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NCAA Football

Notre Dame Climbs to No. 6

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INDIANAPOLIS – (Wire Service Report) – A lack of upsets at the top of college football resulted in little movement at the top of the Associated Press Top 25 poll on Sunday, as Oregon remained undefeated and keeps its hold on the No. 1 ranking after avoiding an upset at Wisconsin.

The Ducks (11-0) prevailed 16-13 in Madison, Wis., while No. 2 Ohio State (9-1), No. 3 Texas (9-1) and No. 4 Penn State (9-1) all won as well, preserving the top four. Indiana (10-0) remained No. 5 after a bye week.

Previous No. 6 Tennessee lost to Georgia, and previous No. 7 BYU was upset by Kansas, opening the door for Notre Dame (9-1) to move up to No. 6 with its 35-14 blowout of Virginia.

The Fighting Irish have barely been tested since their shocking upset loss to Northern Illinois in Week 2, only once winning by less than 18 (31-24 vs. Louisville on Sept. 28). That could change soon with next weekend’s game against No. 18 Army (9-0).

Four SEC schools round out the Top 10 with identical 8-2 records: No. 7 Alabama, No. 8 Georgia, No. 9 Ole Miss and No. 10 Tennessee.

BYU (9-1) fell seven spots to No. 14 after losing for the first time this season, landing one spot below a team it beat earlier this year, SMU (9-1), who survived an upset bid from visiting Boston College.

Arizona State (8-2) rejoined the AP Top 25 for the first time since 2021 at No. 21 after its 24-14 road win at previous No. 20 Kansas State. Other newcomers included No. 22 Iowa State (8-2), No. 23 UNLV (8-2) and No. 24 Illinois (7-3).

Kansas State, LSU, Louisville and Missouri all fell from the rankings following losses.

The third in-season edition of the College Football Playoff committee’s rankings will be released Tuesday night.

The AP Top 25 poll after Week 12:
1. Oregon
2. Ohio State
3. Texas
4. Penn State
5. Indiana
6. Notre Dame
7. Alabama
8. Georgia
9. Ole Miss
10. Tennessee
11. Miami
12. Boise State
13. SMU
14. BYU
15. Texas A&M
16. Colorado
17. Clemson
18. Army
19. South Carolina
20. Tulane
21. Arizona State
22. Iowa State
23. UNLV
24. Illinois
25. Washington State

–Field Level Media

BOLD – Theoretical CFB Playoff Teams

NCAA Football: Top 25 Update

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PROVO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Kansas’ Devin Neal rushed for two touchdowns and a fluke occurrence on a punt led to the go-ahead score as his Jayhawks notched a 17-13 upset of No. 6 BYU in Big 12 play on a chilly Saturday night in Utah.

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Jalon Daniels completed 12 of 19 passes for 169 yards and one interception, but his biggest contribution was a fourth-quarter punt that struck a member of the Cougars and was recovered by the Jayhawks (4-6, 3-4) at the BYU 3-yard line. Neal scored the winning points on the next play, and Kansas protected the lead.

The setback is a major blow for the Cougars (9-1, 6-1), who dropped into a first-place tie with Colorado and will slip downward when the next College Football Playoff rankings are unveiled on Tuesday.

BYU’s Jake Retzlaff completed 18 of 28 passes for 192 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Hinckley Ropati had a scoring reception for the Cougars.

Neal extended his school record to 45 rushing touchdowns, and his 52 yards rushing made him the first player in program history to top 4,000 on the ground. His total sits at 4,003.

No. 1 Oregon 1, Wisconsin 13

Atticus Sappington’s 24-yard field goal capped a 10-point fourth-quarter rally as the Ducks staved off an upset with a comeback victory over the host Badgers.

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 8 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.

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.

No. 2 Ohio State 31, Northwestern 7

Chicago native Carnell Tate had two touchdown catches and Quinshon Judkins ran for two short scores as the Buckeyes overcame a slow start to defeat the Wildcats at Wrigley Field in Chicago.

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.

Northwestern (4-6, 2-5) quarterback Jack Lausch was 21-of-35 passing for 201 yards with Bryce Kirtz making seven catches for 92 yards.

