Week 8 Recap - Indiana Upsets Penn State - as Computer Predicted

October 24, 2020 by Staff

After giving up a 17-17 lead over Penn State, including a 20-14 fourth quarter advantage, Indiana QB Michael Penix, Jr. turned Houdini in leading his team to an improbable 36-35 overtime win. First, Penix had a 1-yard TD run to pull the Hoosiers back to within 2 with 21 seconds left, and he added a 3-yard run for the 2-point conversion to tie the game at 28. PSU actually still had a chance to win regulation, thanks to an inexplicable onside kick, but a 57-yard FG attempt missed by inches as the clock expired. The Nittany Lions had just extended their lead to 28-20 with 1:22 left in regulation when Indiana let them score to preserve time. After Penn State scored first in overtime, Penix threw a 9-yard TD pass to Whop Philyor for 9 yards and Indiana head coach Tom Allen opted to go for two. Penix rolled left and, as he was about to be tackled for no gain, dove toward the pylon. In real time, it appeared he may have lost control of the ball and fumbled through the end zone, but the officials ruled it was good. Replays showed no clear dispute of the call, or any clear confirmation, so the call stood and Indiana won 36-35. Penn State was a 7-point Vegas favorite, but the Congrove Computer Rankings at CollegeFootballPoll.com favored Indiana by just under a point (0.98). It's the Hoosiers first win over Penn State since 2013 and just their second all-time (2-22). It was also their first win over a team ranked in the AP Top 10 since a 31-10 victory at 9th-ranked Ohio State on October 10, 1987. Penn State was ranked 8th heading into this game.

Illinois and Wisconsin launched the Big Ten season on Friday night and it was all Badgers as the defense didn't allow a point in a 45-7 thrashing of the visiting Fighting Illini. The only points for Illinois came on a fumble recovery scoop-and-score in the 2nd quarter to make it 14-7, but Wisconsin quickly answered with two more touchdowns before halftime. The victory avenged last season's 24-23 upset loss to Illinois on a walk-off field goal that ended the Badgers' 9-game winning streak in the series. Jack Coan, who has started 22 games at quarterback for Wisconsin, was sidelined by a broken foot injury suffered in practice 3 weeks ago. No worries, as redshirt freshman Graham Mertz was perfect on his first 17 passes to tie a school record for consecutive completions. He finished the night 20-of-21 for 248 yards with 5 TD's and no interceptions. With Jonathan Taylor gone after a 6,174-hard rushing career, the ground attack didn't live up to the usual production. Nakia Waston, last-season's second-leading rusher, only managed 62 yards on 19 carries while Garret Groshek had 70 yards on 13 totes.

In another Friday night game, Jacksonville State became the first FCS team to knock off a FBS opponent this season. The Gamecocks downed FIU 19-10 to finish their fall season at 3-1 with the only loss at Florida State. With the loss, Butch Davis' FIU squad falls to 0-3.

Also on Friday, Louisiana ended UAB's 21-game home winning streak with a 24-20 upset of the Blazers that was predicted by the Congrove Computer Rankings at CollegeFootballPoll.com. The Ragin Cajuns came in to this game off an upset loss of their own last week to Coastal Carolina. UAB had not lost at Legion Field since 2014, the final season before the school disbanded the program for two years. The Blazers are 32-15 overall and 21-1 at home since restarting the program in 2017.

Among the top-ranked teams on Saturday, Ohio State outscored Nebraska 28-3 in the second half to break away for 52-17 win in Columbus, while Clemson was challenged more than expected by Syracuse, but still won large, 47-21. In the Buckeyes' win, Justin Fields completed 20-of-21 for 276 yards and 2 touchdowns, and also led the team in rushing with 54 yards and a 17-yard touchdown. For Clemson, Trevor Lawrence was 27-of-43 for 289 yards, 2 scores and an interception. Travis Etienne had 86 yards rushing and 3 touchdowns.

Notre Dame cruised past Pitt 45-3, Alabama rolled over Tennessee 48-17, and Oklahoma State downed Iowa State 24-21.

Also on Saturday, Michigan ran away from Minnesota 49-24 to maintain possession of the Little Brown Jug. Joe Milton became the first Jim Harbaugh recruit to start at QB and he completed 15-of-22 for 225 yards and a score, while adding 52 rushing yards and another score.

