College football Week 12 top plays: USC defeats UCLA, Oregon tops Utah

Week 12 of the college football season featured several exciting matchups, including No. 12 Oregon beating No. 10 Utah, and No. 7 USC outlasting crosstown rival No. 16 UCLA at the Rose Bowl.

Earlier, No. 4 TCU kicked a game-winning field goal against Baylor as time expired to stay unbeaten. In the Big Ten, No. 3 Michigan rallied to beat Illinois in the final seconds, while No. 2 Ohio State narrowly came away with a win over Maryland. 

Elsewhere, No. 9 Clemson throttled Miami, Texas dismantled Kansas on the road, and Oklahoma got revenge against No. 22 Oklahoma State in the Bedlam Series after losing to its arch-rival last season.

Here are the top plays from Saturday’s slate!

No. 12 Oregon 20, No. 10 Utah 17

Ducks go up

Oregon was first on the board when Mar’Keise Irving capped off a 10-play, 79-yard drive with a 10-yard touchdown run to open the game.

Then, QB Bo Nix connected with Biletnikoff Award hopeful Troy Franklin to extend the Ducks’ lead.

Comeback tour

Utah was down 17-3 to start the second half, but the Utes came roaring back with two third-quarter scores to knot things up headed into the final frame.

First, Utah recovered a fumble from Oregon’s Dont’e Thornton and returned it to the house. Then, the Utes capitalized on an 18-yard touchdown run from Jaylen Dixon to tie the game.

Down to the wire

There were back-to-back interceptions in the final few minutes of this one, as Oregon tried to hold on to its lead and Utah tried to jump out in front. In the end, the Ducks were able to hold out for the win.

No. 7 USC 48, No. 16 UCLA 45

Bruins strike first

UCLA QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson took it in for the Bruins himself, giving the home team the early lead.

Then, he showed off his arm strength for UCLA’s second first-quarter touchdown, a 30-yard bomb.

Closing the gap

USC gained some momentum in the second quarter, pulling within three points to keep the Bruins close.

Riding the wave

USC QB Caleb Williams found a rhythm ahead of the break with one big throw after another. That helped set up another Trojans touchdown to keep the Bruins within arm’s reach as halftime approached.

New leader

USC took its first lead of the game in the third quarter when Williams found Jordan Addison for a 35-yard TD.

All-out effort

There were six more touchdowns exchanged between both teams, as this one came down to the wire. In the end, the Trojans sealed the deal with a late-minute interception as UCLA charged downfield.

Oklahoma 28, No. 22 Oklahoma State 13

In the dust

Drake Stoops burned the man covering him and made a diving grab at the 1-yard line to set up Oklahoma for the game’s first score.

Man of the hour

Sooners QB Dillon Gabriel tossed two more touchdowns in the first quarter to put Oklahoma up 28-0, and Oklahoma State was never able to find its footing.

Texas 55, Kansas 14

Order up

Bijan Robinson plowed his way into the end zone for a 2-yard touchdown run to get Texas on the board.

Then, the Longhorns’ star running back notched his second touchdown of the game, running untouched into the end zone to make it 14-0.

Double trouble

Keilan Robinson took a screen pass 15 yards for an easy touchdown to extend the Texas lead to 24-0.

Star power

Bijan Robinson completed the hat trick by running in for a 1-yard score as time expired in the first half. 

Then, he Longhorns’ standout broke a pair of tackles, stutter-stepped and turned on the jets for a 32-yard touchdown run, good for his fourth score of the game as Texas ran away with the win.

No. 2 Ohio State 43, Maryland 30

Highlight reel

Ohio State’s star receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. made the tough catch along the sideline while getting interfered with for a 30-yard gain, which helped the Buckeyes take a 7-0 lead on the opening drive.

Terps on top at the half

Taulia Tagovailoa found CJ Dippre in the back of the end zone to give Maryland a 13-10 lead.

Blocked punt

After struggling to move the ball following its opening drive in the first half, Ohio State got things rolling in the second half by blocking a punt in Maryland territory. It was Lathan Ransom‘s second straight game with a punt block. Two plays later, Ohio State scored to go up 17-13.

Finding their groove

With multiple injuries at running back, Ohio State turned to Dallan Hayden, who scored his second touchdown to extend the lead to 27-13.