No. 3 Texas 20, Arkansas 10

Quinn Ewers passed for 176 yards and touchdowns early and late to Matthew Golden as the Longhorns did just enough on the road to beat the Razorbacks in a key Southeastern Conference clash in Fayetteville, Ark.

The game was the first for the two programs as league foes since 1990 when they were a part of the now-defunct Southwest Conference. The intensity still was high as the Longhorns (9-1, 5-1 SEC) stayed on track for a spot in the SEC Championship Game in their inaugural season in the conference. Jaydon Blue rushed for 83 yards on 14 carries as Texas outgained the Razorbacks 315-231 in total yards.

Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green had 149 yards passing but absorbed six sacks for 48 yards in losses and threw an interception for the Razorbacks (5-5, 3-4).

No. 4 Penn State 49, Purdue 10

Drew Allar passed for three touchdowns and Tyler Warren found the end zone twice as the Nittany Lions rolled over the host Boilermakers in West Lafayette, Ind.

Allar finished with more touchdowns than incompletions, as he went 17 of 19 for 247 yards without a turnover for the Nittany Lions (9-1, 6-1 Big Ten). Warren totaled eight catches for 127 yards and a score and also had a 48-yard scoring run.

Hudson Card passed for 151 yards and Max Klare had 91 receiving yards and a touchdown for Purdue (1-9, 0-7), which has not won since Week 1 and has not beaten Penn State since 2004. The Boilermakers have faced three top-five opponents in the last month, losing those games by a combined margin of 129-10.

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No. 12 Georgia 31, No. 7 Tennessee 17

Carson Beck completed 25 of 40 passes for 347 yards and two touchdowns as the Bulldogs kept their Southeastern Conference Championship Game and College Football Playoff hopes alive by beating the Volunteers 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. 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.

No. 8 Notre Dame 35, Virginia 14

Jeremiyah Love ran for 137 yards and two touchdowns and Riley Leonard threw three touchdown passes to lead the Fighting Irish past the Cavaliers in South Bend, Ind.

Notre Dame won its eighth consecutive game and inched closer to securing a playoff berth. Love has scored at least one touchdown in 10 straight games, making him the program’s fourth running back to do so. He also broke loose for a 76-yard score in the third quarter to put the Irish ahead 35-0.

Virginia (5-5) was unable to carry over the momentum from last week’s upset up Pitt. The Cavaliers benched quarterback Anthony Colandrea, who completed only 8 for 21 passes for 69 yards with three interceptions, and replaced him with Tony Muskett in the second half. Muskett scored the Cavaliers’ only two touchdowns.

No. 10 Alabama 52, Mercer 7

Jalen Milroe threw a pair of touchdown passes and Ryan Williams scored one rushing and one receiving TD as the host Crimson Tide cruised past the Bears in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

The 10th-ranked Crimson Tide (8-2) received a collective effort from its offense, defense and special teams and was able to incorporate several reserve players into the game in the second half after taking a commanding 38-7 lead over the Bears (9-2). Milroe completed 11 of 16 passes for 186 yards, didn’t throw an interception and ran for 43 yards and a touchdown on six carries to lead Alabama.

Mercer had a three-game winning streak snapped, but already clinched a berth in the FCS playoffs and a share of the Southern Conference championship. Whitt Newbauer completed 15 of 22 passes for 140 yards and an interception as Mercer was held to 202 yards of total offense.

No. 13 Boise State 42, San Jose State 21

Ashton Jeanty ran for three touchdowns and the Broncos overcame a 14-0 first-half deficit to the host Spartans to continue its march toward a hopeful playoff berth.

The victory keeps the Broncos (9-1, 6-0 Mountain West) in control of the one open spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff reserved for the highest-ranked Group of 5 team, and in the lead in the Mountain West Conference. Jeanty, who entered Saturday as the nation’s leading rusher, ran for 159 yards in the win. Boise State quarterback Maddux Madsen completed 22 of 30 attempts for 286 yards and a touchdown.

The Spartans’ Walker Eget threw for a career-high 446 yards on 34-of-50 passing with three touchdowns and two interceptions in the loss. Justin Lockhart had 10 catches for 172 and a TD and Nick Nash added nine catches for 126 yards and a score for San Jose State (6-4, 3-3).

