COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Iowa had cut Maryland's lead to just three points. The Terps were down to their third-string quarterback, and the Hawkeyes had a chance to take the lead early in the fourth quarter, after having trailed since midway through the second.
In that moment, the Terps got a game-turning play from one of their top playmakers.
Cornerback Will Likely stepped in front of an ill-advised pass from Iowa quarterback Jake Rudock and returned it 45 yards for a touchdown that pushed Maryland's lead back to 10 points in its homecoming game.
That play, combined with a 53-yard touchdown catch-and-run from another one of the Terps' top playmakers, wide receiver Stefon Diggs (nine catches, 130 yards), helped Maryland beat Iowa, 38-31, on Saturday at Byrd Stadium after falling behind 14-0 midway through the first quarter.
Jacquille Veii, the Terps' Swiss Army knife, scored on a 23-yard touchdown run to cut the deficit to 14-7 late in the first quarter.
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Kicker Brad Craddock trimmed Iowa's lead to 14-10 with a 41-yard field goal early in the second quarter. Maryland (5-2, 2-1 Big Ten) took a 17-14 lead on a 1–yard touchdown run by running back Wes Brown.
Iowa dropped to 5-2, 2-1.
Nebraska 38, Northwestern 17
EVANSTON, Ill. — Northwestern and Nebraska, it seemed, were incapable of playing lopsided games. Their previous three meetings resulted in victories decided by three points, one point and a last-second Hail Mary.
The Saturday night gathering at soggy Ryan Field had the requisite drama — but only until the Cornhuskers seized control in the fourth quarter.
Nebraska rallied for a 38-17 victory after trailing 17-14 at the half, improving to 6-1 and 2-1 in the Big Ten. Northwestern will have to scramble for bowl eligibility after falling to 3-4, 2-2 in the league.
The game turned on a 50-yard rush by Ameer Abdullah to the NU 1-yard line. To that point, the Wildcats had contained the prime candidate for the Tribune Silver Football award. Jimmy Hall hustled to take down Abdullah before he crossed the goal, but he scored on the next play.
Nebraska went ahead 35-17 on a dominant eight-play drive that featured nothing but runs.
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For the game, the Huskers rushed for 234 yards — 146 by Abdullah — to NU's 117.
Justin Jackson did top the 100-yard mark for the third straight game, but Trevor Siemian (18-for-39, 173 yards) had little help playing behind a leaky offensive line.
Ohio St. 56, Rutgers 17
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State is on an historic roll and quarterback J.T. Barrett is leading the way.
The freshman completed his first nine passes, ran for 107 yards and two touchdowns and threw for three more scores to lead the 13th-ranked Buckeyes past Rutgers 56-17 on Saturday.
It marked the first time Ohio State has scored at least 50 points in four games in a row in its 125 years of competition.
"I'm focusing on getting the offense better every week and keeping this thing rolling," Barrett said after carrying seven times while scoring on runs of 33 and 5 yards and completing 19 of 31 passes for 261 yards without an interception before departing midway through the fourth quarter.
No wonder coach Urban Meyer figures his team is on the rise.
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Asked if his Buckeyes are a top-10 team, he said, "I think we are. I'm sure you're asking me so someone will blog it out and say, 'Here's coach Meyer, rantin' and ravin'.' I'm not.
"Do I think we're top 10? I don't really watch other teams but I think we're playing at a pretty high level right now."
The Buckeyes (5-1, 2-0 Big Ten) have averaged 56 points in a four-game win streak since losing at home to Virginia Tech on Sept. 6. They've made a steady move up the rankings since.
Michigan St. 56, Indiana 17
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Connor Cook threw three touchdown passes, Jeremy Langford ran for three more scores and Michigan State scored the final 35 points.
Cook finished with 332 yards, Langford and Nick Hill each topped 100 yards on the ground and Tony Lippett had 123 yards receiving as coach Mark Dantonio moved into a tie for second on the school's victory list at 70.
The Spartans (6-1, 3-0 Big Ten) have won five straight overall, 13 consecutive games over conference foes and tied the school record with an eighth straight road win in league play.
The Hoosiers (3-4, 0-3) had a scary moment when left tackle Jason Spriggs was carted off the field with 4:54 to play and taken away in an ambulance because of a feared neck injury. Team spokesman Jeff Keag said doctors gave Spriggs a "clean bill of health." Keag did not have any additional information about the injury.
