Saturday was off to an ugly start.
Big Ten's noon games:
— Ryan Donnelly (@RDonnellyBG) September 17, 2016
Rutgers leads New Mexico by 3
Penn State leads Temple by 3
Iowa leads NDSU by 1
Wisconsin leads Georgia State by 6
The late-afternoon and evening hours, however, saw the Big Ten bring home some marquee victories while in the national spotlight.
No. 12 Michigan State 36, No. 18 Notre Dame 28
The Michigan State offense was too much for the Irish in South Bend, and many Notre Dame fans are continuing to wonder how defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder – who looks like a villain from one of the Grand Theft Auto games – still has a job.
The Spartans amassed just over 500 yards on the day as they were led by quarterback Tyler O'Connor and the backfield duo of Gerald Holmes and L.J. Scott. Holmes rushed for 100 yards and two scores while Scott added 98 and another touchdown. O'Connor threw for 241 yards and a pair of scores with another 43 yards coming on the ground.
True freshman Donnie Corley – a name that should be pretty familiar to those who follow recruiting – came up big for the Spartan offense. The early enrollee hauled in four passes for 88 yards including a second-quarter touchdown that got the Spartans on the board. The 6-foot-2 freshman pulled the ball away from an Irish defender for his first career touchdown.
Donnie Corley out here playing take away pic.twitter.com/Wk0WKa8p3a
— Zach Berridge (@ZachBerridge) September 18, 2016
The Irish fought back after the Spartans were up by 29 points in the third quarter. DeShone Kizer led the way for Notre Dame as the junior threw for 344 yards and four total touchdowns (2 rushing, 2 passing). Torii Hunter Jr. caught five passes for 95 yards.
Nebraska 35, No. 22 Oregon 32
Mike Riley has the Huskers thinking Top 25 following this weekend's win over the Ducks. The game saw over 900 yards of total offense but it was Tommy Armstrong's 34-yard touchdown scamper late in the fourth quarter that sealed the deal for the Husks.
Armstrong threw for 200 yards and two touchdowns on the day. He added another 95 on the ground along with the go-ahead score. Tailback Devine Ozigbo also rushed for 95 and a score. Oregon lost starting running back Royce Freeman early on in the game and was forced to rely upon quarterback Dakota Prukop and a trio of running backs. The Ducks' ground game tallied 336 yards and five scores.
Oregon missed four two-point conversions in the game. Think they'd like to have those attempts back?
Class. Oregon placed flowers on the Nebraska 27-yd line in memory of Huskers punter Sam Foltz, who died this summer. pic.twitter.com/xHfUKHJNR1
— ESPN (@espn) September 17, 2016
Before the game, the Ducks paid tribute to Sam Foltz, the Cornhuskers' fallen punter. Classy move by Mark Helfrich and Co.
No. 4 Michigan 45, Colorado 28
It wasn't the start we all expected as the Buffalos scored two touchdowns in the game's first four minutes and would find themselves up 21-7 at the end of the first quarter. The Wolverines stormed back to go up by a field goal at halftime and scored three second-half touchdowns to bring Jim Harbaugh to 3-0 on the season.
Wilton Speight got banged up after fumbling on a first-quarter sack that the Buffs would return 18 yards for a score. Backup John O'Korn briefly saw the field before Speight made his return. The junior would end the game 16 of 30 for 229 yards and a score. DeVeon Smith led all rushers with 87 yards and a touchdown. Jake Butt hauled in seven passes for 87 yards while Amara Darboh added 51 yards and found the endzone.
The Buffs have scored more points in the first quarter (21) than Michigan had given up in two games previously (17). #GoBuffs
— Colorado Football (@RunRalphieRun) September 17, 2016
The UM defense wasn't quite as impressive as in previous weeks. The unit gave up 325 yards of offense while failing to force a turnover. Special teams came up big once again as they scored on a blocked punt and Jabrill Peppers found the endzone on a 54-year punt return.
North Dakota State 23, No. 13 Iowa 21
It's important to note that the Bison of North Dakota State have won the FCS National Championship five consecutive times. Yes, Top 25 FBS schools are supposed to blow FCS teams out 59-0 much like Clemson did to South Carolina State yesterday, but the Bison aren't a typical FCS team. It's probably fair to compare them to the Appalachian state squad that Michigan tragically fell to back in 2007.
Unfortunately for Kirk Ferentz and the Hawkeyes, they experienced a similar fate to what Lloyd Carr and the Wolverine faithful went through many moons ago. NDSU kicker Cam Pedersen nailed a 37-yard field goal to give the Bison the win as time expired.
NDSU has 6 wins against the FBS since 2010. Kansas has 7.
— Paul Myerberg (@PaulMyerberg) September 17, 2016
The Hawkeye offense struggled throughout the day as they were only able to tally 231 yards. C.J. Beathard connected on 50% of his passes while throwing for 152 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception. The usually potent ground game that put up 212 yards against Miami (OH) and just shy of 200 against Iowa State was stymied on Saturday. LeShun Daniels Jr. – Iowa's leading rusher on the day – could only manage 29 yards on 14 carries. As a whole, the team gained 34 yards on the ground.
It was quite the opposite for North Dakota State. The Bison netted 239 yards on the ground while averaging close to five yards per carry. Senior tailback King Frazier led the way with 99 yards and a score.
Penn State 34, Temple 27
Trace McSorley spearheaded Penn State's efforts against Temple as the first-year starter accounted for 296 yards of offense and a pair of scores. James Franklin was able to get some revenge against the Owls who embarrassed the Nits in last season's opener; a game in which Christian Hackenberg was sacked approximately 112 times.
