ATLANTA — Virginia Tech might have lost its shot at a national championship on another doomed trip to Atlanta.
Josh Nesbitt rushed for 122 yards and three touchdowns — the last of them tiptoeing down the sideline to finish off the fourth-ranked Hokies with 3 minutes left — as No. 19 Georgia Tech ran to a 28-23 win that threw the Atlantic Coast Conference race up for grabs while perhaps finishing off the league’s top contender in the national race.
Georgia Tech (6-1, 4-1 ACC) completed just one pass but ran for 309 yards out of its spread option offense — all but 37 of those yards coming in the second half.
Nesbitt made up for a fumble that gave Virginia Tech life by finishing off the clinching drive with his best run of the night.
On third-and-7 from the Hokies 39, the quarterback ran to his left, saw two defenders peel away to shadow potential pitch targets, turned up through a huge hole and managed to stay in bounds along the sideline, even when Dorian Porch gave him one last shove around the 5.
Nesbitt has run for six touchdowns over the last two weeks, also scoring three times in a 49-44 victory over Florida State. It was the fifth time this season the quarterback was rushed for more than 90 yards.
After Georgia Tech recovered an onside kick, Nesbitt kneeled down a couple of times to run out the clock.
No. 2 Alabama 20, South Carolina 6
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Mark Ingram rushed for a career-high 246 yards and a game-clinching touchdown as the Crimson Tide (7-0, 4-0 SEC) overcome four turnovers — doubling their season total.
The Gamecocks (5-2, 2-2) had never beaten a team ranked higher than No. 3 and were hoping for their second win over a top-five team this season.
No. 6 Southern California 34, No. 25 Notre Dame 27
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Jimmy Clausen threw three incomplete passes into the end zone in the closing seconds as the Trojans held on for their eighth straight win against the Irish.
The Irish rallied back from a 34-14 deficit, but couldn’t convert the last touchdown.
Purdue 26, No. 7 Ohio State 18
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Joey Elliott and Purdue shocked mistake-prone Ohio State.
Elliott threw for 281 yards and two touchdowns, and the Boilermakers snapped a five-game losing streak by beating No. 7 Ohio State to effectively end what national-title chances remained for the Buckeyes.
Purdue dominated the first three quarters, then held on as Ohio State tried to mount a comeback behind Terrelle Pryor, who threw two interceptions and lost two fumbles.
The Boilermakers (2-5, 1-2) had lost five in a row since beating Toledo to start Danny Hope’s first season as coach.
It was Purdue’s first win over a ranked team since 2003 and its first win over the Buckeyes since 2004. Ohio State (5-2, 3-1) failed to tie the Big Ten record of 17 straight conference road wins.
No. 9 Miami 27, C. Florida 7
ORLANDO, Fla. — Jacory Harris completed 20 of 26 passes for 293 yards and a touchdown. Javarris James rushed for another score on the way to topping the 2,000-yard mark for his career for the Hurricanes (5-1), who matched their best start since 2005.
Brett Hodges threw for 163 yards for UCF (3-3), but the team’s top rusher — Brynn Harvey, who was coming off a 219-yard effort against Memphis — was held to 25 yards on 12 carries.
UCF is now 0-20 against teams in the AP Top 25 since moving to Division I-A in 1996.
No. 11 Iowa 20, Wisconsin 10
MADISON, Wis. — Iowa needed a second-half road rally to keep its perfect season alive.
Trailing by a touchdown at halftime, the Hawkeyes (7-0, 3-0 Big Ten) began the third quarter by turning an interception into a tying touchdown pass from quarterback Ricky Stanzi to tight end Tony Moeaki.
Iowa took the lead on a 10-yard touchdown run by Adam Robinson early in the fourth quarter, and the Hawkeyes’ defense kept the Badgers scoreless in the second half.
No. 14 Penn State 20, Minnesota 0
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Navorro Bowman led a stifling defense, Evan Royster ran for 137 yards and Derek Moye had a disputed touchdown catch in Penn State’s easy win over Minnesota.
Moye’s 12-yard reception in the end zone was initially ruled incomplete, then overturned after an official review for a TD on a drive that gave the Nittany Lions (6-1, 2-1 Big Ten) a 13-0 lead late in the first half.
Bowman led the defense with several big hits, and Penn State held a foe without a first-half touchdown for the seventh straight game.
No. 23 Houston 44, Tulane 16
NEW ORLEANS — Bryce Beall and Justin Johnson each ran for two touchdowns for Houston (5-1, 1-1 Conference USA), which pulled away after leading only 9-6 at halftime. Tulane has lost 37 straight to ranked teams since 1982.
