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Mertz’s 3 TDs, career day rallies Florida to 41-39 victory over South Caroilna

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:20:01 GMT

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Graham Mertz threw for a career-best 423 yards and three touchdowns, the last a 21-yard throw to Ricky Pearsall with 47 seconds left, and Florida rallied from 10 points down in the fourth quarter to beat South Carolina 41-39 on Saturday. The Gators (5-2, 3-1 Southeastern Conference) looked finished when Spencer Rattler connected for his fourth TD to Joshua Simon for a 37-27 lead with 9:11 to play. But Mertz followed with a pair of 75-yard touchdown drives to pull off the comeback. He hit tight end Arlis Broadingham on a 4-yard scoring pass to cut the lead to 37-34 with 4:40 left. The Gators forced a punt on South Carolina’s next series and Mertz was off to the races once more. Pearsall caught a 26-yard pass on fourth-and-10, then Eugene Wilson III collected a pass that bounced off a teammate’s hand to reach the Gamecocks’ 16. Mertz gave a shoulder fake on the game-winning throw and Pearsall was wide open for the catch. Safety Miguel Mitchell p...

Late TD pass by Michael Penix Jr. lifts No. 8 Washington to wild 36-33 win over No. 7 Oregon

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:20:01 GMT

SEATTLE (AP) — Michael Penix Jr. threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to Rome Odunze with 1:38 remaining after another debatable fourth-down decision by Oregon, and Camden Lewis missed a 43-yard field goal attempt on the final play as No. 7 Washington held off No. 8 Oregon 36-33 on Saturday in another wild chapter to their heated rivalry.Penix needed just two plays to go 53 yards in 33 seconds after Oregon was stopped on foruth-and-3 at the Washington 47 with 2:11 remaining. Penix threw a 35-yard strike to Ja’Lynn Polk between two defenders, then hit Odunze on a back-shoulder throw at the goal line to give Washington (6-0, 3-0 Pac-12) the lead.It was Penix’s fourth touchdown pass of the game and his second time connecting with Odunze, who had eight catches for 128 yards.Oregon quarterback Bo Nix had one last chance to get the Ducks (5-1, 2-1) into field goal range and reached the Washington 25 with 17 seconds left. Nix missed with his next two passes and on the final play of the game Lew...

Caleb Griffin’s 43-yard field goal on the final play lifts Illinois over Maryland 27-24

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:20:01 GMT

COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — Caleb Griffin kicked a 43-yard field goal as time expired to give Illinois its first Big Ten victory of the season, a 27-24 upset of Maryland on Saturday.Luke Altmyer threw two touchdown passes and then guided the Illini (3-4, 1-3) into field-goal range after Maryland’s Jack Howes tied it with a 48-yard kick with 1:31 remaining in regulation. After connecting on the winning field goal, Griffin took off running toward the other end of the field and slid on his stomach in celebration.Seth Coleman had three sacks for Illinois.Kaden Feagin ran for a TD for the Illini, who reached the end zone on both sides of halftime to take the lead. Maryland (5-2, 2-2) was coming off its first loss of the season. The Terrapins acquitted themselves well for much of that game at Ohio State, but they followed it with a performance as dreary as the grey sky on what was a drizzly day in Maryland.Taulia Tagovailoa threw for 266 yards and two touchdowns and even caught a pass ...

Stewart and Harris each run for a fourth-quarter touchdown to help Alabama State beat Jackson State

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:20:01 GMT

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Damon Stewart and Marcus Harris II each had a fourth-quarter touchdown to help Alabama State beat Jackson State 24-19 on Saturday.Alabama State was limited to just 11 first downs and 234 total yards. Jackson State was undone by three turnovers. Stewart gave Alabama State a 17-14 run on a 12-yard run and Harris powered his way into the end zone from 2-yards out with 8:52 remaining for a 24-13 lead. Jackson State answered with a 14-play, 92-yard drive ending in Desmond Moultrie’s 2-yard run, but the 2-point conversion attempt was no good. After Alabama State went three-and-out with two minutes left, Jackson State used 13 plays to get to the Alabama State 25-yard line, but couldn’t convert.Stewart passed for 80 yards, and he rushed for 33 yards for Alabama State (3-3, 2-2 SWAC).Jason Brown was 30 of 44 for 230 yards for Jackson State (4-3, 2-2), which had a two-game win streak stopped. Desmond Moultrie and Jacobian Morgan each had a rushing touchdown.E...

Third-quarter touchdowns help Central Michigan beat Akron 17-10

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:20:01 GMT

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. (AP) — Jase Bauer and Myles Bailey ran for third-quarter touchdowns to snap a halftime tie and Central Michigan held on to beat Akron 17-10 on Saturday.Marcus Badgett’s interception set up a four-play, 30-yard drive capped by Bauer’s TD run for a 10-3 lead early in the third quarter. With a minute left in the third, Bailey scored to finish the Chippewas’ 18-play, 76-yard drive that took 9:36, their longest this season in number of plays and time of possession.Jeff Undercuffler threw a 14-yard scoring pass to Alex Adams to cut the lead to seven early in the fourth quarter, but the Zips’ final three drives went for a total of only 43 yards.Bauer threw for 181 yards but was intercepted twice. He was the leading ground gainer for CMU (4-3, 2-1 Mid-American Conference) with 61 yards. Tristan Mattson was only 1 of 3 on field-goal attempts but his make was from 58 yards. Two Zips quarterbacks combined for 123 yards passing. Tahj Bullock threw t...

