Big Ten & SEC Week 5 Recap: Ohio State wins thriller, Kentucky stays perfect
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Buckeyes score late to beat Penn State
HUGE win on the road for No. 4 Ohio State as it defeats No. 9 Penn State in comeback fashion!
(📍 @SamsungUS) pic.twitter.com/FaCzuiIcIl
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) September 30, 2018
Ohio State scored two touchdowns in the final seven minutes on Saturday, including a go-ahead touchdown pass from Dwayne Haskins to K.J. Hill with 2:03 left to play, as the Buckeyes rallied to beat Penn State 27-26 in front of a Beaver Stadium record crowd of 110,889. With the win, the Buckeyes snapped Penn State’s 16-game home winning streak, which dated back to the team’s home finale vs. Michigan in 2015.
The past three matchups between the Nittany Lions and Buckeyes have been decided by a total of five points, and Ohio State now owns an all-time record of 8-6 at Beaver Stadium, including three wins in its past four trips to State College.
Early on, it was all Penn State, as quarterback Trace McSorely hit K.J. Hamler for a 93-yard touchdown — the longest pass play ever allowed by Ohio State — to put the Nittany Lions up 13-0 midway through the second quarter. McSorely finished the game with a school record 461 yards total offense, including 175 rushing yards on 25 carries.
It wasn’t enough, however, as Haskins dialed up 270 passing yards of his own, including 138 to go with two touchdowns in the fourth quarter. The first score came on a 47-yard catch-and-run by Binjimen Victor to cut the Penn State lead to five, and after forcing a Nittany Lions punt, Haskins led the Buckeyes 96 yards on eight plays for the win.
The Buckeyes face Indiana next week while Penn State has an off week before hosting Michigan State on October 13.
Michigan overcomes 17-point deficit to avoid upset
After falling behind 17-0 early in the second quarter against Northwestern on Saturday, No. 14 Michigan rallied, scoring 20 answered points in a 20-17 win at Ryan Field. The victory was Michigan’s sixth straight over the Wildcats and marked the Wolverines’ biggest comeback since 2011 against Notre Dame (also 17 points).
The ‘Cats scored on their first three possessions and held Michigan to just 21 yards of total offense in the first quarter, marking the lowest total for the Wolverines in an opening quarter this season. However, the Northwestern offense was held to just 97 yards in the final three quarters after racking up 105 yards of offense in the first.
On the other side of the ball, U-M’s offense came alive, tallying over 350 yards after the opening quarter and chipped away at the Northwestern lead before Karan Higdon scored a 5-yard go-ahead rushing touchdown with 4:06 left to play. Higdon finished with 138 yards on a career-high 30 carries with two scores.
Michigan will return to Michigan Stadium next Saturday (Oct. 6) at noon for its homecoming game against Maryland. Northwestern travels to Michigan State next week.
Florida upsets Mississippi State in defensive battle
It’s a screen to Kadarius Toney… no, no it’s a double pass… and IT IS A TOUCHDOWN TO MORAL STEPHENS!
And the #Gators LEAD Mississippi State in Starkville! pic.twitter.com/pnIwRVgcCS
— InAllKindsOfWeather.com (@AllKindsWeather) September 30, 2018
Florida won its third consecutive game Saturday, holding No. 23 Mississippi State to just 202 yards of offense in a 13-6 win over the Bulldogs in Starkville. After averaging 587.7 yards during its 3-0 start, Mississippi State has found the end zone just once in its past two games.
After trailing 6-3 at half, Florida’s defense shut out Mississippi State in the second half and allowed just 43 total yards on 27 plays. The Gators offense scored its only touchdown of the night in the third quarter on a trick play that saw Moral Stephens catch a 20-yard pass from fellow wide receiver Kadarius Toney.
Both teams will host a Top-10 SEC foe next week as the Bulldogs welcome No. 8 Auburn to Starkville, while No. 22 Florida hosts No. 5 LSU in The Swamp.
Kentucky stays hot, beats South Carolina
Kentucky improved to 5-0 for the first time since 2007 as the Wildcats defeated the Gamecocks 24-10 on Saturday. UK is also now 3-0 in SEC play for the fourth time in school history and first time since the 1977 team went undefeated in league play.
After scoring on four straight drives to take a 24-3 lead into the half, UK was held scoreless second half. Wildcats running back Benny Snell Jr. ran for 99 yards and a score, making him the third Wildcat to break 3,000 career yards rushing.
South Carolina scored in the third quarter to cut the lead to two possessions, but the Wildcats defense came up with two timely turnovers to preserve the lead. The touchdown marked the first points Kentucky has allowed in the third quarter all season.
Vote for the Play of the Week!
Week 5 was filled with memorable plays and moments in the Big Ten and SEC. Here were two of our favorites. Make sure you vote for the best in the poll below
1.) Georgia’s Isaac Nauta picks up fumble and takes it to the house!
Touchdown of the year. pic.twitter.com/hYmBmuNJis
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) September 29, 2018
2.) Penn State’s Juwan Johnson makes a circus catch with one hand!
STOP PLAYIN', @ju_heard_! 😱
Big men aren't supposed to be able to do this, but @PennStateFball's Juwan Johnson goes full Odell for a possible Catch of the Year: pic.twitter.com/RTy1jkYbct
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) September 30, 2018