Ohio State receiver Chris Olave catches a touchdown pass during the Buckeyes’ 56-7 win over Michigan State on Saturday in Columbus, Ohio. Jay LaPrete/Associated Press
COLUMBUS, Ohio — C.J. Stroud threw for nearly 400 yards and six touchdowns in the first half as No. 5 Ohio State made it look easy in a 56-7 blowout of No. 7 Michigan State on Saturday.
Stroud finished 32-for-35 passing against the Spartans’ sketchy pass defense, which had allowed more yards through the air than any in major college football, and positioned himself as maybe the Heisman Trophy favorite heading into championship stretch of the season.
Michigan State Heisman hopeful Kenneth Walker III, the nation’s leading rusher, was turned into a nonfactor by the Buckeyes. Walker had six carries for 25 yards.
By the time Stroud took a seat late in the third quarter, the redshirt freshman piled up 432 yards for the Buckeyes (10-1, 8-0 Big Ten, CFP No. 4), who polished their College Football Playoff resume and served warning to No. 8 Michigan ahead of the rivalry game next week that may end up determining the winner of the Big Ten East.
The Buckeyes’ top three receivers all eclipsed the 100-yard mark and caught touchdown passes. Chris Olave had seven catches for 140 yards and two touchdowns. Garrett Wilson grabbed seven for 126 and a pair of scores, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba had 10 receptions for 105 yards and a TD.
Ohio State led 49-0 at the half and outgained the Spartans 655-224.
(1) GEORGIA 56, CHARLESTON SOUTHERN 7: Standout defensive tackle Jordan Davis scored his first career touchdown and No. 1 Georgia’s defense was again dominant as the Bulldogs (11-) beat the Buccaneers 4-6) in Athens, Georgia.
(2) ALABAMA 42, (21) ARKANSAS 35: Bryce Young passed for a school-record 559 yards and five touchdowns and the Crimson Tide (10-1, 7-1 SEC) clinched a spot in the Southeastern Conference championship game with a victory over the Razorbacks (7-4, 3-4) in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
(3) CINCINNATI 58, SMU 14: Desmond Ridder threw three touchdown passes, ran for another score and even caught a TD pass to help the Bearcats (11-0, 7-0 American Athletic) roll past the Mustangs (8-3, 4-3) in Cincinnati.
(6) NOTRE DAME 55, GEORGIA TECH 0: Jack Coan threw for 285 yards and two touchdowns in a little more than a half and the Irish (10-1) had two defensive touchdowns in winning their sixth straight game, over the beleaguered Yellow Jackets (3-8), in South Bend, Indiana.
(8) MICHIGAN 59, MARYLAND 18: Mike Sainristil made a one-handed catch in the end zone for a second-quarter touchdown, Hassan Haskins scored two TDs of his own, and the Wolverines (10-1, 7-1 Big Ten) did their part to raise the stakes of next weekend’s showdown with Ohio State, routing the Terrapins (5-6, 2-6) in College Park, Maryland.
(11) BAYLOR 20, KANSAS STATE 10: Blake Shapen was sharp in place of injured quarterback Gerry Bohanon, and Baylor’s defense simply smothered Kansas State’s offense, helping the No. 11 Bears beat the Wildcats in Manhattan, Kansas.
(12) OKLAHOMA 28, IOWA STATE 21: Caleb Williams passed for a touchdown and ran for another, Jalen Redmond returned a fumble for another score, and the Sooners (10-1, 7-1 Big 12) beat the Cyclones (6-5, 4-4) in Norman, Oklahoma.
CLEMSON 48, (13) WAKE FOREST 27: Kobe Pace ran for a career-high 191 yards and two touchdowns as the Tigers (8-3, 6-2 ACC) won their 13th straight over the Demon Deacons (9-2, 6-1) in Clemson, South Carolina.
(14) BYU 34, GEORGIA SOUTHERN 17: Jaren Hall had 211 of his 312 yards passing in the first half, Jakob Robinson picked off two passes in the second half and the Cougars (9-2) beat the Eagles (3-8) in Statesboro, Georgia.
(15) UTSA 34, UAB 31: Frank Harris threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to Oscar Cardenas with three seconds left, rallying the Roadrunners (11-0, 7-0 Conference USA) to a wild win over the Blazers (7-4, 5-2) in San Antonio.
(16) TEXAS A&M 52, PRAIRIE VIEW A&M 3: Devon Achane and Isaiah Spiller combined for three touchdowns before halftime, and the Aggies (8-3) cruised to a win over the Panthers (7-3) in College Station, Texas.
(18) IOWA 33, ILLINOIS 23: Charlie Jones had a 100-yard kickoff return for No. 18 Iowa’s first touchdown and the Hawkeyes (9-2, 6-2 Big Ten) went on to beat the Illini (4-7, 3-5) in Iowa City, Iowa.
