College football scores, rankings, highlights: Oregon closes in on Pac-12 Championship Game with win over Utah

A busy night in the Pac-12 produced exciting results as the conference title race becomes clearer

A year after getting dominated twice by Utah, No. 12 Oregon secured revenge and showed program growth with a gritty 20-17 win over the No. 10 Utes on Saturday in a late-night Pac-12 showdown. The win puts the Ducks on the precipice of reaching Pac-12 Championship Game under first-year coach Dan Lanning.

After the disappointment of a rivalry loss to Washington last week that knocked Oregon out of College Football Playoff contention, the Ducks had to soldier through some injuries to outlast the Utes. Most notably, quarterback Bo Nix was clearly hobbled after suffering a leg injury late in last week's game. The Auburn transfer looked far less than 100% healthy, but threw for 287 yards anyway and came up with a huge first-down run to ice the game late in the fourth quarter.

If Oregon beats rival No. 23 Oregon State next week, it will match up with No. 7 USC in the Pac-12 title game. The Trojans were among a handful of CFP hopefuls to survive scares on Saturday and remain in the national title hunt as they outlasted No. 16 UCLA 48-45. 

The only team in the top seven of this week's CFP Rankings that didn't lose or get pushed to the brink of defeat on Saturday was No. 6 LSU. The Tigers beat visiting UAB 41-10 and improved to 9-2 ahead of their regular-season finale with Texas A&M next week. With No. 5 Tennessee losing at South Carolina, the Tigers are likely to move up in next week's CFP Rankings as they seek to become the first-ever two-loss team to make the CFP field.

College football scores, schedule: Week 12

No. 3 Michigan 19, Illinois 17 -- Takeaways, recap
No. 4 TCU 29, Baylor 28 --Takeaways, recap
No. 8 Alabama 34, Austin Peay 0 -- Recap
No. 18 Notre Dame 44, Boston College 0 --Recap
No. 1 Georgia 16, Kentucky 6 --  Takeaways, recap
No. 9 Clemson 40, Miami 10 -- Recap
No. 2 Ohio State 43, Maryland 30 --  Takeaways, recap
No. 11 Penn State 55, Rutgers 10 -- Recap
Texas 55, Kansas 14 -- Recap
South Carolina 63, No. 5 Tennessee 31 -- Recap
Arkansas  42, No. 14 Ole Miss 27 -- Recap
Oklahoma 28, No. 22 Oklahoma State 13 -- Recap
No. 7 USC 48, No. 16 UCLA 45 -- Takeaways, recap
No. 6 LSU 41, UAB 10 -- Recap
No. 12 Oregon 20, No. 10 Utah 17 -- Recap
Check out the entire Week 12 scoreboard 

Check these out ...

• Overreactions: Playoff contenders survive and advance
• TT25T: USC, Clemson improve playoff profiles as they jump in rankings
• Hendon Hooker injury: Tennessee star QB exits game after hurting knee
• Angry Bret Bielema: Illinois coach blasts officiating in loss to Michigan
• Virginia tributes pouring in: College football, NFL honor victims of deadly shooting

[Nov 20, 2022 at 1:54 am ET · David Cobb]

Bo Nix clinches it

Final: Oregon 20, Utah 17

Clearly hobbled by the injury he suffered late in last week's loss to Oregon, Bo Nix has been far less than 100% today. But the Auburn transfer just ran for the first time tonight and picked up a huge first down to clinch a win for the Ducks. Cam Rising will be haunted by this performance as he finishes 21 of 38 for 170 yards, no touchdowns and three interceptions. Tough night for the Utes. Oregon will play in the Pac-12 title game if it beats Oregon State next week.

