Green Wave (9-1, 6-0 American Athletic Conference, No. 23 CFP) remain on track to defend their league title and possibly receive a bid to a second straight major New Year's Day bowl game.
Louis' return came on the kickoff to open the second half and gave the Wave a 21-10 lead. It was his first touchdown since transferring from Liberty and came when Tulane needed some breathing room over a Tulsa team that delivered a feisty performance as it tried to snap a losing streak that has now reached five games.
Kirk Francis passed for a career-high 345 yards and a touchdown for Tulsa (3-7, 1-5),
No. 25 LIBERTY 38, OLD DOMINION 10
LYNCHBURG, Va. (AP) - Kaidon Salter threw three touchdown passes and ran for two more, all in the first half, as No. 25 Liberty kept its perfect record intact with a victory over Old Dominion.
The Flames, already the regular season champions in Conference USA, improved to 10-0 (7-0). It marks their second double-digit win season since transitioning to FBS competition in 2018 and third overall.
Salter, the three-time CUSA Offensive Player of the Week, completed 13 of 22 passes for 225 yards and also rushed 11 times for 41 yards in a little over three quarters.
Old Dominion (4-6, 3-3 Sun Belt) was largely ineffective on offense, managing just a field goal by Ethan Sanchez through the first 58-plus minutes. Javon Harvey's 5-yard touchdown catch was nothing more than window-dressing on a tough day.
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