No. 14 SMU 38, Boston College 28

Kevin Jennings went 24-for-35 passing for 298 yards and three touchdowns as the Mustangs held off the visiting Eagles in Atlantic Coast Conference action in Dallas.

Jennings found three different receivers for touchdowns as the Mustangs (9-1, 6-0) remained unbeaten in their first ACC season. Jordan Hudson had seven catches for 99 yards and a score. Brashard Smith rushed for 120 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries.

In his first start since Thomas Castellanos was benched and entered the transfer portal, Grayson James completed 18 of 32 passes for 237 yards and a touchdown with an interception for Boston College (5-5, 2-4). Kye Robichaux rushed for two touchdowns and 90 yards on 21 carries.

No. 15 Texas A&M 38, New Mexico State 3

Marcel Reed passed for 268 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another score to lead Texas A&M to a victory over New Mexico State in College Station, Texas.

Texas A&M (8-2) bounced back after a bye week that followed their first Southeastern Conference loss to South Carolina. Reed completed 20 of 31 passes and threw one interception.

New Mexico State (2-8) dropped its third in a row and suffered its eighth loss in its past nine games. Seth McGowan was one of the few bright spots for New Mexico State, rushing for 75 yards on 14 carries.

Arizona State 24, No. 16 Kansas State 14

Sam Leavitt was 21-of-34 for 275 yards and three touchdowns as the Sun Devils defeated the Wildcats in the first Big 12 Conference matchup between the two teams.

The Sun Devils (8-2, 5-2) built a 24-0 lead in the third quarter before K-State got its offense going. Arizona State reached Kansas State territory on each of its first nine drives and was 9-of-15 on third downs.

Avery Johnson finished 24-of-40 for 258 yards, but he had two interceptions and no touchdowns for Kansas State (7-3, 4-3).

No. 17 Colorado 49, Utah 24

Shedeur Sanders threw for 340 yards and three touchdowns as the Buffaloes withstood a late rally in a win over the Utes 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. 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 for Colorado (8-2, 6-1 Big 12).

Isaac Wilson was 21-of-40 passing for 236 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions for Utah (4-6, 1-6). Utah’s Dorian Singer had five receptions for 65 yards and a touchdown and Caleb Lohner had a touchdown catch.

New Mexico 38, No. 18 Washington 35

Quarterback Devon Dampier rushed for a 1-yard touchdown with 21 seconds left and the Lobos rallied from a 14-point deficit in the third quarter to upset the Cougars in Albuquerque, N.M.

Dampier gained 193 yards on 28 carries and scored three times as the Lobos improved to 5-6 and stayed alive for a bowl bid. He also completed 11 of 25 passes for 174 yards and a touchdown as New Mexico finished with 534 total yards.

John Mateer hit 25 of 36 passes for 375 yards and four touchdowns for Washington State (8-2). His 37-yard strike to Kyle Williams, the wide receiver’s third touchdown catch of the night, gave Washington State a 35-31 edge with 3:12 left. Williams finished with nine catches for 181 yards.

Stanford 38, No. 19 Louisville 35

Emmet Kenney kicked a 52-yard field goal as time expired to lift the host Cardinal to an upset of the Cardinals.

The senior’s heroics led to the crowd rushing to the field and snapped a six-game skid for the Cardinal (3-7, 2-5 ACC). It also capped a sensational comeback for Stanford, which trailed by 14 with less than 10 minutes remaining. Stanford got a season-high 298 yards passing and three touchdowns from Ashton Daniels, while freshman receiver Emmett Mosley V had 13 catches for 168 yards and three TDs.

Duke Watson ran for 117 yards and three scores on 11 carries for the Cardinals (6-4, 4-3), who rallied and appeared to take control of the game in the second half.

No. 20 Clemson 24, Pittsburgh 20

Cade Klubnik broke two tackles and scrambled up the field for a 50-yard go-ahead touchdown as the Tigers kept their College Football Playoff hopes alive by escaping Pittsburgh with a road victory.

Pitt used a 13-0 scoring run in the fourth quarter to take a 20-17 lead with 1:36 remaining after a 47-yard field goal from Ben Sauls capped off an eight-play, 26-yard drive that burned nearly three minutes off the clock. Clemson (8-2, 7-1 ACC) needed three plays to move back in front. Klubnik dropped back to pass and took off at midfield zig-zagging and then sprinting up the field for the longest touchdown of the game.