[Nov 20, 2022 at 12:37 am ET · Ben Kercheval]

Utes close gap with a scoop-n-score

3Q: No. 12 Oregon 17, No. 10 Utah 10

[Nov 20, 2022 at 12:10 am ET · Ben Kercheval]

Bo Nix looks fine as Ducks lead Utes

End 2Q: No. 12 Oregon 17, No. 10 Utah 3

A big variable for tonight's Pac-12 showdown between Oregon and Utah was the health of Ducks quarterback Bo Nix, who was dinged up late in the Washington game. In fact, Oregon had some pretty important injuries up front along the offensive line coming out of that loss. So far, Nix looks fine -- or is able to play through the pain -- to the tune of 115 yards passing and a touchdown. It was going to be interesting to see how Utah's offense was going to look agains this Oregon pass defense, which has been pretty brutal, but so far Cam Rising has just 77 yards through the air. An impressive showing for Oregon so far. 

[Nov 19, 2022 at 11:55 pm ET · Ben Kercheval]

Sooners hold on in Bedlam, get bowl eligible

Final: Oklahoma 28, No. 22 Oklahoma State 13

The Sooners didn't quite finish the game like they started, but wins count the same regardless. Oklahoma rode a hot start to a 15-point win and are now bowl eligible for the 24th straight year. Though Cowboys quarterback Spencer Sanders put forth a heroic effort with more than 400 yards of total offense, it wasn't enough to offset early turnovers. 

[Nov 19, 2022 at 11:52 pm ET · Ben Kercheval]

USC edges UCLA, keeps CFP hopes alive

Final: No. 7 USC 48, No. 16 UCLA 45

No. 7 USC clinched its spot in the Pac-12 Championship Game and kept its College Football Playoff aspirations alive with an epic offensive showing in a 48-45 win over No. 16 UCLA. The Trojans only punted once while racking up over 600 yards and rallying from a 14-0 deficit against their crosstown rival in a massive game for both programs.

A win would have kept UCLA's hopes of reaching the Pac-12 title game intact, but the Bruins had no answer for USC's prolific offense on senior night at the Rose Bowl. USC quarterback Caleb Williams threw for more than 400 yards and scored both through the air and on the ground while out-dueling UCLA's Dorian Thompson-Robinson.

[Nov 19, 2022 at 11:30 pm ET · Barrett Sallee]

Ole Miss gets smoked by the Hogs

Final: Arkansas 42, No. 14 Ole Miss 26

The Rebels racked up 703 yards of total offense ... and lost. Badly. The Razorbacks jumped out to a 42-6 lead through two-plus quarters and their defense bent, but rarely broke in a devastating loss for the Rebels. A second straight New Year's Six bowl was in their grasp, but a loss like this puts a serious hole in its resume.

[Nov 19, 2022 at 11:27 pm ET · Barrett Sallee]

Tennessee goes down

Final: South Carolina 63, No. 5 Tennessee 38

Gamecocks quarterback Spencer Rattler had the game of his life on Saturday night, throwing for 438 yards and six touchdowns in one of the biggest upsets of the season. The stat of the game was South Carolina's red zone prowess. It scored touchdowns on all eight of its possessions inside of the 20-yard line in a dominating performance that started from the moment toe met leather. The loss by Tennessee is its second of the season and likely eliminates the Volunteers from the race for the College Football Playoff.

[Nov 19, 2022 at 11:25 pm ET · Ben Kercheval]

South Carolina's social team wins the day

I'll just leave this here ...

[Nov 19, 2022 at 11:24 pm ET · Ben Kercheval]

Caleb Williams vs. DTR show

4Q: No 7 USC 48, No 16 UCLA 38

This game has been everything we'd hoped it would be. There's not much defense in the Rose Bowl, but who cares? The quarterback battle between Williams and DTR has been electrifying. with the two combining for nearly 700 yards passing and five touchdowns. 

[Nov 19, 2022 at 10:41 pm ET · Ben Kercheval]

Oklahoma State crawling back

4Q: Oklahoma 28, No. 22 Oklahoma State 13

The Sooners have done nothing since the first quarter and Oklahoma State, for as poorly as it's played, has made it a two score game with the better part of the fourth quarter still to play. Cowboys quarterback Spencer Sanders has done a lot tonight -- he leads the team in rushing with 47 yards in addition to his 300 yards passing -- which is pretty incredible given he's playing at less than 100%. Do the Pokes have anything left in the tank to complete the comeback? And if Oklahoma loses, what of first-year coach Brent Venables? This season has been teetering on disaster at various points, but blowing this big of a lead vs. a rival is going to be tough for Sooner fans to swallow. Should be a fascinating final 12 minutes to play. 

