Ohio State Stands Tall in Ann Arbor
The marquee matchup lived up to its billing, though only one side left satisfied. Ohio State controlled Michigan from start to finish, earning a 27–9 victory that cemented the Buckeyes’ place atop the conference and strengthened their case as the nation’s No. 1 team. Quarterback Julian Sayin threw for 233 yards, while running back Bo Jackson added 117 on the ground. Michigan’s offense sputtered, leaving the Wolverines to regroup ahead of bowl season. Ohio State heads to Indianapolis undefeated at 12-0, while Michigan finished 9-3 for the regular season and await their bowl game destination.

Trophy Games Deliver Tradition
Indiana kept the Old Oaken Bucket with a resounding 56–3 win over Purdue, powered by Fernando Mendoza’s 2 touchdowns passing and Roman Hemby’s 152 rushing yards. In Minneapolis, Minnesota claimed Paul Bunyan’s Axe by defeating Wisconsin 17–7, with Darius Taylor rushing for 100 yards and 1 touchdown to secure bragging rights. Illinois edged Northwestern 20–13 in the battle for the Land of Lincoln Trophy, thanks to Hayden Eligon II’s 99 receiving yards and 1 touchdown.

The West Coast Teams Battled Intensely

Oregon traveled to Washington and defeated the Huskies, 26-14. Oregon wide receiver Malik Benson had a dynamic 64 yard touchdown reception that put the Ducks in the lead for good. USC hosted in-city rival UCLA and defeated the Bruins, 29-10. USC running back King Miller carried the ball 17 times for 124 yards and 2 touchdowns, as the Trojans broke the game open in the second half versus UCLA.

Penn State Survives Rutgers Shootout
In one of the weekend’s most entertaining contests, Penn State outlasted Rutgers 40–36. Quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis threw for 338 yards and 3 touchdowns for the Scarlet Knights, while Kaytron Allen rushed for 226 and 1 touchdown, showcasing the Nittany Lions’ offensive balance. The win kept Penn State in the conversation for a bowl game, as the Nittany Lions finished 6-6.

Hawkeyes and Spartans Close Strong
Iowa rolled past Nebraska 40–16, highlighted by Emmett Johnson’s 217 rushing yards. Michigan State ended its season on a high note, defeating Maryland 38–28 and surviving Malik Washington’s staggering 459 passing yards and 3 touchdowns.

Looking Ahead
The weekend underscored the Big Ten’s blend of tradition and high stakes. Ohio State and Indiana will meet for The Big Ten Championship in Indianapolis the evening of December 6th (televised by Fox; 8pm ET kickoff). Oregon projects as a College Football Playoff participant, likely to host an initial playoff game the weekend of December 19th-December 20th. Michigan and USC (9-3), Iowa, Illinois, and Washington (8-4), Minnesota and Nebraska (7-5), and Northwestern and Penn State (6-6) all will find out their respective bowl game destinations the afternoon of December 7th.

As for UCLA (6-6), Rutgers (5-7), Maryland, Michigan State, and Wisconsin (4-8), and Purdue (2-9), a long offseason of recruiting and retooling awaits. Keep your eyes and ears open for any possible coaching changes that may be taking place at any of these respective institutions.

The post Rivalry Games Provide Resolution Within The Big Ten appeared first on Saturday Glory.

No. 4 Texas went to Tuscaloosa on Sunday night and emerged victorious over No. 11 Alabama, which ranked No. 3 at the time. Quinn Ewers outdueled Jalen Milroe and threw 349 yards along with three touchdowns. 

Utah State is the team that scored the most points this week. The Aggies scored 78 points against Idaho State although LSU and Toledo were not far behind scoring 72 and 71 points respectively. 

Michael Penix Jr. is this week’s leading passer. Penix threw for 409 yards during No. 8 Washington’s win over Tulsa. 

Here are some of the top statistical performances from Week 2. 

Omarion Hampton, North Carolina 

This week’s leading rusher leads off the top outings of Week 2 as the only back to run for over 200 yards. 

Hampton and North Carolina have faced two early tests in South Carolina and an overtime matchup against Appalachian State. The Tar Heels have passed so far, emerging 2-0. 

Hampton played a large role in the Tar Heels offense and keeping North Carolina on schedule. He averaged 9 yards per each of his 26 carries. 

North Carolina looked toward Hampton early against the Mountaineers, and he rewarded the Tar Heels by breaking off a 68-yard touchdown run, his longest of the game. 

Hampton later struck with the final touchdown of regulation on a 7-yard rush, giving North Carolina a temporary 27-24 lead before the two teams went to overtime when Hampton also scored, this time a 17-yarder. 

Hampton finished with 234 rushing yards and three touchdowns, and the Tar Heels hung on in overtime to remain unbeaten. 

Gage Larvadain, Miami (OH) 

On eight catches, Larvadain had the most spectacular and productive receiving weekend. 

Playing UMass on the road, Miami (OH) sought to get in the win column a week after falling to Miami of Florida. 

Larvadain made the most of his outing on Saturday, hauling in a pair of touchdowns in the first quarter alone and finishing with 273 receiving yards. 

He had scoring catches of 99, 26 and 13 yards, and gave Miami (OH) the boost it needed to grab an early lead and hold on to win 41-28 after UMass scored 21 second-half points. 

Nicholas Singleton, Penn State 

Singleton was part of a Nittany Lions rushing attack that posted 315 yards on the ground against Delaware. 

Going for 47 yards himself, Singleton may not have had the most productive performance on Saturday. But his knack for the end zone is what set him apart from the others. 

Singleton averaged 3.9 yards per carry and one touchdown every four attempts. He had 12 carries which were one less than his total from the season-opener against West Virginia. 

Singleton first entered the end zone after a 5:50 first drive by Penn State. He ran in 2 yards for the score. 

He later struck again in the second quarter on a 5-yard touchdown, and again with less than five minutes before halftime on another 5-yarder. Each of Penn State’s eight offensive touchdowns came from six yards or closer. 

Singleton’s three touchdowns came alongside one score each from Drew Allar, Kaytron Allen and Beau Pribula. Allen led the group with 103 rushing yards while four ball-carriers had at least 46 rushing yards, 

Tyler Van Dyke, Miami 

After a 2022 campaign in which results revealed a mixed bag, Van Dyke is ready to strike this season. 

His second outing of the 2023 campaign was a gem, as he went 21-for-30 and 374 passing yards against the then-No. 23 Aggies on Saturday. 

Van Dyke’s second quarter began to see him step up his game onto another level. He threw for 161 yards and two touchdowns in the final 15 minutes before halftime, including the go-ahead score with 13 seconds remaining. 

Later, in the second half, Van Dyke threw for two more scores featuring a 64-yarder to Jacolby George to put the game at 48-33. 

Van Dyke was the only top-10 passer this week to throw five touchdown passes. He led a Miami offense on its way to claiming a Top 25 victory over Texas A&M. 

Injuries caused Van Dyke to miss upwards of six games a season ago. This time around, he’s up to 575 passing yards and 2-0 to start the season — a strong way to begin the year. 

The post Stat Pack: Week 2 appeared first on Saturday Glory.