Nate Yarnell, starting in place of an injured Eli Holstein for Pitt, completed 34-of-54 passes for 350 yards and a touchdown. Panthers tight end Gavin Bartholomew had the TD reception during Pitt’s fourth-quarter comeback. Klubnik completed 27 of 41 passes for 288 yards and two touchdowns for the Tigers. Antonio Williams hauled in 13 of Klubnik’s passes for 149 yards and both of Clemson’s scores through the air.

No. 21 South Carolina 34, No. 23 Missouri 30

LaNorris Sellers passed for 353 yards and five touchdowns as the Gamecocks edged the Tigers 34-30 in Columbia, S.C.

Rocket Sanders scored the decisive touchdown on a 15-yard shovel pass reception with 15 seconds left as the Gamecocks (7-3, 5-3 Southeastern Conference) kept their College Football Playoff hopes alive. Sellers completed 21 of 30 passes and also rushed for 45 yards.

Missouri quarterback Brady Cook returned from ankle and wrist injuries to complete 21 of 31 passes for 237 yards and a touchdown. Nate Noel rushed for 150 yards and a touchdown for the Tigers (7-3, 3-3 SEC), and Blake Craig kicked field goals from 38, 37 yards and 25 yards.

Florida 27, No. 22 LSU 16

DJ Lagway passed for 226 yards and a touchdown and the Gators handed the Tigers their third consecutive loss in Gainesville, Fla.

Lagway returned from a one-game absence due to a strained hamstring to complete 13 of 26 passes and Florida (5-5, 3-4 Southeastern Conference) moved within one victory of bowl eligibility with two games to play. Elijhah Badger caught six of Lagway’s passes for 131 yards and a touchdown.

Garrett Nussmeier completed 27 of 47 passes for 260 yards and a touchdown for LSU (6-4, 3-3), but he was sacked seven times.

No. 25 Tulane 35, Navy 0

Makhi Hughes rushed for two touchdowns and the Green Wave defense smothered the Midshipmen in Annapolis, Md., in their American Athletic Conference showdown.

Darian Mensah threw for 138 yards and two scores and also ran for a TD for Tulane (9-2, 7-0 AAC), which clinched a berth in next month’s conference title game against No. 24 Army. Hughes finished with 82 yards on 22 carries. He capped a 65-yard drive to open the third quarter with a 1-yard scoring run to extend Tulane’s lead to 21-0.

The Midshipmen (7-3, 5-2) played most of the game without star quarterback Blake Horvath, who left with a rib injury after a 9-yard rush during Navy’s third possession. Braxton Woodson, who came on for Horvath, turned the ball over twice in a rough outing. He completed 3 of 10 passes for 13 yards with an interception and rushed 13 times for 24 yards while fumbling the ball away deep in Navy territory.

–Field Level Media

SMU Avoids Boston College Upset

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DALLAS – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Kevin Jennings went 24-for-35 passing for 298 yards and three touchdowns as No. 14 SMU held off visiting Boston College 38-28 in Atlantic Coast Conference action Saturday in Texas.

Jennings found three different receivers for touchdowns as the Mustangs (9-1, 6-0) remained unbeaten in their first ACC season. Jordan Hudson had seven catches for 99 yards and a score.

In his first start since Thomas Castellanos was benched and entered the transfer portal, Grayson James completed 18 of 32 passes for 237 yards and a touchdown for Boston College (5-5, 2-4).

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Kye Robichaux rushed for two touchdowns and 90 yards on 21 carries.

Boston College got back within 31-28 after Robichaux capped a 10-play drive with a 3-yard touchdown with 5:52 remaining in regulation. On its ensuing drive, though, James was sacked twice after a Jordan McDonald fourth-and-one conversion.

After the turnover on downs, Jennings found Key’Shawn Smith for a 5-yard score on fourth down to ice the game for SMU.

After Collin Rogers missed a 24-yard field goal at the end of an 11-play opening drive to the red zone, SMU forced a three-and-out and proceeded to score the first touchdown when Jennings completed a 15-yard pass to Roderick Daniels Jr. along the left side.

