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No. 6 Michigan tops No. 24 Michigan State 21-7

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan had plenty of reasons to be motivated to beat Michigan State, barely defeating its in-state rival over the last decade and losing to every ranked team on the road for a dozen years.

The Wolverines, though, were even more fired up to win after a pregame spat with the Spartans.

Shea Patterson threw two touchdown passes and No. 6 Michigan earned a desperately needed 21-7 win over No. 24 Michigan State on Saturday, snapping a streak of 17 consecutive losses to ranked teams on the road.

The Wolverines (7-1, 5-0 Big Ten) had lost eight of 10 against coach Mark Dantonio’s Spartans and those setbacks have led to them not winning a Big Ten title since 2004.

The matchup is always highly charged, but it was kicked up a notch well before kickoff, and emotions didn’t subside even after a 75-minute weather delay during the first quarter.

Michigan State’s team walked from one end zone to the other with their arms locked and a few Wolverines were stretching out in the middle of the field when contact was made and words were exchanged .

“Total bush league,” Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh said. “Apparently coach Dantonio was 5 yards behind, smiling.”

Dantonio disagreed with Harbaugh’s assessment.

“That’s B.S.,” Dantonio said.

Michigan linebacker Devin Bush, one of the players involved in what Harbaugh called “shenanigans ,” later dragged and kicked his cleats to rip up some of the grass under the Spartans’ white logo at midfield.

“I just got caught up in the moment with my emotions,” Bush said.

The Spartans (4-3, 2-2) struggled to move the ball, getting held to 94 yards and failing to convert any of its 12 third downs.

“Our defense was lights out,” Harbaugh said. “That’s a dream game.”

Michigan was good enough on offense to win, making some plays in the passing game and a lot on the ground against the nation’s top-ranked rushing defense.

Patterson’s 79-yard pass to Donovan Peoples-Jones put Michigan ahead late in the third quarter.

“Donovan, one-on-one coverage, good luck with that,” Patterson said. “I just threw it up to him.”

The mobile quarterback converted a fourth-and-2 from the Michigan State 41 early in the fourth, setting up Ben Mason’s 5-yard run that gave the Wolverines a 21-7 lead.

The Ole Miss transfer was 14 of 25 for 212 yards and made a successful debut in a series that has been tilted Michigan State’s way in part because of poor quarterback play. His 6-yard pass to Nico Collins broke a scoreless tie early in the second quarter and was Michigan’s first touchdown throw against the Spartans since 2011.

Michigan State needed a fumble deep in Michigan territory and a trick play to score once.

Chris Evans lost the football at the Wolverines 7 early in the third. Two plays later, quarterback Brian Lewerke caught a 4-yard pass from receiver Darrell Stewart off a reverse to pull the Spartans into a tie.

Michigan’s Karan Higdon had 144 yards rushing on 33 carries against a team that entered the game giving up a nation-low 62 yards on the ground.

“We didn’t have enough offense,” Dantonio said. “Credit Michigan’s defense. “

OFFENSIVE WOES

LJ Scott returned from a leg injury to play for the Spartans after a four-game absence and ran for just 25 yards on 10 carries.

Lewerke was 5 of 25 for just 66 yards with an injury-depleted corps of receivers, which now includes Felton Davis after he was carted off during the game with an Achilles tendon injury. The quarterback was banged up, too, with a shoulder injury that kept him out of practice Monday through Thursday.

“I don’t know whether it was the offense or him being dinged up or what,” Dantonio said. “I wanted to give him a chance to continue to play.”

No. 1 Alabama 58, Tennessee 21

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tua Tagovailoa threw touchdown passes to four receivers and No. 1 Alabama started fast again in a 58-21 victory over Tennessee on Saturday.

Alabama had touchdowns on its first four possessions while outscoring Tennessee 28-0 and outgaining the Volunteers 217-6 in the opening period. Alabama has outscored opponents 165-31, and Tennessee has been outscored 69-16 in first quarters this season.

Tagovailoa went 19 of 29 for 306 yards before giving way to Jalen Hurts midway through the third quarter with Alabama ahead 51-14. Tagovailoa took a big hit on his final play of the day, a 51-yard touchdown pass to Henry Ruggs III.

“Tua had a good day,” Alabama coach Nick Saban said. I know everybody’s going to want to know, (and) he was fine. He could have gone back to the game if he needed to go back to the game, but we were about ready to put Jalen in anyway. I’m just really, really pleased.”

Earlier, Tagovailoa connected on touchdown passes to Jerry Jeudy, Jaylen Waddle and Irv Smith Jr. The Heisman Trophy contender has thrown 25 touchdown passes without an interception this season.

Alabama (8-0, 5-0 Southeastern Conference) beat Tennessee (3-4, 1-3) for the 12th straight year and had the highest points total either team has ever recorded in the 101-game history of the series. Alabama is scoring 54.1 points per game and entered the weekend leading all Football Bowl Subdivision teams in that category.

Tennessee quarterback Keller Chryst went 9 of 15 for 164 yards with two touchdown passes after replacing starter Jarrett Guarantano, who got hit by linebacker Mack Wilson midway through the second quarter and never took another snap.

Alabama grabbed a 21-0 lead less than seven minutes into the game.

“There’s some guys we have on our team that this game was way too big for,” said Tennessee coach Jeremy Pruitt, who spent the last two seasons as Alabama’s defensive coordinator. “I think everybody was able to see that.”

Tagovailoa capitalized on outstanding protection to cap the first series of the game by throwing an 11-yard pass to Jeudy in the right corner of the end zone, the sophomore’s 10th touchdown catch of the season.

Xavier McKinney then sacked Guarantano and knocked the ball loose, with Christian Miller recovering the fumble at the Tennessee 3. That turnover set up a 3-yard touchdown run by Josh Jacobs, who also had a 2-yard score in the second quarter.

