Defense bails out top-ranked Buckeyes

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Darron Lee returned an interception 41 yards for a touchdown and top-ranked Ohio State’s defense bailed out its struggling, two-quarterback offense in a 20-13 victory over Northern Illinois on Saturday.
Cardale Jones started for the Buckeyes (3-0) and J.T. Barrett finished, but for the second straight week neither was particularly effective against an opponent Ohio State was expected to blow out.
Jones threw two interceptions and went to the bench in the second quarter. Barrett threw a touchdown pass and an interception. Ohio State had five turnovers in all, but still managed to extend the nation’s longest winning streak to 16 games.
Last week, the Buckeyes shook free of Hawaii in the second half, but they couldn’t do the same with Northern Illinois (2-1).
The Huskies cut the lead to 20-13 on a field goal with 7:46 left in the fourth quarter, and got the ball back when Marlon Moore forced a fumble by Curtis Samuel and Northern Illinois recovered at its own 25 with 4:05 left in the game. The Buckeyes clamped down again with Joey Bosa and Sam Hubbard crunching Drew Hare for a sack on third-and-long. In need of one first down to wrap it up, Ohio State came up short.
No. 4 Michigan State 35, Air Force 21: Connor Cook threw three touchdown passes in the first half for Michigan State, including one that Aaron Burbridge hauled in with a spectacular catch in the end zone.
No. 8 Notre Dame 30, No. 14 Georgia Tech 22: C.J. Prosise ran for 198 yards and three touchdowns, including one for 91 yards, and Notre Dame shut down Georgia Tech’s high-powered offense.
No. 12 Oregon 61, Georgia State 28: Jeff Lockie threw for 228 yards and two touchdowns in his first start for Oregon.
No. 13 LSU 45, No. 18 Auburn 21: Leonard Fournette ran for a career-high 228 yards and three touchdowns, and LSU steamrolled Auburn.
No. 16 Oklahoma 52, Tulsa 38: Baker Mayfield threw for 487 yards and four touchdowns and ran for another 85 yards and two scores to power Oklahoma.
No. 17 Texas A&M 44, Nevada 27: Kyle Allen threw four touchdown passes and ran for a score to lead Texas A&M to its 19th straight nonconference victory, the longest active streak in the Football Bowl Subdivision.
No. 22 Missouri 9, UConn 6: Anthony Sherrils’ last-minute interception allowed Missouri to hold on against Connecticut in a game that featured four turnovers, two missed field goals and a blocked extra point.
No. 23 Northwestern 19, Duke 10: Warren Long ran 55 yards for a touchdown and recovered a fumbled punt return late to help Northwestern.
No. 23 Wisconsin 28, Troy 3: Two-way player Tanner McEvoy had one of Wisconsin’s three touchdown runs in a game where two Badgers defenders were ejected for targeting and play was delayed briefly in the fourth quarter because of an errant fire alarm.
Dare Ogunbowale and quarterback Joel Stave also ran for scores for Wisconsin (2-1).
No. 25 Oklahoma State 69, UTSA 14: Devante Averette scored on a 6-yard fumble return only 45 seconds in, and Oklahoma State forced seven turnovers — all of them leading to points.
Mason Rudolph completed 17 of 23 passes for 280 yards and two touchdowns, and Chris Carson rushed for 104 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries for Oklahoma State (3-0).