Atticus Sappington’s 24-yard field goal capped a 10-point fourth-quarter rally as top-ranked Oregon staved off an upset with a 16-13 comeback victory over host Wisconsin on Saturday night.
Oregon (11-0, 8-0 Big Ten), which entered averaging 35.7 points per game, took over at the Wisconsin 43 after a 12-yard punt return with just under seven minutes left. On third-and-4, quarterback Dillon Gabriel eluded pressure and scrambled eight yards for the first down at the 8.
After Gabriel’s third-down pass was incomplete, Sappington hit his third field goal of the game to put the Ducks up 16-13 with 2:36 remaining.
The Badgers failed to get a first down on their ensuing possession when Braedyn Locke’s pass on fourth-and-9 was incomplete, giving the Ducks the ball on the Wisconsin 26.
Oregon was stopped short on a fake field-goal attempt, with Wisconsin taking over at its own 17 with 1:45 left. Locke’s second-down pass was batted into the air and picked off by linebacker Matayo Uiagalelei.
Wisconsin (5-5, 3-4) lost its third straight. The Badgers need one more victory to keep its streak of 22 consecutive bowl games alive.
Gabriel completed 22 of 31 passes for 218 yards without a touchdown and one interception. Jordan James carried 25 times for 121 yards and the Ducks’ lone touchdown.
Held to two field goals through three quarters, the Ducks tied it 13-13 on James’ 11-yard touchdown run with 13:14 remaining. Gabriel kept the 81-yard drive alive with a 15-yard completion to the Badgers’ 26 on fourth-and-9.
Wisconsin went in front 13-6 with 4:43 left in the third quarter on Nathanial Vakos’ 35-yard field goal after having an apparent 6-yard touchdown pass negated by an ineligible receiver downfield penalty.
The Badgers overcame a slow start to take a 10-6 lead on Locke’s 2-yard touchdown pass to Will Pauling with 25 seconds left in the first half. Locke set up the score with a 43-yard completion to Vinny Anthony II to the Oregon 16.
The Ducks took a 6-0 lead on field goals of 35 and 42 yards by Sappington, but had another drive stopped by a tipped-pass interception at the 1-yard line.
Vakos’ 31-yard field goal pulled Wisconsin within 6-3 with 10:19 left in the half.
Sanders carries No. 17 Colorado past Utah 49-24
Shedeur Sanders threw for 340 yards and three touchdowns as No. 17 Colorado withstood a late rally in a 49-24 win over Utah on Saturday in Boulder, Colo.
Sanders connected on 30 of 41 passes and had an interception. Travis Hunter made big plays on offense along with an interception and pass defended on defense. He added five receptions for 55 yards and a 5-yard rushing touchdown.
Colorado’s LaJohntay Wester had 10 receptions for 77 yards and a 76-yard punt return for a touchdown. Drelon Miller caught six passes for 108 yards and a touchdown, while Will Sheppard had five catches for 71 yards and two touchdowns.
Isaiah Augustave had seven carries for 59 yards and a touchdown for Colorado (8-2, 6-1 Big 12), while Nikhai Hill-Green and DJ Mckinney also had interceptions The Colorado defense had four sacks.
Isaac Wilson was 21-of-40 passing for 236 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions for Utah (4-6, 1-6 Big 12).
Cole Becker had first-half field goals of 32, 34 and 47 yards for the Utes.
Utah’s Dorian Singer had five receptions for 65 yards and a touchdown and Caleb Lohner had a touchdown catch.
On the first play of the game, Sanders’ pass was intercepted by Lanyard Barton. The pick led to Becker’s first field goal and an early 3-0 Utes lead.
At 8:09 in the first quarter, Sanders lofted a 40-yard touchdown pass to Sheppard on a fourth-down play as Colorado took a 7-3 lead. Wester’s punt return touchdown gave Colorado a 14-3 lead and Sheppard’s second TD catch just before halftime gave Colorado a 21-6 lead.
Early in the second half, the Buffaloes turned Hill-Green’s interception into points one play later when Augustave high stepped into the end zone for a 37-yard touchdown run and a 28-9 Colorado lead.
