Stars
Trevor Siemian, Northwestern, threw for 414 yards and four TDs to lead the Wildcats past Illinois 37-34.
Christian Hackenberg, Penn State, threw for 339 yards and four TDs in a 31-24 upset of No. 14 Wisconsin.
Tre Roberson, Indiana, threw a career-high six touchdown passes, three to Shane Wynn, and the Hoosiers recaptured the Old Oaken Bucket for the first time in three years with a 56-36 win over Purdue.
Nick Mullens, Southern Miss, threw a career-high five TD passes and rushed for another in a 62-27 win over UAB.
Brandin Byrd, North Texas, ran for 251 yards and three TDs in a 42-10 win over Tulsa.
P.J. Walker, Temple, threw for 328 yards and four TDs, three to Robby Anderson, as the Owls snapped a four-game losing streak with a 41-21 victory over Memphis.
C.J. Brown, Maryland, ran for three TDs and threw for two more as the Terps beat North Carolina State 41-21 in their final ACC game.
John Hubert, Kansas State, ran for a career-high 220 yards and a TD in a 31-10 win over Kansas 31-10.
Numbers
4: Big 12 schools to reach a bowl game after starting 2-4, including Kansas State this season.
24: Years since Duke won a conference title in football. The Blue Devils will play No. 2 Florida State in next weekend’s ACC title game in Charlotte.
85: Years since Vanderbilt had posted consecutive eight-win seasons.
H H H
That crazy tipped pass for a long game-winning touchdown is now the second-most stunning and improbable play of Auburn’s season.
Yes, the Tigers found a way to top “The Immaculate Deflection.” Maybe call this one Auburn’s happiest return.
Chris Davis returned a missed field-goal attempt more than 100 yards for a touchdown on the final play to lift No. 4 Auburn to a 34-28 victory over No. 1 Alabama, upending the two-time defending national champions’ BCS hopes and preserving the Tigers’ own.
Davis caught the ball about 9 yards deep in the end zone after freshman Adam Griffith’s 57-yard attempt fell short. He then sprinted down the left sideline and cut back with nothing but teammates around him in a second consecutive hard-to-fathom finish for the Tigers (11-1, 7-1 Southeastern Conference).
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Kelvin Benjamin shook off one tackler and then three more, bullying his way into the end zone to finish off Florida State’s most impressive play on a day filled with them.
Benjamin was clearly a mismatch just like the game.
Jameis Winston threw three touchdown passes to Benjamin, and No. 2 Florida State moved a step closer to playing for the national championship with a 37-7 victory against rival Florida.
The Seminoles improved to 12-0 for the first time since 1999 and likely will earn a spot in the Bowl Championship Series title game by beating Duke in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game next Saturday.
Florida, meanwhile, ended its worst season since 1979.
The Gators (4-8) lost their final seven games and missed a bowl for the first time since 1990. Florida’s bowl streak had been the second-longest in the country, behind Florida State.
Associated Press