Taulia time

Maryland’s QB kept the ball himself and ran it in for the TD. The deficit was cut to 27-21 following a successful two-point conversion.

Three for the backup RB

Hayden added a third touchdown right after Maryland’s score that briefly put the Buckeyes up by 12. The Terps, however, blocked the PAT and ran it all the way back for two points to make it a 10-point game. 

Shades of his brother

Tagovailoa razzled and dazzled on fourth-and-goal, scrambling all the way to the sideline before throwing a touchdown to cut Ohio State’s lead to 33-30, but it wasn’t enough to spark a comeback.

No. 9 Clemson 40, Miami (FL) 10 

Can’t tackle DJ

DJ Uigalelei powered his way into the end zone to extend Clemson’s lead to 14-0 early on.

Wide open

Clemson had its way with Miami, as Luke Price got wide open on the play-action pass at the goal line to make it 24-0 en route to an easy win at home.

No. 4 TCU 29, Baylor 28

Booming early

Qualan Jones capped off Baylor’s opening drive by punching the ball into the end zone on a 10-yard scamper.

Ground game strong

TCU QB Max Duggan has made a name for himself all season for the plays he’s made with his arm. However, it was his legs that got the Horned Frogs on the board to even up the game late in the first quarter.

Battling

Things didn’t stay tied for long, however, as Kelsey Johnson took the reverse and ran up field for a 2-yard touchdown to give Baylor the lead back.

Right after Baylor scored its second touchdown of the game, Duggan connected with Taye Barber for a near-80-yard reception on the opening plan of the ensuing drive that set up Kendre Miller to run for a touchdown a few plays later.

INT frenzy

Baylor tried to get a touchdown in right before halftime. But TCU defensive back Bud Clark had other plans, picking off a pass in the end zone to keep the game tied going into halftime.

Then, Baylor got an interception of its own after TCU’s star QB tried to go for the home run ball to break a 14-14 tie. Instead, the Bears ended up with the ball.

TCU on top

The Horned Frogs took the lead for the first time in the game when Duggan threw a 26-yard touchdown pass to Gunnar Henderson, who was wide-open coming out of the backfield.

Bears back on top

After running one in earlier, Johnson made the tough grab at the goal line to give the Bears the lead at the beginning of the fourth quarter. 

Then, Baylor RB Richard Reese pounded one into the end zone on for a 1-yard touchdown to extend Baylor’s lead, 28-20.

Mad scramble to kick for the win!

Emari Demercado ran into the end zone with ease for the 3-yard score to cut Baylor’s lead to 28-26 with just over two minutes remaining, but TCU wasn’t able to tie the game due to a failed 2-point conversion.

TCU tested its kicker by calling a running play on third-and-long with just 22 seconds left. However, Griffin Kell remained cool, calm and collected to nail the field goal as time expired to give the Horned Frogs the win and keep them unbeaten.

No. 3 Michigan 19, Illinois 17

Hot start

Michigan running back and Heisman hopeful Blake Corum juked multiple defenders on the game’s opening play for a 35-yard gain before scoring later in the drive to put the Wolverines up 7-0.

Injury watch

As Michigan aimed to score its second touchdown of the game, Corum fumbled, grabbing at his left knee and remaining on the turf for a few moments afterward before walking off the field under his own power. 

Corum was cleared to return after undergoing tests on his left knee during halftime. He reentered the game on Michigan’s second play from scrimmage in the second half and carried the ball for a 5-yard gain.

That was Corum’s only touch in the second half, however, leaving his status for next week’s meeting with Ohio State (Saturday, 12 p.m. ET, FOX) in question.

Evening it up

Illinois finally got into the end zone midway through the third quarter when Chase Brown broke through the pile for an 8-yard score to make it a 10-10 game. Then, Brown burst open for a 37-yard touchdown run that put Illinois up 17-10 and gave Michigan its first fourth-quarter deficit of the season.

Jake Moody nailed a 35-yard field goal to complete the comeback for Michigan.

BEST OF THE REST:

Upset alert!

Vanderbilt pulled off a 31-24 upset over Florida on Saturday, making it just the second time in 32 games the Commodores have beaten the Gators.

No. 1 recruit making top plays

In shades of his college coach, Travis Hunter was scoring touchdowns on both sides of the ball for Jackson State. The freshman had a pick-six before making an impressive touchdown catch.

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