Later in the third quarter, Singer and Wilson hooked up for a 40-yard touchdown to shrink the Buffaloes’ lead to 28-16.
With 13:58 left in the game, Drelon Miller fought through two tackles on a 47-yard touchdown reception as Colorado took a 35-16 lead.
The Utes rallied late, with a 3-yard touchdown reception by Lohner and a nifty, tackle-eligible two-point conversion play to Spencer Fano that cut the Colorado lead to 35-24.
On the Buff’s next possession, Utah recovered a fumble. But McKinney’s interception thwarted the next Utah drive which set up Offerdahl’s 4-yard touchdown scamper for a 41-24 lead.
With under three minutes to play, Hunter took a double reverse into the end zone for a 5-yard rushing touchdown and a 49-24 Colorado lead.
After slow start, No. 2 Ohio State takes down Northwestern
Chicago native Carnell Tate had two touchdown catches and Quinshon Judkins ran for two short scores as No. 2 Ohio State overcame a slow start to defeat Northwestern 31-7 at Wrigley Field in Chicago on Saturday.
Tate, who had four receptions for 52 yards, made an 8-yard TD catch on the first drive for the Buckeyes (9-1, 6-1 Big Ten) in the second half to make it 28-7 before a pro-Ohio State crowd.
The score was set up by a 68-yard catch-and-run by Jeremiah Smith, who finished with four catches for 100 yards.
Ohio State made it 31 straight points on a 28-yard field goal by Jayden Fielding with 44 seconds left in the third.
Ohio State has won 11 straight vs. Northwestern since 2004.
The victory sets up a showdown at home next Saturday against No. 5 Indiana.
The Hoosiers (10-0, 7-0) are idle this week.
Northwestern (4-6, 2-5) frustrated the Buckeyes in the first quarter, limiting them to one possession that resulted in a punt while the Wildcats held the ball for 10 minutes. They had 118 total yards compared to 30 for Ohio State.
The Wildcats took a 7-0 lead early in the second quarter when quarterback Jack Lausch, who lost a fumble at the Ohio State 16 on Northwestern’s first possession, ran for an 8-yard score to complete a 92-yard drive.
Lausch was 21-of-35 passing for 201 yards with Bryce Kirtz making seven catches for 92 yards.
Ohio State responded by going 85 yards in 12 plays with Judkins going in from the 1 to make it 7-7.
The Buckeyes soon made it 14-7 thanks to blocking a Northwestern punt after a bad snap to get the ball at the 1. Two plays later, Judkins again scored from the 1.
Ohio State extended the lead to 21-7 with 47 seconds left in the half on a 25-yard catch by Tate from Will Howard (15-of-24 passing for 247 yards).
Howard’s passing success was complemented by the running of Judkins (76 yards) and TreVeyon Henderson (74).
No. 12 Georgia pulls away from No. 7 Tennessee
Carson Beck completed 25 of 40 passes for 347 yards and two touchdowns, as No. 12 Georgia kept its Southeastern Conference Championship Game and College Football Playoff hopes alive with a 31-17 win over No. 7 Tennessee on Saturday in Athens, Ga.
Beck also added a rushing score for the Bulldogs (8-2, 6-2), who bounced back from last week’s 28-10 loss at Ole Miss.
Nate Frazier ran for 68 yards and a touchdown, while Oscar Delp caught four passes for 56 yards and two touchdowns, as Georgia beat Tennessee for the eighth straight year.
Nico Iamaleava completed 20 of 33 passes for 167 yards for Tennessee (8-2, 5-2), which had its four-game winning streak snapped. Dylan Sampson led the Volunteers with 101 rushing yards and a score. Tennessee led 10-0 after the first quarter, but was held scoreless in the second half.
Tied at 17, Georgia pieced together a dominant opening drive of the second half, as Beck connected with Nitro Tuggle and Arian Smith for 16 yards each, before finding Dominic Lovett for 14 yards, advancing to Tennessee’s 23-yard line.
Beck then ran in a 10-yard touchdown that put Georgia ahead 24-17 at the 5:32 mark of the third quarter.