After Tennessee went three-and-out on its next possession, Tagovailoa threw a perfect pass to Waddle, who caught the ball just beyond midfield and raced into the end zone for a 77-yard touchdown. Damien Harris’ 3-yard touchdown run capped a 93-yard drive that made it 28-0 with 3:31 left in the first quarter.

NO. 3 CLEMSON 41, NO. 16 NORTH CAROLINA STATE 7

CLEMSON, S.C. — Trevor Lawrence threw for a career-high 308 yards, Travis Etienne rushed for three touchdowns and Clemson turned an expected Atlantic Coast Conference showdown into a rout.

The Tigers (7-0, 4-0) opened with seven straight wins for the third time in four seasons in topping the Wolfpack (5-1, 2-1) for the seventh consecutive season.

It was the ACC’s first matchup of undefeated teams this deep in a season since 2013, a game that also took place in Death Valley. But unlike five years ago when the Tigers were pummeled by eventual national champ Florida State 51-14, Clemson who took control early and never gave the Wolfpack a chance to rally.

North Carolina State quarterback Ryan Finley came in leading the ACC at more than 324 yards passing a game. He managed just 156 yards passing with two interceptions and a fumble.

NO. 9 OKLAHOMA 52, TCU 27

FORT WORTH, Texas — Kyler Murray threw four touchdown passes, Kennedy Brooks and Trey Sermon had 100-yard rushing games with scores and Oklahoma rebounded from its only loss this season to beat TCU for the third time in 11 months.

The Sooners (6-1, 3-1 Big 12) won their 18th consecutive true road game, never trailing after scoring touchdowns on each of their first four drives in their first game since losing to Texas two weeks ago.

Brooks ran for 168 yards on 18 carries with an early 21-yard TD. Sermon ran 17 times for 110 yards and scored twice before walking gingerly off the field after being tended to by trainers with about 8 1/2 minutes left. This was a rematch of the Big 12 Conference championship game last December, when Oklahoma won three weeks after beating TCU (3-4, 1-3) in the regular season.

NO. 15 WASHINGTON 27, COLORADO 13

SEATTLE (AP) — Jake Browning threw a 26-yard touchdown pass to Aaron Fuller on fourth down with less than four minutes remaining, and Washington held off Colorado.

Rather than trying for a long field goal, Browning and the offense stayed on the field. Facing a blitz, Browning found Fuller on a quick slant with nothing but the end zone ahead.

Salvon Ahmed and Kamari Pleasant both scored on touchdown runs in the first half for the Huskies (6-2, 4-1 Pac-12). They played without starting running back Myles Gaskin due to a shoulder injury. Washington linebacker Ben Burr-Kirven had 15 tackles and an interception.

Steven Montez threw for 144 yards for Colorado (5-2, 2-2).

NO. 18 PENN STATE 33, INDIANA 28

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) — Trace McSorley passed for 220 yards, ran for 107 and had a hand in three touchdowns in Penn State’s victory over Indiana.

Penn State (5-2, 2-2 Big Ten) rallied to snap a two-game losing streak after Indiana (4-4, 1-4) took a 21-20 lead in the third quarter on Steve Scott’s 3-yard touchdown run.

Johnathan Thomas took the ensuing kickoff back to the Indiana 5, setting up McSorley for the go-ahead touchdown on the next play.

Brandon Wilson partially blocked the extra point, leaving Penn State’s lead at 26-21. Indiana forced Penn State to punt on the Nittany Lions’ next drive, but J-Shun Harris fumbled the punt return and turned the ball over. Five plays later, McSorley nearly walked into the end zone to make it 33-21 lead. Miles Sanders ran for 72 yards and a touchdown.

NO. 19 IOWA 23, MARYLAND 0

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Nate Stanley threw for 86 yards and a touchdown for Iowa.

Anthony Nelson added a TD on a fumble recovery for the Hawkeyes (6-1, 3-1 Big Ten). They held the Terrapins (4-3, 2-2) to 115 yards and seven first downs on a day when wind gusts topped 40 mph.

After settling for a pair of short field goals, Iowa went into halftime ahead 13-0 after Stanley found Brandon Smith for a 10-yard TD grab — which Smith made with one hand — with eight seconds left in the second quarter. Nelson, a defensive end, made it 23-0 late in the third quarter by falling on a botched handoff from backup quarterback Tyrrell Pigrome in the end zone.

Ivory Kelly-Martin ran for 98 yards for Iowa.

TEMPLE 24, NO. 20 CINCINNATI 17, OT

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Anthony Russo threw a tying 20-yard touchdown pass with 49 second left to Brandon Mack, and then a 25-yarder to Isaiah Wright in overtime for Temple.

Russo was 20 for 41 for 237 yards and three touchdowns for the Owls (5-3, 4-0 American). He led a seven-play, 75-yard drive in the closing minutes to tie it.

Cincinnati (6-1, 2-1) got a first down on its first play of overtime, but an errant snap behind quarterback Desmond Ridder left the Bearcats with second-and-21 and a personal foul pushed them even farther back. Ridder’s pass was intercepted by by Shaun Bradley on third-and-36 to end the game.

NO. 23 WISCONSIN 49, ILLINOIS 20

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Jonathan Taylor rushed for 159 yards and Taiwan Deal ran for 111 yards and two touchdowns and Wisconsin took advantage of Illinois’ five first-half turnovers.

Wisconsin (5-2, 3-1 Big Ten) has won nine straight against Illinois (3-4, 1-3). The Badgers had three interceptions and recovered two fumbles on the way to building a 28-10 halftime lead. Alex Hornibrook threw three touchdown passes and two interceptions.

More AP college football: https://apnews.com/tag/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

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