STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — With coach 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 beat No. 9 Penn State 24-15. Corum ran for 145 yards and two touchdowns, McCarthy made a few key plays with his arms and legs, and the Wolverines improved to 3-0 since it was revealed the program was under NCAA investigation for a sign-stealing scheme. In a game Harbaugh no doubt loved from afar, the 10-0 Wolverines ran the ball on 32 straight plays that counted, starting with the final two of the first half. The struggles in big games continued for coach James Franklin and Penn State.
ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Carson Beck threw for 306 yards, Kendall Milton ran for 127 yards and Brock Bowers made a triumphant return for No. 1 Georgia, which punctuated its return to the Southeastern Conference championship game with a 52-17 rout of No. 10 Mississippi on Saturday night. The Bulldogs (10-0, 7-0 SEC, No. 2 College Football Playoff) turned in their most impressive performance of the season, seemingly peaking at just the right time to make a run at their third straight national title. Georgia scored touchdowns on its first four possessions, building a 28-14 halftime lead against Ole Miss (8-2, 5-2, No. 9) and cruising the rest of the way to its 27th consecutive victory.
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Jalen Milroe had a career-high six touchdowns, three each rushing and passing, and No. 8 Alabama cruised past Kentucky 49-21 to clinch the Southeastern Conference West Division title. A week after rushing for a career-best four touchdowns, the sophomore used his arm and his feet to surpass that total and lead the Crimson Tide to a 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. He ran for two 1-yard scores and a 3-yarder. Kentucky’s Ray Davis rushed for two short TDs.
NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Dillon Gabriel accounted for a school-record eight touchdowns to help No. 17 Oklahoma roll past West Virginia 59-20. Gabriel passed for 423 yards and five touchdowns and ran for 50 yards and three scores. Drake Stoops had career highs of 164 yards and three touchdowns receiving, Gavin Sawchuk had a career-best 135 yards rushing and Nic Anderson added four catches for 119 yards for Oklahoma. West Virginia’s CJ Donaldson ran for 79 yards and a touchdown before going down with a left leg injury in the third quarter.