All Blacks give defensive masterclass to knock out Ireland at Rugby World Cup

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:20:01 GMT

PARIS (AP) — New Zealand was thought to have showed too much razzle-dazzle and met not enough resistance to seriously trouble top-ranked Ireland going into their Rugby World Cup quarterfinal on Saturday.The All Blacks racked up a ridiculous 36 tries and 240 points in swatting aside Italy, Uruguay and Namibia to finish the pool stage.Who knew the focus should have been on the defense, which conceded only two tries and 20 points across those three matches.Often overlooked for their defensive prowess, the All Blacks reminded the other title contenders with a masterclass to upset the Irish 28-24 and knock them out in a second straight quarterfinal.“Sometimes the sweetest victories,” New Zealand coach Ian Foster said, “are when your opponents play really well and test you to the limit.”Four years ago, the All Blacks steamrollered their quarterfinal in Japan by 46-14, handing Ireland its worst Rugby World Cup defeat. New Zealand appeared to be surprisingly heading that way again at Stade ...

Kyle Connor scores 2 goals as the Winnipeg Jets beat the Florida Panthers 6-4

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:20:01 GMT

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Kyle Connor had two goals and an assist, and the Winnipeg Jets beat the Florida Panthers 6-4 on Saturday for their first win of the season.Mark Scheifele and Mason Appleton each had a goal and an assist for the Jets, who lost 5-3 at Calgary on Wednesday in their opener. Morgan Barron and defenseman Dylan DeMelo also scored.Connor Hellebuyck made 29 saves for the Jets in the opener of a three-game homestand.Evan Rodrigues had two goals and two assists for the Panthers, who dropped their second straight game to begin the season. Sam Reinhart had a goal and an assist, and Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 29 shots.SENATORS 5, FLYERS 2OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Brady Tkachuk and Jakob Chychrun each scored twice, leading the Senators to the victory.Anton Forsberg made 19 saves for Ottawa, which earned its first win after losing 5-3 at Carolina in its season opener on Wednesday night. Jake Sanderson also scored.Travis Konecny and Cam York scored for the Flyers. Carter Hart st...

Dee Willliams returns punt for go-ahead TD, No. 19 Tennessee beats Texas A&M 20-13

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:20:01 GMT

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Dee Williams returned a punt 39 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter to put No. 19 Tennessee ahead for the first time and the Volunteers shut down Texas A&M the rest of the way in a 20-13 victory Saturday.Vols punter Jackson Ross backed up the Aggies to the 1, with a three-and-out setting up Williams for the pivotal return. Jaylen Wright rushed for 136 yards for the Volunteers (5-1, 2-1 Southeastern Conference). The victory was sealed when Gabe Jeudy-Lalley picked off a pass and returned it to the A&M 6 to set up a field goal.Max Johnson threw two interceptions for Texas A&M (4-3, 2-2). The Aggies were 5 of 15 on third-down conversions.Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton III was 11 of 22 for 100 yards and touchdown — a 7-yarder to Jacob Warren to tie it in the first quarter.Johnson had a 2-yard scoring run on Texas A&M’s first possession.THE TAKEAWAYThe only chance Tennessee had at being effective on offense against Texas A&M was ...

Gordon gains more than 100 yards rushing, receiving; Oklahoma State tops No. 23 Kansas 39-32

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:20:01 GMT

STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) — Ollie Gordon II gained 284 yards from scrimmage and scored two touchdowns to help Oklahoma State defeat No. 23 Kansas 39-32 on Saturday.Gordon ran for a career-high 168 yards and caught six passes for a career-best 116. He became the first Oklahoma State player since Gerald Hudson in 1989 to have at least 100 yards rushing and receiving in a game.Alan Bowman passed for 336 yards and two touchdowns, Rashod Owens had career highs of nine catches and 112 yards and Brennan Presley caught a touchdown pass and ran for the go-ahead score with 2:32 remaining for Oklahoma State (4-2, 2-1 Big 12). The Cowboys gained 554 yards to win their second straight after upsetting Kansas State last Friday.Kansas (5-2, 2-2) was without quarterback Jalon Daniels for the third straight game because of a back injury. Jason Bean stepped in and passed for career highs of 410 yards and five touchdowns, but he threw two interceptions. On the game’s opening drive, Gordon caught a 5...

Owens propels Texas Southern to 34-31 victory over Bethune-Cookman

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:20:01 GMT

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — LaDarius Owens rushed for 163 yards and three touchdowns to help Texas Southern hold off Bethune-Cookman 34-31 on Saturday.Owens had a 42-yard scoring run with 60 seconds left in the first quarter to give Texas Southern (2-4, 1-2 Southwestern Athletic Conference) a 10-0 lead.Owens scored from a yard out and Jacob Williams returned a fumble 95 yards for a touchdown to give the Tigers a 24-7 lead late in the second quarter. It was 27-10 at the half.Bethune-Cookman (1-5, 0-3) got back in the game with a pair of third-quarter touchdown drives. Jimmie Robinson III capped a 16-play drive with a 2-yard TD run and Luke Sprague put the finishing touches on a 14-play drive when he ran it in from a yard out to get the Wildcats within 27-24 after three quarters.Owens put the Tigers up 34-24 midway through the final quarter with a 5-yard touchdown run. The Wildcats’ final score a 6-yard pass from Sprague to Jaiden Bivens with 43 seconds left to play, ending a 19-...