Top 25 briefs: Nebraska knocks Missouri from unbeaten ranks
Roy Helu Jr. rushed for a school-record 307 yards, and No. 14 Nebraska knocked No. 7 Missouri from the ranks of the unbeatens with a 31-17 victory Saturday in Lincoln, Neb.
The Cornhuskers (7-1, 3-1 Big 12) held off Missouri after building a 24-0 lead and moved into a first-place tie with the Tigers in the Big 12 North. Nebraska, which ended a 13-game losing streak against Top 10 teams, earned the inside track to the division title by winning the head-to-head meeting.
Missouri (7-1, 3-1) was off to its best start since 1960. The Tigers have lost 17 straight road games against Top 25 opponents since 1997.
Helu ran for touchdowns of 66, 73 and 53 yards. The Cornhuskers played without quarterback Taylor Martinez in the second half after he came up hobbling following a hit from Kenji Jackson on a run late in the second quarter. Zac Lee took over to start the third quarter.
Coach Bo Pelini said Martinez had a bruised right leg and should be able to play next week at Iowa State.
Nebraska put heavy pressure on Blaine Gabbert and held him to 18-of-42 passing for 199 yards. He was sacked six times.
(3) Auburn 51, Mississippi 31: Quarterback Cam Newton caught a touchdown pass and threw two scoring passes, and Mike Dyer ran for 180 yards, helping the Tigers (9-0, 6-0 SEC) power past the Rebels (3-4, 1-4) in Oxford, Miss.
The Rebels ended Newton’s string of four straight 170-yard rushing efforts against SEC defenses, but the Heisman Trophy contender passed for 199. He also caught a 20-yard touchdown pass from receiver Kodi Burns.
(4) TCU 48, UNLV 6: Andy Dalton threw for 252 yards and two TDs and the Horned Frogs (9-0, 5-0 Mountain West) crushed the Rebels (1-7, 1-3) in Las Vegas.
TCU has allowed just 16 points in its last five games.
(8) Utah 28, Air Force 23: Utah’s defense forced five turnovers and stopped the Falcons (5-4, 3-3 Mountain West) twice on downs in the final quarter, helping the Utes (8-0, 5-0) post a win in Air Force Academy, Colo., and set up a showdown with No. 4 TCU next weekend.
Safety Greg Bird came up with one big hit after another and Eddie Wide scored twice as the Utes ran their record to 8-0 for the third time in the last seven years.
(10) Ohio State 52, Minnesota 10: Terrelle Pryor threw for 222 yards and two touchdowns and Dan Herron rushed for 114 yards and another score in the first half to lead the Buckeyes (8-1, 4-1 Big Ten) to an easy win over the Golden Gophers (1-8, 0-5) in Minneapolis.
(11) Oklahoma 43, Colorado 10: Ryan Broyles broke the school record with 208 yards receiving as part of the biggest passing day in Oklahoma history, and the Sooners (7-1, 3-1 Big 12) bounced back from their first loss of the season to beat the Buffaloes (3-5, 0-4) in Norman, Okla.
Landry Jones threw for a career-high 453 yards and four touchdowns, including three to Broyles.
(17) South Carolina 38, Tennessee 24: Stephen Garcia hooked up with Alshon Jeffery for a 70-yard TD to break a fourth-quarter tie and keep the Gamecocks (6-2, 4-2) in control of the SEC East with a victory over the Volunteers (2-6, 0-5) in Columbia, S.C.
Garcia added two rushing TDs, the second from 1-yard out with 3:28 left that sealed the win for South Carolina.
(19) Arkansas 49, Vanderbilt 14: Ryan Mallett threw for a school-record 409 yards and three TDs and the Razorbacks (6-2, 3-2 SEC) cruised past the Commodores (2-6, 1-4) in Fayetteville, Ark.
Mallett topped his record of 408 yards, set last year against Georgia.
(20) Oklahoma State 24, Kansas State 14: Brandon Weeden threw two TD passes and the Cowboys (7-1, 3-1 Big 12) overcame the absence of star wide receiver Justin Blackmon to beat the Wildcats (5-3, 2-3) in Manhattan, Kan.
Blackmon was suspended for the game after being arrested on a misdemeanor DUI charge.
Virginia 24, (22) Miami 19: The Cavaliers (4-4, 1-3 ACC) intercepted backup quarterback Stephen Morris four times after starter Jacory Harris was hurt en route to an upset win over the Hurricanes (5-3, 3-2) in Charlottesville, Va.
(23) Mississippi State 24, Kentucky 17: Vick Ballard rushed for 103 yards and a TD, and the Bulldogs (7-2, 3-2 SEC) relied on their running game and defense to beat the Wildcats (4-5, 1-5) in Starkville, Miss.
The Wildcats threatened to tie the game in the final minute, but Mike Hartline’s pass was intercepted by Johnthan Banks at the goal line to seal a sixth straight victory for Mississippi State – its longest streak since 1999.
(25) Baylor 30, Texas 22: Robert Griffin III passed for two TDs and ran for another in leading the Bears (7-2, 4-1 Big 12) over the Longhorns (4-4, 2-3) in Austin, Texas.
It was Baylor’s first win over Texas since 1997.