[Nov 19, 2022 at 10:03 pm ET · Barrett Sallee]

Tennessee down two scores with one to play

End Q3: South Carolina 42, No. 5 Tennessee 31

Tennessee is still in the thick of the College Football Playoff race, but that is slipping away after three quarters against South Carolina. Gamecocks quarterback Spencer Rattler has stretched the field all night, has four touchdown passes and racked up 353 yards in what has been the best performance of his career. The one-loss Volunteers have five quarters left to impress the CFP selection committee, and its defense better step up. Otherwise, the dream season could end in a nightmare. 

[Nov 19, 2022 at 9:42 pm ET · Barrett Sallee]

LSU up early

End Q1: No. 6 LSU 14, UAB 7

The Tigers' offense came to play in rainy Baton Rouge. John Emery Jr. has a touchdown run and quarterback Jayden Daniels is 6 of 8 for 113 yards after the first quarter at Tiger Stadium. The Tigers are still on the periphery of the College Football Playoff chase and could use some style points against the Blazers just in case the dominoes fall in their favor.

[Nov 19, 2022 at 9:23 pm ET · Ben Kercheval]

Sooners control Bedlam at halftime

End 2Q: Oklahoma 28, No. 22 Oklahoma State 3

Things have slowed down a bit since the Sooners got off to a blazing 21-0 start in the first quarter, but Brent Venables' team is still firmly in control after one half. Three interceptions from Cowboys quarterback Spencer Sanders have been impossible to overcome, though Sooners QB Dillon Gabriel was picked off right before the half when his team could have added some more points. Still, Oklahoma State hasn't been able to move the ball with just two third-down conversions on 10 attempts (Oklahoma isn't much better on 1 of 6 third-down conversions). We'll see if Oklahoma just rides this out in the final 30 minutes. 

[Nov 19, 2022 at 9:20 pm ET · Barrett Sallee]

Arkansas isn't messing around vs. Ole Miss

Half: Arkansas 35, No. 14 Ole Miss 6

Could Rebels' coach Lane Kiffin have his eyes elsewhere? It certainly looks like it after the dud of a first half his team put up at Arkansas. The Razorbacks' secondary -- which has been atrocious for the majority of the season -- picked quarterback Jaxson Dart off once and hasn't allowed much through the air as they lead 28-6 at the break. Hogs quarterback KJ Jefferson is 14 of 18 for 164 yards and three passing touchdowns, and Raheim Sanders has touchdowns on the ground, in what has rapidly becoming a blowout in Fayetteville.

[Nov 19, 2022 at 9:02 pm ET · Ben Kercheval]

Bruins winning on both sides of ball

End 1Q: No. 16 UCLA 14, No. 7 USC 0

UCLA came up with huge plays on both sides of the ball while jumping out to a 14-0 lead on USC after the first quarter of a critical Pac-12 rivalry showdown. The Bruins entered as slight underdogs but frustrated the Trojans in the opening frame by coming up with a huge fourth-down stop and intercepting quarterback Caleb Williams.

Gain Medrano's interception of Williams set up a 30-yard touchdown pass from UCLA's Dorian Thompson-Robinson to Michael Ezeike on the next play to make it 14-0 -- less than a minute after the Bruins capped a 14-play touchdown drive with a Thompson-Robinson scoring run. 

[Nov 19, 2022 at 8:59 pm ET · Barrett Sallee]

South Carolina explodes in the first half vs. No. 5 Tennessee

Half: South Carolina 35, No. 5 Tennessee 24

Spencer Rattler is 14 of 19 for 249 yards and four touchdowns, and scored five touchdowns in its first five possessions prior to the throwaway drive at the end of the half in what has been Rattler's best performance in a South Carolina uniform. Tennessee didn't give up. Quarterback Hendon Hooker has 164 yards passing, 25 yards rushing and two touchdown passes on the afternoon. South Carolina has attacked the Volunteers' secondary all evening and they didn't seem to have an answer. It'll be interesting to see how the fifth-ranked defense in the country adjusts at halftime.

