PISCATAWAY, N.J.-Shea Patterson threw for 260 yards and three touchdowns, Karan Higdon had two 1-yard scoriung runs and Michigan kept its national championship hopes intact with a 42-7 win over Rutgers on Saturday.
The Wolverines (9-1, 7-0 Big Ten, No. 4 CFP) have won nine straight and remain in first place in the conference's East Division. They have a final tuneup against Indiana next week at the Big House before closing the regular season at No. 8 Ohio State.
Rutgers (1-9, 0-7) didn't have a yard passing until the third quarter.
OHIO STATE 26, MICHIGAN STATE 6
EAST LANSING, Mich.- Drue Chrisman kept Michigan State pinned back with a sensational second half of punting, and Ohio State eventually pulled away.
The Buckeyes (9-1, 6-1 Big Ten, No. 10 CFP) enjoyed a huge advantage in field position during the second half. Chrisman's punts forced Michigan State (6-4, 4-3, No. 18) to start its first five drives after halftime from its own 5, 6, 3, 1 and 2-yard line.
On the fourth of those possessions, the Spartans had to punt from their own end zone. They took a safety that appeared intentional, giving Ohio State a 9-6 lead. The ensuing free kick went out of bounds, giving the Buckeyes the ball at the 50, and then Chrisman pinned Michigan State back again.
Ohio State capitalized on that punt when a shotgun snap by Michigan State hit the man in motion. Dre'Mont Jones recovered the fumble in the end zone, giving Ohio State a 16-6 advantage.
WASHINGTON STATE 31, COLORADO 7
BOULDER, Colo.- Gardner Minshew II overcame a slow start and three fourth-down failures to lead Washington State past nose-diving Colorado.
The Cougars (9-1, 6-1 Pac-12, No. 8 CFP) won their sixth straight, but it wasn't as easy as expected against the Buffaloes (5-5, 2-5), who lost their fifth straight despite the return of star receiver Laviska Shenault Jr.
Minshew was 35 of 58 for 335 yards and two TDs. He had a 10-yard scoring run in the fourth quarter.
Shenault was rusty in his return from a right turf toe injury. He caught 10 passes for 102 yards but cost his team dearly with back-to-back drops and a lost fumble in the second half.
UCF 35, NAVY 24
ORLANDO, Fla.- McKenzie Milton threw two touchdown passes and ran for a score, helping UCF extend the nation's longest winning streak to 22 games.
Milton completed 17 of 21 passes without an interception, and the Knights (9-0, 6-0 American Athletic Conference, No. 12 CFP) remained one of four unbeaten teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision, along with Alabama, Clemson and Notre Dame. UCF stayed atop the AAC East Division standings and on course to be part of the discussion about which teams are worthy of berths in the College Football Playoff.
Navy (2-8, 1-5) has lost seven straight.
UTAH STATE 62,
SAN JOSE STATE 24
LOGAN, Utah- Jordan Love threw for a career-high 491 yards and five touchdowns on 32-of-42 passing in just three quarters, and Utah State totaled 804 yards in offense.
Love's 491 passing yards were the third-highest single game total for a Utah State quarterback. Darwin Thompson had 140 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries along with 115 yards and a pair of scores on four receptions for the Aggies (9-1, 6-0 Mountain West). They became the 17th team in NCAA history to gain at least 800 total yards in a game. The 804 yards and 33 first downs were both school records.
Josh Love threw for 210 yards and a touchdown for Jose State (1-9, 1-5). Tre Walker added a career-high 209 yards and two touchdowns on seven catches.
PENN STATE 21, WISCONSIN 10
STATE COLLEGE, Pa.- Trace McSorley tied the Penn State record for victories by a quarterback with 29, leading the Nittany Lions past Wisconsin.
Miles Sanders ran for 159 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries, and McSorley completed 19 of 25 passes for 160 yards and a TD while matching Todd Blackledge's victory total from 1980-82.
DeAndre Thompkins caught a touchdown pass for Penn State (7-3, 4-3 Big Ten, No. 20 CFP). The Nittany Lions held the Badgers (6-4, 4-3) to 125 yards in the second half and sacked backup quarterback Jack Coan five times. Jonathan Taylor ran 20 times for 185 yards and a touchdown for
Wisconsin.