Top 25 College Football | Roundup; Sixth-ranked Clemson survives Georgia Tech

Clemson wide receiver E.J. Williams (6) is brought down by Georgia Tech' Ayinde Eley (10) and Tariq Carpenter (2) after a catch in the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021, in Clemson, S.C. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
Clemson wide receiver E.J. Williams (6) is brought down by Georgia Tech' Ayinde Eley (10) and Tariq Carpenter (2) after a catch in the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021, in Clemson, S.C. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

CLEMSON, S.C. - Will Shipley ran for two touchdowns and No. 6 ranked Clemson had a goal-line stand in the final seconds to hold off Georgia Tech, 14-9, on Saturday.

The Yellow Jackets (1-2, 0-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) had a chance to force overtime after recovering an onside kick with 1:19 to play. But they were held out of the end zone on four plays from the Clemson 2 in the closing seconds - the last when linebacker James Skalski tackled Dylan Deveney a yard short.

The chaos continued, though, when Shipley fumbled in the end zone with Clemson (2-1, 1-0) attempting to run out the clock and was tackled after recovering for a safety with seven seconds left. The Tigers kicked the ball away and Georgia Tech quarterback Jordan Yates' last ditch throw with 3 seconds left was ruled an incomplete forward pass, ending the game.

 

No. 5 Iowa 30,
Kent State 7

IOWA CITY, Iowa - Tyler Goodson ran for a career-high 153 yards and three touchdowns and Iowa beat Kent State.

The Hawkeyes (3-0) have won nine straight games. They have won 14th consecutive nonconference games, the second-longest current streak in the nation.

Goodson had a 46-yard touchdown run in the first quarter to give Iowa a 9-0 lead, then added a 35-yard scoring run in the third quarter. He had a 2-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to close the scoring.

The Hawkeyes' defense got a first-quarter safety when Kent State quarterback Dustin Crum was sacked in the end zone after a bad snap. Crum was 16-of-23 passing for 185 yards and was sacked seven times. Kent State is 1-2.

 

No. 8 Cincinnati 38, Indiana 24

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Desmond Ridder threw the go-ahead touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter, then scored on a 7-yard TD run. Jerome Ford ran for two scores and Tre Tucker scored on a 99-yard kickoff return as the Bearcats (3-0) won their first road game of the season. They've won 12 of 13 since the start of 2020.

Indiana (1-2) lost despite taking a 14-0 lead - and playing in front of its largest crowd for a non-conference game since September 1987.

The turning point came when starting linebacker Micah McFadden was ejected for targeting late in the first half. The Bearcats, who struggled to move the ball, scored 10 points in the final 93 seconds of the first half and finally took the lead on Ford's 3-yard TD run in the third quarter.

 

No. 9 Ohio State 41, Tulsa 20

COLUMBUS, Ohio - TreVeyon Henderson broke Archie Griffin's 49-year-old freshman rushing record, romping for 277 yards and three touchdowns to help Ohio State beat Tulsa.

Henderson scored on runs of 5, 48 and 52 yards, which managed to paper over some of the same weaknesses Ohio State showed in a 32-25 loss to Oregon last week that sent the Buckeyes tumbling in the AP Top 25 poll.

As a team, the Buckeyes (2-1) were not sharp. But Tulsa (0-3) couldn't match them blow for blow, and Henderson, who ran for 69 yards in the first two games combined, broke through with some huge plays at critical times. A late interception that Cameron Martinez returned for a 61-yard touchdown made the score look worse than it was for the persistent Golden Hurricane.

 

No. 12 Notre Dame 27, Purdue 13

SOUTH BEND, Ind. - Kyren Williams had two long touchdown plays, the second a 51-yard run with 6:05 remaining, and Notre Dame held off Purdue for its 26th straight victory at home.

The victory was the 105th in Brian Kelly's 12-year career at Notre Dame, tying him with Knute Rockne as the winningest coach in school history. The Fighting Irish won their eighth straight over Purdue and first since 2014.

Williams, who scored on a fourth-and-3 pass play of 39 yards from Jack Coan early in the second quarter to give the Irish their first lead 7-3, finished with 86 yards on 11 carries and two receptions for 47 yards.

 

No. 16 Coastal Carolina 28,
Buffalo 25

AMHERST, N.Y. - Grayson McCall threw for three touchdowns, Shermari Jones ran for 149 yards and another score.

McCall, who entered the day leading the nation in passing efficiency and completion rate, was 13 of 19 for 232 yards with his first interception of the season. Jaivon Heiligh caught four passes for 91 yards and a touchdown for the Chanticleers (3-0), becoming the fourth receiver in school history to surpass 2,000 career yards.

Buffalo (1-2) got within a field goal with 2:41 remaining. Kevin Marks' 7-yard touchdown run capped a 92-yard drive that started when Logic Hudgens intercepted McCall in the end zone. But the Chanticleers held on.

 

Michigan State 38,
No. 24 Miami 17

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. - Payton Thorne passed for 261 yards and four touchdowns, two of those scoring throws going to Jalen Nailor.

Kenneth Walker III rushed for 172 yards and caught a touchdown pass for the Spartans (3-0), who are off to their best start since 2015. Jayden Reed also had a scoring catch and a touchdown run for Michigan State, which forced Miami quarterback D'Eriq King into four turnovers.

King was 38 of 59 - both of them Miami (1-3) school records - for 388 yards, with two touchdowns and two interceptions.

Charleston Rambo tied a school record with 12 catches for Miami, good for 156 yards and both of the Hurricanes' touchdowns.

 

No. 25 Michigan 63,
Northern Illinois 10

ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Blake Corum rushed for 123 yards and three touchdowns. The Wolverines (3-0) scored touchdowns on their first nine drives, eight of them on the ground. The 10th drive also included a touchdown run, but it was called back for a holding penalty and Michigan turned the ball over on downs. The Wolverines never punted.

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