[Nov 19, 2022 at 8:52 pm ET · Barrett Sallee]

Georgia Tech shocks No. 13 North Carolina

Final: Georgia Tech 21, No. 13 North Carolina 17

North Carolina already locked up a spot in the ACC Championship Game and still had faint hopes to make the College Football Playoff, but the Tar Heels got stung by Georgia Tech in what was one of the stunners on Saturday. Star quarterback and Heisman Trophy contender Drake Maye was a mere 16 of 30, didn't throw a touchdown and threw a critical second half touchdown that led to Georgia Tech's game-winning touchdown. From there, the Yellow Jackets defense held on. They allowed just 365 yards by the potent North Carolina offense in the win.

[Nov 19, 2022 at 8:26 pm ET · Barrett Sallee]

Hogs on fire early

End Q1: Arkansas 14, No. 14 Ole Miss 3

Ole Miss is in search of its second straight New Year's Six bowl berth, but it doesn't look like it early in their road matchup vs. Arkansas. Razorbacks quarterback K.J. Jefferson is absolutely lighting up the porous Rebels defense to the tune of 8 of 11 for 90 yards and two touchdowns. Additionally, Raheim Sanders has 61 carries on eight yards in what has been an impressive performance from the Hogs. 

[Nov 19, 2022 at 8:15 pm ET · Ben Kercheval]

Sooners off to blazing start in Bedlam

1Q: Oklahoma 21, No. 22 Oklahoma State 0

Well, this is ... unexpected. It's hard to imagine a better/worse start depending on which side you're on in this Bedlam game. Oklahoma came right out of the gate with a quick touchdown and hasn't looked back as it holds a 21-0 lead halfway through the first quarter. It's no secret that Cowboys quarterback Spencer Sanders is less than 100%, but he's thrown a pair of picks and nearly had some more picked off, too. This was kind of a fishy line when it came out on Sunday (Sooners were a 7.5-point favorite) but, as usual, Vegas knows. Can the Cowboys crawl their way back into this game?

[Nov 19, 2022 at 7:53 pm ET · Barrett Sallee]

Spencer Rattler lighting Tennessee up

END Q1: South Carolina 21, No. 5 Tennessee 7

Gamecocks quarterback Spencer Rattler -- yes, that Spencer Rattler -- is lighting up Tennessee's porous pass defense. The transfer from Oklahoma is 10 of 12 for 185 yards and three passing touchdowns, and has Williams-Brice Stadium rocking. The Volunteers cruised right down the field and scored on a Jabari Small touchdown run to match Rattler's first touchdown pass, but quarterback Hendon Hooker hasn't been able to get things going through the air in what has been a wild first quarter.

[Nov 19, 2022 at 7:47 pm ET · David Cobb]

Tennessee in trouble

Late 1Q: South Carolina 21, Tennessee 7

The trend of highly ranked teams struggling against unranked foes continues as the Volunteers have surrendered 214 total yards in less than 14 minutes of game action. Spencer Rattler is on fire with three touchdown passes already. Williams-Brice looks like it's bumping as the No. 5 Vols are on the ropes early in a must-win game for their CFP hopes.

[Nov 19, 2022 at 7:39 pm ET · David Cobb]

Georgia Tech hanging around

Mid 3Q: North Carolina 17, Georgia Tech 14

The Yellow Jackets were 21-point underdogs but are putting up a fight against North Carolina has -3 yards on its last two offensive possessions. Good showing from the Georgia Tech defense thus far against a UNC offense that has been unstoppable many weeks. Zach Gibson has been solid at QB tonight for Georgia Tech.

