After kicking the game-winning field goal as time expired last week against Marshall, Ohio State kicker Mike Nugent would have been more than happy to do the same again this week at North Carolina State (1-1).
No. 7 Ohio State (3-0) didn’t need its clutch kicker at the buzzer in its 22-14 win over the Wolfpack, but Nugent’s school-record five field goals were the difference.
The Ohio State offense was not spectacular, as running back Lydell Ross finished with only 51 yards rushing and first-year quarterback Justin Zwick threw for 73 yards.
Five North Carolina State turnovers allowed the Buckeyes to complete four scoring drives of 10 yards or fewer.
Michigan 24, San Diego State 21
Freshman quarterback Chad Henne struggled, but host No. 18 Michigan (2-1) appeared to solve its recent rushing problems.
Michigan freshman Mike Hart ran for 121 yards on 25 carries and was the first Wolverines back to rush for 100 yards this season.
Henne tossed three interceptions, but threw two touchdown passes to senior wideout Braylon Edwards, who finished with eight catches for 130 yards.
The Aztecs (1-1), who nearly upset Ohio State last season, led 21-17 at halftime but missed two fourth-quarter field goals.
Arizona State 44, Iowa 7
This game was never close as Arizona State quarterback Andrew Walter and the host Sun Devils (3-0) routed the Hawkeyes (2-1). Walter passed for 428 yards and five touchdowns.
“It was about as sound a beating as we’ve had in quite some time,” Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said.
Minnesota 34, Colorado State 16
Running backs Marion Barber III and Laurence Maroney carried the load, and visiting No. 19 Minnesota (3-0) scored more than 20 points for the 11th consecutive game.
Barber ran for 201 yards and two touchdowns while Maroney added 132 yards.
Notre Dame 31, Michigan State 24
The Fighting Irish defense forced six Michigan State turnovers in Notre Dame’s second victory over a Big Ten opponent in two weeks.
The host Spartans (1-2) grabbed the momentum early on a blocked punt that was recovered in the end zone by Jerramy Scott for a 7-0 lead.
But Tom Zbikowski made two game-changing plays later in the first quarter.
First, the freshman intercepted a pass to set up Notre Dame’s first touchdown.
Then, Zbikowski stripped running back Jason Teague and scampered 75 yards for a touchdown that gave the Irish (2-1) the lead for good.
Wisconsin 9, Arizona 7
You could barely count the oddities of this game on one hand.
The game was delayed 88-minutes in the second quarter because of inclement weather, a rarity in Tucson, Ariz., and the coaches for both teams agreed to skip halftime due to the lengthy delay.
Running back Booker Stanley, filling in for injured starter Anthony Davis, ran 135 yards and scored a touchdown for No. 20 Wisconsin (3-0).
Arizona (1-2) has lost 16 consecutive games to ranked opponents.
Penn State 37, Central Florida 13
Despite six turnovers by quarterback Zack Mills, Penn State (2-1) pounded the Golden Knights (0-3) in State College, Pa.
Mills threw for a touchdown and 229 yards but tossed two interceptions and lost four fumbles.
Penn State running back Tony Hunt was a bright spot for the Nittany Lions. Hunt ran for 125 yards and scored three touchdowns.
Illinois 30, Western Michigan 27
Host Illinois survived under backup quarterback Brad Bower, who started in place of injured Jon Beutjer.
Western Michigan (1-2) scored a go-ahead touchdown with 6:56 remaining but could not hold on.
Bower was not perfect — the redshirt freshman finished with two interceptions and 177 yards on 10 of 19 passing — but he did lead Illinois (2-1) on a winning touchdown drive late in the fourth quarter.
E.B. Halsey ran for 91 yards on 20 carries and his game-winning four-yard plunge into the end zone with 1:02 left in the game was his second touchdown of the game.
Kentucky 51, Indiana 32
Kentucky quarterback Shane Boyd celebrated a happy 22nd birthday Saturday night, totaling 335 all-purpose yards and scoring four touchdowns.
Visiting Indiana (2-1) was gunning for its first 3-0 start since 1994 but lost to Kentucky (1-1) for the ninth time in its last 10 meetings.
Reach Zach Silka at [email protected].
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