Boston College turned the ball over on downs on the ensuing drive before the teams combined to trade scores on each of the next four possessions, beginning with a Rogers 35-yard field goal late in the first.

James began to find his rhythm from there, as a 23-yard strike to Lewis Bond over the middle set up Robuchaux’s 2-yard touchdown run — capping a 13-play, 75-yard drive — with 9:49 left in the second.

Aided by a pass interference penalty on third down, the Mustangs responded with a 4-yard run by Brashard Smith to take a 17-7 lead.

James’ 13-yard strike to Kamari Morales with 1:03 left before halftime brought the Eagles within 17-14, but after both quarterbacks traded interceptions within a span of three plays, Rogers booted a 41-yard field goal as time expired.

The Eagles scored on an eight-play, 83-yard drive out of halftime as James reached the end zone on a 20-yard run, giving them their first lead at 21-20.

Halfway through the third, Jennings reversed the score again when he hit Hudson for a 38-yard touchdown and Brashard Smith added a 2-point conversion, completing a 1:53 drive.

After forcing another three-and-out, the Mustangs added Rogers’ 37-yard field goal with 4:02 left in the quarter to make it 31-21.

–Field Level Media

BC Plays Host to the ‘Cuse

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CHESTNUT HILL – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Two new Atlantic Coast Conference coaches go head-to-head for the first time Saturday when Bill O’Brien’s Boston College team hosts Fran Brown and century-old rival Syracuse.

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The teams enter their 58th all-time meeting as the Eagles (4-4, 1-3 ACC) have lost three straight and the Orange (6-2, 3-2) came back to beat Virginia Tech in overtime last Saturday for their fourth win in five games.

“I’ve been involved with a lot of rivalries, and this is one of those types of games,” O’Brien said. “It’s just two tough teams going against each other.”

Two of Boston College’s four losses and its last two wins have come in one-possession games. Syracuse has played in five such close encounters this season, winning two in overtime.

With three of the teams’ last four meetings decided by a single-digit margin, another close one is expected.

In a 31-27 loss to Louisville on Oct. 25, Thomas Castellanos threw three touchdowns. Three forced turnovers — including Quintayvious Hutchins’ fumble recovery and interception — helped the Eagles build 20-0 and 27-10 leads. But the Cardinals scored 14 fourth-quarter points.

Oregon Remains No. 1

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INDIANAPOLIS – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The top four teams in the Associated Press Top 25 held their spots in the latest poll, released Sunday, and were joined by three new teams.

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Oregon (8-0) received 61 of the 62 first-place votes to remain at No. 1, followed by Georgia (6-1), which received the other vote. They were followed by Penn State (7-0), Ohio State (6-1) and Miami (8-0), which jumped a spot to round out the top five.

Texas (7-1), which rebuffed a stiff challenge from Vanderbilt Saturday, dropped a spot to No. 6, with Tennessee (6-1) staying at No. 7.

New to the top 10 this week are Notre Dame (7-1), which jumped four spots to No. 8; BYU (8-0), up from No. 9; and Texas A&M, No. 14 last week and one of four Southeastern Conference programs in the group.

Idle Clemson (6-1) fell out of the top 10 and landed at No. 11, followed by Iowa State (7-0), Indiana (8-0), Alabama (6-2) and Boise State (6-1), up two places to No. 15.

Taking the biggest plunge was LSU (6-2), which fell eight rungs to No. 16 after being trounced by Texas A&M 38-23. Missouri and Illinois, both 6-2, each dropped four places after losses. Illinois is No. 24, one spot ahead of Missouri.

Leaving the poll this week were the two teams at the bottom of the poll last week: No. 24 Navy and No. 25 Vanderbilt. Navy (6-1) was manhandled by Notre Dame, 51-14, while Vanderbilt gave Texas all it could handle as the Commodores lost 27-24.

Entering the Top 25 were No. 22 Washington State (7-1) and No. 23 Colorado (6-2).