[Nov 19, 2022 at 7:20 pm ET · David Cobb]

What a game

Final: Ohio State 43, Maryland 30

The final score won't show it, but this was a fight until the end. Taulia Tagovailoa was sacked and fumbled on Maryland's final desperation, which allowed Ohio State's Steele Chambers to score a defensive touchdown with 9 seconds left to clinch the game. Terrapins played pretty well on both sides of the ball but just couldn't get it done in the end. Something to watch for next week is the status of Tagovailoa, who was hurt on the fumble TD. Tough moment for him and the program.

[Nov 19, 2022 at 7:03 pm ET · David Cobb]

Louisville wins again

Final: Louisville 25, NC State 10

What was supposed to be a banner year for NC State has turned into a disappointment as the Wolfpack drop to 7-4 (3-4 ACC) with a 25-10 loss to a Louisville squad that has won five of its last six. With Devin Leary out, the NC State offense has shriveled up. Wolfpack averaged just 3.7 yards per play today and were 0 for 3 on fourth downs.

[Nov 19, 2022 at 6:58 pm ET · David Cobb]

Clemson dominates

Final: Clemson 40, Miami 10

Clemson allowed just 98 total yards and six first downs in a dominant 40-10 win over Miami. Jacurri Brown started at QB for the Canes over Tyler Van Dyke and Jake Garcia, but going against these Tigers may have been an unfair assignment for the freshman. The Hurricanes will finish 5-7 for the first time since 2007 unless they beat Pittsburgh next week. Clemson can finish the regular season 11-1 with a win over South Carolina next week.

[Nov 19, 2022 at 6:42 pm ET · David Cobb]

Georgia wins ugly

Final: Georgia 16, Kentucky 6

The Bulldogs didn't win any style points with their performance today, but they took care of business on the road against a Kentucky team that was ranked in the top 10 nationally at one point this season. Considering how nervous things got for Michigan and TCU earlier, this was a relatively comfortable win by that standard. Kenny McIntosh was big on the ground for UGA with 143 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries. A game with Georgia Tech next week is all that stands between the Bulldogs and an unbeaten regular season.

[Nov 19, 2022 at 6:33 pm ET · David Cobb]

Penn State in command 

Late 3Q: Penn State 48, Rutgers 10

The Nittany Lions are winning the turnover battle 3-1 with two of Rutgers' turnovers leading to Penn State defensive touchdowns. What a nightmare for the Scarlet Knights, who ALSO allowed a 100-yard kickoff return for a TD. Rough way for Rutgers to bid farewell to its hopes of reaching bowl eligibility. Penn State can reach 10 wins if it closes with a victory next week against Michigan State.

[Nov 19, 2022 at 6:24 pm ET · David Cobb]

Terps hanging around

Early 4Q: Ohio State 27, Maryland 21

Maryland marches 75 yards on five plays and quickly scores to open the fourth quarter as Taulia Tagovailoa runs one in from five yards to make it a one-possession game. Mike Locksley went for two and it paid off as Taulia hit Jacob Copeland for the conversion. Big answer from Maryland after it looked like Ohio State might be gaining separation. Huge series coming for the Maryland defense, which was a questionable PI call away from potentially forcing a punt on Ohio State's last possession.

[Nov 19, 2022 at 6:00 pm ET · David Cobb]

Buckeyes up 7

Mid 3Q: Ohio State 20, Maryland 13

Ohio State has scored twice to start the third quarter, but not in a way that suggests Maryland is wilting. First came a TD set up by a blocked punt, then came a good drive for Ohio State that stalled out with an intentional grounding call that led to a long field goal. Terrapins still in this game midway through the third quarter.

[Nov 19, 2022 at 5:49 pm ET · David Cobb]

Clemson still in control

Mid 3Q: Clemson 24, Miami 3 

Clemson isn't pouring it on against Miami after a quick start, but the Tigers remain in firm control midway through the third quarter as they have allowed just four first downs. DJU is just 2 of his last 8 through the air and the Tigers are averaging just 4.7 yards per play. Their defense has been so dominant that it doesn't really matter. Jacurri Brown is starting at QB for the Hurricanes but hasn't been able to get much going.