Top 25 Capsules
PULLMAN, Wash. (AP) — Jake Browning and No. 6 Washington passed its final test of the regular season thanks to one nearly perfect quarter.
Browning threw for 292 yards and three touchdowns and the Huskies used a 28-point first quarter to beat No. 23 Washington State on Friday, winning the Apple Cup for the fourth straight year and the Pac-12 North title. Washington will take its College Football Playoff hopes into the Pac-12 championship game next Friday against either Colorado or Southern California.
Browning threw all three touchdown passes in the first 15 minutes, hitting Dante Pettis on plays of 18 and 61 yards and John Ross on a 6-yarder. Browning had 243 yards passing by halftime, the Huskies had 386 total yards at the break and even Washington State's third-quarter rally didn't make Washington sweat.
Washington (11-1, 8-1 Pac-12, No. 5 CFP) tied a school record with the 28-point first quarter, capitalizing on an early turnover to put Washington State (8-4, 7-2, No. 23 CFP) in a 14-point hole.
Browning completed 21 of 29 passes, becoming the third quarterback in Pac-12 history with at least 40 TD passes in a season. Ross had eight catches for 80 yards and his 16th TD catch of the season.
Washington State quarterback Luke Falk was 33 of 50 for 269 yards and a 9-yard TD pass to Gabe Marks in the third quarter. But the Cougars were unable to find the end zone on three drives inside the Washington 10.
MEMPHIS 48, NO. 18 HOUSTON 44
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — In what might be sought-after coach Tom Herman's final game with Houston, Riley Ferguson threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Miller with 19 seconds left to lift Memphis.
Herman helped guide the Cougars (9-3, 5-3 American Athletic, No. 20 CFP) back from a 17-point halftime deficit. Greg Ward gave Houston a 44-41 lead with 1:29 remaining with his fourth touchdown pass, a 3-yarder to Chance Allen. But Memphis (8-4, 5-3) drove 72 yards in five plays for the winner.
Ward completed 47 of 67 passes for 487 yards. He also ran for a team-high 65 yards.
Asked by ESPN before the game to address reports that he might be close to a deal with another school, Herman said, "Honestly, don't believe anything that you read."
NO. 14 W. MICHIGAN 55, TOLEDO 35
KALAMAZOO, Mich. (AP) — Corey Davis and Western Michigan wrapped up an undefeated regular season in style, routing Toledo to secure a berth next week in the Mid-American Conference championship game.
Davis became the career FBS leader in yards receiving, and the Broncos (12-0, 8-0, No. 21 CFP) never trailed, scoring a defensive touchdown on the first play from scrimmage and eventually breaking it open in the third quarter. WMU will face Ohio in the MAC title game in Detroit next Friday night, and it's looking more and more like the Broncos will be playing for a spot in a major bowl.
Kareem Hunt ran for 200 yards and a touchdown for Toledo, but there was only so much he could do after the Rockets (9-3, 6-2) fell way behind in the second half.
WMU went 1-11 in 2013 in coach P.J. Fleck's first season, but he has turned the Broncos into a force. Zach Terrell went 19 of 25 for 196 yards and three touchdowns, and Davis caught eight passes for 81 yards and a TD. Davis broke the career mark of 5,005 yards receiving set by Trevor Insley of Nevada from 1996-99. Jamauri Bogan also had a big day for WMU, rushing for 198 yards and a TD.
IOWA 40, NO. 17 NEBRASKA 10
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — C.J. Beathard threw three touchdown passes and Iowa pummeled Nebraska, knocking the Cornhuskers out of Big Ten title contention and sending Wisconsin to the championship game.
LeShun Daniels Jr. ran for 158 yards and two scores and George Kittle caught two TD passes for the Hawkeyes (8-4, 6-3 Big Ten).
Iowa broke open what was expected to be a tight game with a 75-yard TD run by Akrum Wadley and a 77-yard touchdown throw from Beathard to Riley McCarron in the first quarter. Kittle then put the Hawkeyes ahead 33-10 on a 6x-yard TD catch with 11:13 left.
Tommy Armstrong started for Nebraska (9-3, 6-3) despite a balky hamstring and was just 13 of 35 passing for 125 yards.
AIR FORCE 27, NO. 20 BOISE STATE 20
AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. (AP) — Air Force had a late goal-line stand, Tyler Weaver returned a blocked punt 11 yards for a touchdown and the Falcons beat Boise State, ending the Broncos' bid for the Mountain West title.
Haji Dunn Jr. recovered quarterback Brett Rypien's fumble on fourth down with around 2 minutes remaining to help the Falcons (9-3, 5-3 Mountain West) knock off Boise State for a third straight season. They join Idaho (1982-93) and Nevada (1996-98) as the only teams to beat the Broncos in at least three straight years.
The Broncos (10-2, 6-2, No. 19 CFP) needed a win at Air Force and for New Mexico to upset Mountain Division-leading Wyoming on Saturday to earn a spot in the conference's title game.