SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Brandon Wimbush passed for 2 touchdowns and ran for 2 more, Josh Adams added 3 touchdown runs, and No. 13 Notre Dame took advantage of three turnovers by No. 11 Southern California to win 49-14 on Saturday night.
The Fighting Irish (6-1) turned all three USC turnovers into touchdowns, giving them their first victory against USC (6-2) when the Trojans were ranked since a 38-10 victory in 1995. The turnovers came on a fumble and interception by Sam Darnold, and a dropped punt by Jack Jones.
Adams had an 84-yard touchdown run and finished with 191 yards on 19 carries. Wimbush ran for 106 yards on 14 carries as the Irish amassed 377 yards on the ground.
It was the fifth 100-yard rushing game of the season for Adams, who is the quickest to 2,000 rushing yards in Notre Dame history at 316 carries. It took George Gipp 323 carries to set the mark. It was the third 100-yard rushing game for Wimbush, coming back from missing a game with an injured right foot.
Wimbush still wasn't sharp passing, completing 9 of 19 passes for 120 yards. But he came up with key passes when needed.
Linebacker Te'Von Coney, starting because Greer Martini injured his knee during the bye week, got the Irish going on a strip-sack of Darnold on USC's first play from scrimmage after Darnold bobbled the snap. Wimbush threw a 26-yard touchdown pass to Equanimeous St. Brown three plays later.
The Irish led 28-0 at halftime.
Darnold completed 20 of 29 passes, but he could not overcome the turnovers or USC being held to 76 yards rushing, including minus-4 in the first half. He threw two touchdown passes, the first cutting Notre Dame's lead to 28-7.
No. 20 CENTRAL FLORIDA 31,
NAVY 21
ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- Adrian Killins ran for 122 yards and 2 touchdowns, McKenzie Milton passed for 233 yards, and No. 20 Central Florida beat Navy for the first 6-0 start in school history.
The game was tied in the third quarter before Killins bolted down the right sideline for a 79-yard touchdown run to put the Knights ahead for good.
With the victory, Central Florida (6-0, 4-0 AAC) became bowl eligible, matched its victory total of last year and improved to 6-0 for the first time in the 39-year history of the program.
The Midshipmen (5-2, 3-2) kept it close, but their chances of pulling off an upset dwindled after quarterback Zach Abey was forced from the game in the third quarter. Abey was dazed from a hit to the helmet at the end of a run and had to be helped off the field.
Abey, the key figure in Navy's triple option, carried 25 times for 126 yards and a touchdown -- his school-record eighth consecutive 100-yard game. He also threw a touchdown pass.
His backup, Garret Lewis, directed a 75-yard drive that got the Midshipmen to within 24-21 with 12:50 left.
Navy then intercepted a pass and moved inside the UCF 40 before Lewis sent a late pitch to Darryl Bonner, who fumbled when he was hit by cornerback Brandon Moore.
Moore recovered the loose ball with just over seven minutes remaining, and UCF freshman Otis Anderson scored the clincher on a 10-yard run with 3:30 to go.
NO. 16 SOUTH FLORIDA 34,
TULANE 28
NEW ORLEANS — Quinton Flowers passed for two touchdowns, ran for 138 yards and another score, and No. 16 South Florida extended the nation’s longest active winning streak to 12 games with a victory over Tulane.
South Florida (7-0, 4-0 American) also scored at least 30 points in a game for a modern-era record 24th consecutive time, but needed to hold on after Tulane nearly came back from a 27-point deficit.
Joathan Banks passed for two touchdowns for Tulane, and Dontrell Hilliard’s 16-yard touchdown run made it a one-possession game with 2:45 left. But the Green Wave (3-4, 1-2) failed to recover an onside kick and could not stop Darius Tice’s run on third down, allowing the Bulls to run out the clock and drop Tulane to its first home loss this season.
Sports on 10/22/2017