(19) WISCONSIN 35, NEBRASKA 28: Braelon Allen rushed for 228 yards and three touchdowns – including a tiebreaking 53-yarder with 3:50 remaining – to help the Badgers (8-3, 6-2 Big Ten) outlast the Cornhuskers (3-8, 1-7) for their seventh consecutive victory, in Madison, Wisconsin.
(20) PITTSBURGH 48, VIRGINIA 38: Kenny Pickett threw for 340 yards and four touchdowns – all of them to Jordan Addison – in his final game at Heinz Field and the Panthers (9-2, 6-1 ACC) claimed their second Coastal title in four years with a victory over the Cavaliers (6-5, 4-3) in Pittsburgh.
(22) LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE 42, LIBERTY 14: Levi Lewis threw for 166 yards and three touchdowns, Louisiana-Lafayette had five takeaways and seven sacks and the No. 22 Ragin’ Cajuns (10-1) capped the nonconference portion of their schedule with a win over the Flames (7-3) in Lynchburg, Virginia.
(25) NORTH CAROLINA STATE 41, SYRACUSE 17: Devin Leary threw for two touchdowns, Zonovan Knight returned a kickoff for a touchdown and the Wolfpack (8-3, 5-2 ACC) beat the Orange (5-6, 2-5) to keep their hopes alive for an Atlantic Coast Conference championship in Raleigh, North Carolina.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
(5) VILLANOVA 71, (17) TENNESSEE 53: Jermaine Samuels scored 14 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as the Wildcats (3-1) beat the Volunteers (2-1) in the opening round of the Hall of Fame Tip-Off tournament, in Uncasville, Connecticut.
(6) PURDUE 93, (18) NORTH CAROLINA 84: Sasha Stefanovic scored 23 points and Jaden Ivey put up 22 points to go along with his 10 rebounds as the Boilermakers (4-0) beat the Tar Heels (3-1) in the first round of the Hall of Fame Tip-Off tournament in Uncasville, North Carolina.
(8) TEXAS 79, SAN JOSE STATE 45: Timmy Allen scored 17 points and the Longhorns (3-1) beat the the Spartans (1-3) in Austin, Texas.
(9) BAYLOR 86, STANFORD 48: LJ Cryer scored 21 points and James Akinjo had 11 points with a career high-tying 11 assists, leading the Bears (4-0) to a victory over the Cardinal (3-2) in Waco, Texas.
(23) UCONN 87, BINGHAMTON 63: Tyrese Martin had 15 points and 11 rebounds, and the Huskies (4-0) beat the Bearcats (1-3) in Hartford, Connecticut.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
(1) SOUTH CAROLINA 88, BUFFALO 60: Aliyah Boston scored 19 of her 23 points in the first half and the Gamecocks (4-0) the Bulls (1-1) in the opening round of the inaugural Battle 4 Atlantis tournament.
Kamilla Cardoso, who transferred from Syracuse in April, had her best game of the young season for the Gamecocks, adding 12 points, 10 rebounds and six assists. The 6-foot-7 ACC freshman of the year last season complemented Boston well.
(2) UCONN 88, MINNESOTA 58: Christyn Williams scored a career-high 31 points, and the Huskies (2-0) beat the Gophers (3-2) in the inaugural women’s Battle 4 Atlantis tournament in Paradise Island, Bahamas.
(4) INDIANA 67, QUINNIPIAC 59: Grace Berger scored 17 points as the Hoosiers (4-0) rallied past the Bobcats in Hamden, Connecticut.
Indiana finished with four starters scoring in double figures, including Ali Patberg with 12, and Nicole Cardano-Hillary and Mackenzie Holmes of Gorham each with 10.
(9) OREGON 98, OKLAHOMA 93: Nyara Sabally scored 20 of her career high 30 points after halftime to help the Ducks (3-0) rally from 11 down and beat the Sooners (3-1) in the first round of the women’s Battle 4 Atlantis tournament in Paradise Island, Bahamas.
(10) LOUISVILLE 61, WASHINGTON 53: Kianna Smith and Liz Dixon each scored 13 points for the Cardinals (3-1), who beat the Huskies (2-1) in Seattle.
(13) MICHIGAN 69, CENTRAL MICHIGAN 45: Emily Kiser had 16 points and eight rebounds, Danielle Rauch scored 13, and the Wolverines (4-0) beat the Chippewas (1-2) without star Naz Hillmon, in Mount Pleasant, Michigan.
(15) OREGON STATE 82, CSU BAKERSFIELD 51: AJ Marotte scored 19 points with four 3-pointers, and the Beavers (3-0) beat the Roadrunners (1-2) in Corvallis, Oregon.
(23) SOUTH FLORIDA 77, SYRACUSE 53: Bethy Mununga had a season high 18 points with 12 rebounds to help the Bulls (3-1) beat the Orange (2-2) in the first round of the women’s Battle 4 Atlantis in Paradise Island, Bahamas.
(25) VIRGINIA TECH 84, CAMPBELL 39: Elizabeth Kitley scored 16 of her 28 points in the first half to lead No. 25 and undefeated Virginia Tech to a victory over the Lady Camels (2-2) in Blacksburg, Virginia.
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