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.

College football will enter its 13th week of the year this time around, and rivalries will be on the line.

PODCAST: Week 12 could shape up conference championship game match-ups

No. 2 Ohio State, which rose a place in Sunday’s Associated Press Top 25 poll, will face No. 3 Michigan for a spot in the Big Ten Championship game.

No. 5 Florida State already locked up a berth in the Atlantic Coast Conference title game entering last week, and it learned its opponent: No. 10 Louisville.

Here are some of the top statistical performances from Week 12.

Carson Beck and Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint, Georgia

No. 1 Georgia returned to its top spot in the College Football Playoff rankings and had another top-25 test this week in No. 18 Tennessee.

The Volunteers challenged the Bulldogs early, getting out to a 7-0 lead after the game’s opening drive thanks running back Jaylen Wright running 75 yards for a touchdown on the first offensive snap.

The Bulldogs held Tennessee to three points thereafter. Quarterback Carson Beck keyed the strong comeback efforts with three passing touchdowns, and receiver Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint played just as vital a role, scoring two touchdowns in the game.

Beck threw for 298 yards for the sixth time this season and three touchdowns for a third time. He tied his season-best 80% completion and wasn’t sacked.

Rosemy-Jacksaint scored his second touchdown on an 8-yard reception early in the third quarter, who caught the pass thrown by receiver Dillon Bell.

With the win, Georgia tied the Southeastern Conference record by winning its 28th-consecutive game.

Jalen Milroe, Alabama

The Crimson Tide might just be peaking at the right time, and so is quarterback Jalen Milroe.

No. 8 Alabama has its spot in the SEC championship game locked up, and it looked to extend its winning streak to nine games against Chattanooga.

READ: Syracuse fires head coach Babers

Milroe and the Crimson Tide took care of business, handling the Mocs 66-10.

Milroe had a career-high 81.3% completion against Chattanooga. He did it all in a little more than two quarters before backups Ty Simpson and Dylan Lonergan took over.

Three of Milroe’s 13 completions went for touchdowns. All three scores went to different receivers: Jermaine Burton from 5 yards, Robbie Ouzts from 7 and Malik Benson from 20.

Milroe now has had back-to-back games with at least three passing touchdowns. He’s 28-of-38 in those games and he’s thrown a combined 431 yards.

Alabama and Milroe have Auburn next week to close out the regular season before playing No. 1 Georgia. A shot at the CFP won’t be easy, but it isn’t out of the question for the Crimson Tide if they continue  to win.

Diego Pavia, New Mexico State

New Mexico State may have had the biggest win of the week.

According to Brett McMurphy of Action Network, the Aggies were paid “$1.8 million” to play at Auburn, and New Mexico State came out on the winning end 31-10.

Aggies quarterback Diego Pavia led New Mexico State under center. He had three passing touchdowns to tie his season-high.

He connected on scoring passes of 9, 17 and 2 yards, finding a different receiver each time. Pavia finished with a 78.9% completion, his second-best mark of the season.

Pavia topped 200 passing yards for the ninth time in his career. He had 201 against Auburn.

It’s the first time New Mexico State beat a team from the SEC in program history.

Will Shipley, Clemson

Clemson has had an up and down season, but the Tigers notched another signature win under the belts on Saturday.

The Tigers defeated No. 22 North Carolina 31-20 and stormed back from a 7-0 deficit.

READ: Ohio State rises to No. 2 in latest AP Top 25

Tigers running back Will Shipley has seen injuries and a concussion hinder his season at times. He missed Clemson’s game Nov. 4 against Notre Dame.

In his most productive game of the year, Shipley took advantage of his carriers. He averaged 7 yards per rush and tallied 126 rushing yards, a season-high.

Shipley scored a 33-yard run in the third quarter to give the Tigers a 28-14 lead.

In a year where Clemson desired more than it has achieved, the Tigers earned their second ranked win of the season when Shipley shined brightest.

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