The full AP Top 25 poll after Week 9:
1. Oregon
2. Georgia
3. Penn State
4. Ohio State
5. Miami
6. Texas
7. Tennessee
8. Notre Dame
9. BYU
10. Texas A&M
11. Clemson
11. Iowa State
13. Indiana
14. Alabama
15. Boise State
16. LSU
17. Kansas State
18. Pittsburgh
19. Ole Miss
20. SMU
21. Army
22. Washington State
23. Colorado
24. Illinois
25. Missouri

–Field Level Media

Oregon Jumps to No. 1

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INDIANAPOLIS – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Oregon vaulted to the top of the Associated Press Top 25 college football poll for the first time in 12 years on Sunday after its dominant win at Purdue and Texas’ home loss to Georgia on Saturday.

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The Ducks (7-0, 4-0 Big Ten) avoided a letdown following their 32-31 home victory over then-No. 3 Ohio State on Oct. 12 by routing the host Boilermakers 35-0 on Friday. Oregon, which received 59 of the 61 first-place votes, moved into the top spot after the then-No. 5 Bulldogs knocked off the Longhorns 30-15 to end Texas’ two-week run at No. 1.

Georgia (6-1, 4-1 Southeastern Conference) moved up to No. 2 and received the other two first-place votes, while the Longhorns slipped to No. 5. Penn State and Ohio State bye weeks and remain at No. 3 and No. 4, respectively.

The Ducks are the fourth team this season to hold the top ranking. No team has been No. 1 for longer than three straight weeks.

Tennessee made the biggest leap in the polls, jumping four spots to No. 7 after its 24-17 home win over then-No. 7 Alabama. The Crimson Tide suffered the biggest drop, falling eight spots to No. 15, their worst ranking since 2010.

Vanderbilt (No. 25) entered the AP poll for the first time since 2013 after its 24-14 home victory over Ball State. Meanwhile, defending national champion and then-No. 24 Michigan fell out of the rankings for the first time this season after losing 21-7 at Illinois, which moved up to No. 20.

Miami remained one spot ahead of the Volunteers at No. 6 after its wild 52-45 win at Louisville. LSU routed Arkansas 34-10 to remain at No. 8, while Clemson and Iowa State swapped spots in the rankings to round out the top 10 after both teams won.

The full AP Top 25 poll after Week 8:
1. Oregon
2. Georgia
3. Penn State
4. Ohio State
5. Texas
6. Miami
7. Tennessee
8. LSU
9. Clemson
10. Iowa State
11. BYU
12. Notre Dame
13. Indiana
14. Texas A&M
15. Alabama
16. Kansas State
17. Boise State
18. Ole Miss
19. Pittsburgh
20. Illinois
21. Missouri
22. SMU
23. Army
24. Navy
25. Vanderbilt

–Field Level Media

Virginia Tech Pummels Eagles

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BLACKSBURG – Virginia Tech’s Bhayshul Tuten rushed for a school-record 266 yards on 18 carries and scored four touchdowns to lead Tech to a 42-21 ACC victory over Boston College on Thursday night in Virginia.

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The Hokies (4-3, 2-1 ACC) led 14-0 after one quarter and 28-0 at halftime, but BC scored three TDs in a 5:53 span in the third quarter to make it a 28-21 contest. BC’s second and third TDs followed Virginia Tech turnovers.

Tuten’s third touchdown came on a 6-yard run and helped the Hokies extend their lead to 35-21 with 11:02 remaining in the game. The touchdown came three plays after BC (4-3, 1-2) had failed to convert on a fourth-and-1 play from its 49-yard line with 12:33 remaining.

Tuten added a 61-yard TD run with 8:28 to play. He also scored on an 83-yard run and caught a 20-yard TD pass from quarterback Kyron Drones, who had TD runs of 11 yards and 1 yard.

Darren Evans held Virginia Tech’s previous record for yards rushing in a game (253 in 2008).

BC scored on a 25-yard TD pass from quarterback Thomas Castellanos to Treshaun Ward, an 11-yard pass from Castellanos to Jeremiah Franklin and a 5-yard run by Kye Robichaux. The latter touchdown came with 2:55 remaining in the third quarter and trimmed Virginia Tech’s lead to 28-21.

Castellanos completed 17 of 26 passes for 205 yards but was limited to 58 yards rushing on 20 attempts.

Vanderbilt Fined $100,000; Arkansas Fined $250k

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NASHVILLE – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Southeastern Conference announced on it will fine both Vanderbilt University and the University of Arkansas for “violations of the league’s access to competition area policy,” or in layman’s terms, for not preventing fans from storming the field Saturday.

