Without Harbaugh, McCarthy and No. 3 Michigan win third straight against No. 2 Ohio State, 30-24
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — With Jim Harbaugh nowhere in sight, J.J. McCarthy and No. 3 Michigan stared down No. 2 Ohio State and ran the school’s win streak against the Buckeyes to three games with a 30-24 victory on Saturday in maybe the most consequential game in the history of the storied rivalry.
Michigan’s Rod Moore intercepted Kyle McCord’s wobbly pass intended for All-American Marvin Harrison Jr. at the Wolverines 21-yard line with 25 seconds left, setting off a wild celebration.
McCarthy took a knee, Michigan fans poured over the brick walls of The Big House and onto the field, and the Wolverines (12-0, 9-0) were off to their third straight Big Ten title game. Michigan is a victory away from a third consecutive College Football Playoff appearance.
Ohio State coach Ryan Day fell to 1-3 against the Wolverines as the Buckeyes (11-1, 8-1) once again lost the most important game on their schedule.
McCarthy went 16 for 20 for 148 yards and a touchdown. If this was the third-year player’s final appearance in The Game, he’ll finish 3-0.
After Ohio State cut the lead to 27-24 with 8:05 left on a 14-yard touchdown pass from McCord to Harrison, Michigan proceeded to drain seven minutes off the clock. James Turner's 37-yard field goal made it 30-24 with 1:05 remaining.
NO. 8 ALABAMA 27, AUBURN 24
AUBURN, Ala. — Jalen Milroe and Isaiah Bond rescued Alabama’s playoff hopes, connecting for a last-minute touchdown on fourth-and-goal from the 31 to beat Auburn.
Bond caught Milroe’s pass in the left corner of the end zone with 32 seconds left to give the Crimson Tide (11-1, 8-0 Southeastern Conference) a 10th straight win in the latest dramatic Iron Bowl at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
Trailing by four with 1:43 left, Alabama had first-and-goal at the Auburn 7 before moving backward. The Crimson Tide lost 18 yards on a bad snap and were pushed back 5 more yards with an illegal downfield pass on third down after Milroe crossed the line of scrimmage.
Alabama nearly returned an interception for another touchdown on the final play. But this game will be remembered around the state for fourth-and-31, a play where Auburn didn’t try to put any pressure on Milroe before he spotted Bond.
Ja’Varrius Johnson scored on a 27-yard touchdown catch and a 12-yard run to put the Tigers (6-6, 3-5) in position to win.
Milroe passed for 259 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 107 more yards. Jermaine Burton had 107 yards receiving, including a 68-yard touchdown. Bond had five catches for 75 yards.
Payton Thorne passed for 91 yards and a touchdown and ran for 58 yards for Auburn.
NO. 4 WASHINGTON 24, WASHINGTON STATE 21
SEATTLE — Grady Gross made a 42-yard field goal on the final play, Rome Odunze caught two touchdown passes from Michael Penix Jr. and Washington beat Washington State in the Apple Cup for an undefeated regular season.
Playing likely his final game at Husky Stadium, Odunze caught a 40-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter and hauled in a 21-yarder on the final play of the third quarter to give the Huskies a 21-14 lead.
Odunze then added his biggest running play of the year. Facing fouth-and-1 at the Washington 29 with 1:11 left, he took a reverse 23 yards. Odunze later played defender, breaking up a potential interception at the goal line, and Gross nailed the winner.
In the final year of the Pac-12 before most of its members scatter to other conferences, Washington (12-0, 9-0) became the first school in the 12-team era to go unbeaten in the regular season.
The Huskies still have one more challenge ahead, facing No. 6 Oregon in the Pac-12 championship game Friday in Las Vegas with a victory likely putting Washington into the College Football Playoff.
Washington State's Cam Ward threw for 317 yards and three touchdowns, but also had three interceptions. The Cougars (5-7, 2-7) needed a win to reach bowl eligibility.
