The Big 10 Had a Really Bad Day — College Football Week 10 Recap
It was a bad Saturday in the Big Ten. Here's a recap of the most interesting games from week 10 of the 2017 college football season:
The Two Highest Ranked Big Ten Teams Lost
Just a few days after being slotted high in the first College Football Playoff rankings of the season, both No. 6 Ohio State and No. 7 Penn State -- the Big Ten's highest ranked teams -- lost.
Unranked Iowa drilled the Buckeyes, 55-24, as Nate Stanley threw for 226 yards and five touchdowns. JT Barrett threw a career-high four interceptions for Ohio State (7-2, 5-1 Big Ten). He completed 18 passes for just 208 yards and three scores a week after he looked like a Heisman Trophy finalist against the Nittany Lions.
Josh Jackson had three of the interceptions for the Hawkeyes. Iowa (6-3, 3-3) led 31-17 at halftime and never relented in the second half.
Ohio State hosts Michigan State this coming Saturday. The 24th-ranked Spartans will head to Columbus on a high after handing No. 7 Penn State its second straight loss, 27-24, on Matt Coghlin's 34-yard field goal as time expired. The game was delayed nearly 3 1/2 hours by severe weather in the first half.
Brian Lewerke threw for 400 yards and two touchdowns for Michigan State (7-2, 5-1). He led his team into position for the game-winning kick, aided greatly by a roughing the passer call.
Like last week's loss to Ohio State, the Nittany Lions had a lead heading into the fourth quarter, but saw it slip away.
Trace McSorley threw for 381 yards and three touchdowns, with three interceptions, for Penn State (7-2, 4-2), while his highly praised teammate Saquon Barkley had 0 rushing yards in the first half and just 63 for the game. He didn't score a touchdown for the first time in 15 games.
The day wasn't a total loss for the Big Ten: undefeated and un-respected No. 9 Wisconsin crushed Indiana, 45-17. The Badgers are the conference's best hope for a College Football Playoff berth.
Miami Got a Signature Win
Malik Rosier threw two touchdown passes and he ran for another score, and 10th-ranked Miami beat No. 13 Virginia Tech, 28-10, on Saturday night, extending the nation's longest winning streak to 13 games. The Hurricanes seized control of the Atlantic Coast Conference Coastal Division with the win.
Josh Jackson threw for 197 yards with two interceptions for the Hokies. He also had a touchdown run. Known for its defense, Virginia Tech (7-2, 3-2) was out-gained 429-299.
Miami (8-0, 6-0 ACC) will host third-ranked Notre Dame this Saturday night in a game that will alter the top of the polls and the college football playoff picture. The Hurricanes seem destined to face CFP No. 4 Clemson in the ACC title game on Dec. 2.
Oklahoma Ruled the Bedlam Game
Baker Mayfield threw for 598 yards and five touchdowns and No. 8 Oklahoma beat in-state rival No. 11 Oklahoma State, 62-52, in the Bedlam Rivalry on Saturday. Cowboys quarterback Mason Rudolph passed for 448 yards and five touchdowns, but he committed three turnovers in the second half that helped the Sooners get the win.
The exciting game was tied at 38 at halftime, and the final statistics are more reminiscent of video game football than a competitive Midwestern tilt in early November.
Marquise Brown had nine catches for 265 yards for Oklahoma (8-1, 5-1 Big 12), including touchdowns of 84 and 77 yards.
Justice Hill ran for 228 yards for Oklahoma State (7-2, 4-2), while teammate James Washington caught seven passes for 128 yards and a touchdown.
Clemson Got a Big Scare
K'Von Wallace intercepted Ryan Finley on the game's final play and fourth-ranked Clemson beat No. 20 North Carolina State, 38-31, in Raleigh on Saturday. The Tigers took a commanding 31-21 lead on Tavien Feaster's 89-yard touchdown run to end the third quarter and they hung on to beat the Wolfpack.
The narrow win allowed Clemson (8-1, 6-1 ACC) to remain in the hunt for the ACC title and the College Football Playoff. The defending national champions only loss this season was to Syracuse in October. The Tigers last big hurdle before the post-season is a Nov. 11 game with Florida State.
Finley threw three touchdown passes for N.C. State (6-3, 4-1), but he couldn't get his team in the end zone in the final seconds.
The Tide Kept Rolling
Jalen Hurts passed for 183 yards and a touchdown, and he ran for 44 yards and another score, as Associated Press poll No. 1 Alabama beat 19th-ranked LSU, 24-10, on Saturday. The Crimson Tide's defense was key to the win, getting vital stops on the Tigers despite losing linebackers Shaun Dion Hamilton and Mack Wilson, and safety Minkah Fitzpatrick.
Alabama (9-0, 6-0 SEC) was ranked second behind conference rival Georgia in the first College Football Playoff poll released last Tuesday. The Tide looked great while defeating LSU (6-3, 3-2), a team coming into the contest on a three-game win streak after an embarrassing home loss to Troy on Sept. 30.
Georgia is in position to face Alabama in the SEC title game; the Bulldogs clinched the SEC East with a 24-10 win over South Carolina on Saturday.
Other Games
Three other ranked teams lost on Saturday:
Will Grier threw two touchdown passes and West Virginia edged No. 14 Iowa State, 20-16, on Saturday. The Cyclones fell out of a four-team tie for first place in the Big 12 with the loss.
Luke Falk threw for 337 yards and three scores and No. 25 Washington State beat No. 21 Stanford 24-21 on Saturday. Cardinal running back Bryce Love, a Hesiman Trophy hopeful, ran for a season-low 69 yards for Stanford.
Ronald Jones II ran for 194 yards and three touchdowns, including the tiebreaking score with 5:37 left, and No. 17 USC beat 23rd-ranked Arizona, 49-35, late Saturday. Quarterback Khalil Tate helped the Wildcats erase a 22-point deficit, but the Trojans were too much in the fourth quarter.