Saquon Barkley exited the game early on with a leg injury, but the sophomore returned in the second half and found paydirt from 55 yards out with just over 78 minutes left in the game. Barkley would finish with 68 yards and one score on nine carries. Chris Godwin led all pass-catchers with seven receptions for 117 yards and one touchdown.
Penn State honored Joe Paterno with a video tribute Saturday.
— ESPN (@espn) September 17, 2016
Most cheered. Some protested. https://t.co/YcIWkHN7qN pic.twitter.com/hYjmxDA0Kg
Penn State made the controversial decision to commemorate Joe Paterno during the first half of Saturday's game, the 50th anniversary of his coaching debut.
No. 9 Wisconsin 23, Georgia State 17
With under 12 minutes left in the fourth quarter, the Badgers found themselves trailing the 0-2 Panthers. Paul Chryst elected to shake things up at quarterback when senior Bart Houston was benched in favor of Alex Hornibrook. The redshirt freshman took over in the third quarter after a number of errant passes from Houston. The Badgers found the endzone on Hornibrook's opening drive under center, their first of the game.
Source close to the situation just told me Alex Hornibrook will start against Michigan State. Appears Bart Houston's time is over.
— David Hookstead (@dhookstead) September 17, 2016
Hornibrook finished the day 8 of 12 for 122 yards with a touchdown and one interception. Houston was 10 of 18 for 91 yards. Dare Ogunbowale led the Badger ground game as the senior rushed for 65 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries. Corey Clement was held out with an ankle injury.
The Wiscy defense gave up 302 yards of total offense; the bulk of which came from quarterback Conner Manning who threw for 269 yards and a score.
| Team | W-L | Rank | Prev |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio State | 3-0 | 1 | 1 |
| Michigan State | 2-0 | 2 | 4 |
| Michigan | 3-0 | 3 | 2 |
| Nebraska | 3-0 | 4 | 6 |
| Wisconsin | 3-0 | 5 | 3 |
| Iowa | 2-1 | 6 | 5 |
| Minnesota | 2-0 | 7 | 7 |
| Maryland | 3-0 | 8 | 11 |
| Indiana | 2-0 | 9 | 9 |
| Penn State | 2-1 | 10 | 10 |
| Illinois | 1-2 | 11 | 11 |
| Northwestern | 1-2 | 12 | 14 |
| Rutgers | 2-1 | 13 | 13 |
| Purdue | 1-1 | 14 | 12 |
Northwestern 24, Duke 13
After a horrendous start to the season, Pat Fitzgerald and the Wildcats have managed to get into the win column. Clayton Thorson threw for 320 yards and three touchdowns while Justin Jackson added 94 on the ground. Senior wideout Austin Carr hauled in six passed for 135 yards and a score.
Northwestern took advantage of two Blue Devil turnovers, including a botched punt, in the first half. Their offensive line woes are still plaguing the team as Thorson was sacked five times on the day.
Maryland 30, UCF 24 (2OT)
It took two overtimes, but the Terps were able to move to 3-0 on the season. Quarterback Perry Hills accounted for 156 yards and a touchdown, but it was true freshman Tyrrell Pigrome who scored the game-winner in double overtime. Hill exited the game with a shoulder injury and the true freshman came in for his only play of the day.
GAME. OVER. @TerpsFootball win it in 2OT. https://t.co/B55EZKL0Ho
— CBS Sports Network (@CBSSportsNet) September 18, 2016
The Terps actually began targeting Pigrome back in January after losing Dwayne Haskins to Ohio State. Maryland's ground game totaled 246 yards and four touchdowns.
The Knights did find some success on offense as they outgained Maryland 455 to 373 yards on the day.
Rutgers 37, New Mexico 28
It's been a rough start for Chris Ash thus far at Rutgers, and the first quarter of Saturday's game was anything but a step in the right direction. The Scarlet Knights were down 21-0 before Jawuan Harris caught a 75-yard touchdown from Chris Laviano in the waning minute of the opening quarter.
The touchdown would account for nearly half of Laviano's total as he finished 11 of 27 for 152 yards and the score. Do-everything player Janarion Grant had yet another productive outing. Rutgers used some trickeration when the senior threw for a second-quarter touchdown and gave Rutgers the lead before halftime with a 69-yard punt return score (nice).
Junior tailback Robert Martin recorded a new career high with 169 rushing yards, including an 80-yard touchdown scamper. The Lobos outgained Rutgers 462 to 350 yards.
Western Michigan 34, Illinois 10
P.J. Fleck is now 2-0 versus the Big Ten this season. The Broncos took down Northwestern in the opener and did the same to Lovie Smith's Illini squad this weekend. Western Michigan went up 21-0 in the second quarter and really never looked back.
Sophomore tailback Jamauri Brogan led the Broncos with 189 yards rushing and a pair of touchdowns. Quarterback Zach Terrell threw for 150 yards with 97 of those going to senior wideout Corey Davis.
The Illini ground game just couldn't get anything going against the Bronco defense, totaling just three yards on 15 carries. Quarterback Wes Lunt had -20 yards rushing thanks to a number of sacks. The senior threw for 312 yards for one score and an interception.
So, after a rough afternoon, things got much better for the conference as the day unfolded. Yes, Iowa fell to an FCS opponent and that's never a good look, but Ohio State, Nebraska, and Michigan State all got it done Saturday evening.
The #B1G had four headliner non-conf. games in 2016:
— Saturday Tradition (@Tradition) September 18, 2016
No. 5 LSU
No. 14 Oklahoma
No. 18 Notre Dame
No. 22 Oregon
Yeah, make that 4-for-4.
The Buckeyes have a bye next week, but there's two pretty interesting games to watch out for as the Badgers travel to East Lansing and the Wolverines are set to host Penn State.
