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Top 25: Worth leads Navy past No. 6 Houston

Navy fullback Shawn White (31) gets upended during the second half of Navy’s upset victory over Houston in Annapolis, Maryland. Navy won 46-40. (Nick Wass / Associated Press)
AP
Navy fullback Shawn White (31) gets upended during the second half of Navy’s upset victory over Houston in Annapolis, Maryland. Navy won 46-40. (Nick Wass / Associated Press)

With every Navy touchdown, No. 6 Houston saw its hope of playing for the national championship become a little more distant.

After the Cougars had their quest for an unbeaten season dashed in a 46-40 loss Saturday in Annapolis, Maryland, all they could do is shrug.

“This one hurts but we still have everything in front of us,” Houston coach Tom Herman said. “Our goal, as it is each and every year, is to win our conference championship and go to a New Year’s Six bowl game. We have an opportunity to continue that journey.”

Will Worth ran for 115 yards and threw for two touchdowns to help the Midshipmen (4-1, 3-0 American Athletic Conference) pull off the upset. Navy hadn’t defeated a Top 10 team since 1984, when it topped No. 2 South Carolina in Annapolis.

When it was over, streams of the Navy Brigade stormed the field to surround the players, most of them jumping for joy.

Navy won behind a precise attack that shredded the nation’s top-ranked rushing defense. Coming off a 28-14 loss to Air Force, the Midshipmen came in as a 17-point underdog.

Houston committed three turnovers, gave up two points on a poor snap in punt formation and simply couldn’t find a way to stop Navy’s triple option.

Houston’s sloppiest performance of the season came in a driving rain. The Cougars (5-1, 2-1) gave up more points than in their previous four games combined. Houston was allowing only 42 yards on the ground per game.

“We knew last week that we didn’t play our best, and the scoreboard showed that,” Worth said.

(1) Alabama 49, (16) Arkansas 30: Jalen Hurts accounted for four touchdowns and Minkah Fitzpatrick had three interceptions as the Crimson Tide extended their nation-best winning streak to 18 consecutive games with a victory over the Razorbacks in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

(2) Ohio St. 38, Indiana 17: JT Barrett rushed a career-high 26 times for 137 yards and a touchdown and threw for another score and the Buckeyes defeated the Hoosiers in Columbus, Ohio. Barrett was 9-of-23 for 93 yards passing.

(4) Michigan 78, Rutgers 0: Jabrill Peppers ran for a career-high two touchdowns and set up another score with a 63-yard scamper in his return to his native New Jersey and the Wolverines routed the Scarlet Knights in Piscataway, New Jersey, in a game in which the Scarlet Knights were limited to 22 yards total and two first downs.

(8) Texas A&M, 45 (9) Tennessee 38 (2OT): The Aggies outlasted the Volunteers in double overtime at College Station, Texas, to improve to 6-0 for the first time since 1994. The Aggies started the previous two seasons with five wins before losing.

(23) Florida St. 20, (10) Miami 19: DeMarcus Walker blocked Miami kicker Michael Badgley’s point-after attempt with 1:38 remaining, and the Seminoles escaped with a victory over the Hurricanes in Miami Gardens, Florida.

(25) Va. Tech 34, (17) North Carolina 3: Jerod Evans threw for two scores and ran for another to help the Hokies defeat the Tar Heels in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, with heavy rain and wind from Hurricane Matthew.

(20) Oklahoma 45, Texas 40: Dede Westbrook had three touchdown catches longer than 40 yards while setting an Oklahoma single-game record with 232 yards receiving, and the Sooners held on to defeat the Longhorns in the Red River rivalry in Dallas.