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Vanderbilt (3-2, 1-1 SEC) scored the biggest upset in school history, taking down a No. 1 team in Alabama for the first time ever, 40-35. Meanwhile, Arkansas (4-2, 2-1) also recorded a top-five upset (its first in 15 years) by defeating then-No. 4 Tennessee 19-14 in Fayetteville, Ark.

In the wake of both upsets, as is customary in big wins, fans charged the field to celebrate with their teams. In Vanderbilt’s case, the fans took down the goalpost and carried it out of the stadium, eventually depositing it in the Cumberland River in downtown Nashville.

After fans took to the field in Arkansas, Volunteers defensive lineman Omari Thomas was attempting to exit but was seen on video shoving a male fan into a female and both fell to the ground.

Thomas apologized on Sunday.

“I apologize for my actions during the chaotic postgame scene,” Thomas wrote on social media. “Even though we got run into multiple times by fans while trying to exit the field, that doesn’t condone my actions or define my character. I sincerely apologize. I wish Arkansas and their fans all the best.”

Per policy that was revised in 2023, Vanderbilt received a fine of $100,000 as a first-time offender. Arkansas was levied a $250,000 penalty for its second offense. The Razorbacks’ first offense was last November during men’s basketball season when fans stormed the court following an 80-75 victory over No. 9 Duke.

For conference games, the fines are paid to the opposing institutions.

Alabama dropped to No. 7 after the loss. Tennessee fell to No. 8.

–Field Level Media

BC Eagles Win One #ForWelles

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CHESTNUT HILL – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Boston College quarterback Thomas Castellanos’ 42-yard touchdown pass to Lewis Bond with 1:28 left in regulation propelled the BC Eagles to a 23-19 win over previously unbeaten Michigan State on Saturday night in Boston. Bond finished with 102 yards on six receptions to lead the Eagles (3-1), catching the game-winning toss over two defenders’ reach and walking untouched into the end zone.

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Michigan State (3-1) moved past midfield on the following drive as quarterback Aidan Chiles (17-of-35, 241 yards) completed three straight passes, but his third interception landed in Max Tucker’s hands in the back of the end zone to clinch the win for the hosts.

Treshaun Ward logged 102 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries to lead the Boston College rushing attack. Castellanos was 10-of-16 passing for 140 yards and the deciding score. It was a see-saw fourth quarter for the Eagles, as Castellanos had a 1-yard keeper stopped short of the end zone at the end of a 12-play drive.

Following the turnover, Michigan State’s 18-play, 89-yard march resulted in a Jonathan Kim 27-yard field goal with 4:12 left. Kim kicked field goals of 41, 26, 51 and 27 yards for the Spartans, who were seeking their first 4-0 start since 2021.

Ky’ron Lynch-Adams rushed for 61 yards on 15 carries, while Jake Velling caught six passes for 77 yards.

Boston College scored 10 points off turnovers to turn around a 13-6 halftime deficit in less than three minutes early in the third quarter. After Carter Davis forced Lynch-Adams to fumble the opening kickoff of the second half, Luca Lombardo’s 39-yard field goal made it 13-9.

Amari Jackson intercepted a Chiles deep ball on the ensuing series, and Ward then ran 36 yards up the sideline for a go-ahead score only 2:38 into the third.

After Chiles missed a wide-open Montorie Foster Jr., Kim nailed an impressive 51-yard field goal to conclude an 8-play drive and tie the game at 16-all.

In the opening quarter, Michigan State forced a 3-and-out to begin the game and then capped a 9-play drive with Kim’s 41-yard kick. Ward rushed four times and made a 4th-and-4 catch out of the backfield to help set up Richard’s 11-yard score on a run to the left with 12:24 left in the first half.

Converting on an 11-play, 64-yard drive that spanned 6:08, the Eagles’ lead was 6-3 as Lombardo missed the point-after attempt after a high snap.

The Spartans responded with a 75-yard drive, scoring on a Chiles 1-yard run at 8:10 of the second. Foster’s 40-yard catch over the middle preceded the touchdown.

Kim’s 26-yarder extended the Michigan State lead with 20 seconds left before halftime.

-Field Level Media