Wake Forest upset Virginia Tech 23-16 in Winston-Salem as Nick Andersen intercepted three Hendon Hooker passes and the Demon Deacon defense held Khalil Herbert to 64 yards on just 14 carries. Herbert entered the contest as the nation's leading rusher at 148 yards per game. Both teams are now 3-2.

Rutgers ended two of the nation's longest futility streaks with a 38-27 win at Michigan State, spoiling new head coach Mel Tucker's debut and giving Greg Schiano a successful beginning to his second stint with the Scarlet Knights. Rutgers had lost 21 consecutive Big Ten games and 13 straight road games.

The longest conference losing streak is inherited by New Mexico with 15, while the longest road losing streak now goes to New Mexico State with 13. The Lobos had their opening game at Colorado State canceled due to Covid issues on the Lobos' campus, and the Aztecs opted out of playing the 2020 season. New Mexico and Akron have each lost 9 in-a-row on the road. Akron opens its 2020 season at home against Western Michigan on November 4.

In other Saturday action, Kansas State blasted Kansas 55-14, Oklahoma dumped TCU 33-14, Texas Tech downed West Virginia 34-27, Auburn beat Ole Miss 35-28, Louisville easily handled Florida State 48-16, North Carolina rolled over N.C. State 48-21, Miami edged Virginia 19-14, Memphis rallied past Temple 41-29, UCF drubbed Tulane 51-34, Charlotte knocked off UTEP 38-28, and Army clubbed Mercer 49-3,

Coastal Carolina improved to 5-0 with a 28-14 win over Georgia Southern, Marshall moved to 5-0 with a 20-9 win over FAU, and Liberty also stayed perfect (6-0) with a 56-35 win over Southern Miss, but the Flames haven't played a team that has more than a single victory.

Get the computer's pick of every game on this week's schedule, as well as the actual final scores:

FCS vs. FBS

31 FBS teams are playing a total of 35 games against FCS schools this season.

Three such game took place this week and the FCS recorded its first victory of the season against a FBS school when Jacksonville State upended FIU 19-10. Chattanooga almost notched another FCS upset, but Tyrrell Pigrome hit Craig Burt Jr. for a 4-yard TD and the 13-10 win with 1:21 to play. Mercer gave Army West Point no such concern in a 49-3 blowout loss. It was the third, and final, game versus a FCS opponent for Army.

NOT UPDATED - FBS teams are 27-1 in such matchups this season. Since we began tracking this in 2003, the FBS teams are 1,462-128 (.919).

Last year, FBS teams were 111-3 (.974) in such games.

Here are the FCS wins vs. the FBS this season:
October 23: Jacksonville State 19, FIU 10

These were the FCS wins vs. the FBS in the previous 2 seasons:

2019:
August 29: Central Arkansas 35, Western Kentucky 28
September 7: Southern Illinois 45, Massachusetts 20
September 14: The Citadel 27, Georgia Tech 24 (OT)

2020:
August 29: UC Davis 44, San Jose State 31
September 1: Villanova 19, Temple 17
September 1: Northern Arizona 30, UTEP 10
September 1: Nicholls State 26, Kansas 23 (OT)
September 2: North Carolina A&T 28, East Carolina 23
September 8: Maine 31, Western Kentucky 28
September 22: Illinois State 35, Colorado State 19

Streaks

CLEMSON - Won 34 straight regular season games (FBS longest) games. Won 28 straight conference games (FBS longest). Won 26 straight home games (FBS longest). Won 14 straight true road games (FBS longest).
Last: Won 47-21 at home vs. Syracuse on Saturday, October 24.
Next: Hosts Boston College on Saturday, October 31.

NOTRE DAME - Won 11 straight over-all (FBS-longest)
Last: Won 45-3 at Pittsburgh on Saturday, October 24.
Next: at Georgia Tech on Saturday, October 31.

AIR FORCE - Had its 9-game winning streak snapped at San Jose State. The streak as the nation's second-longest at the time.
Last: Lost 17-6 at San Jose State on Saturday, October 24.
Next: Hosts Boise State on Saturday, October 31.

RUTGERS - Snapped losing streaks of 21 straight conference games an 13 straight road games (both FBS longest) with a 38-27 upset at Michigan State.
Last: Won 38-27 at Michigan State on Saturday, October 24.
Next: Hosts Indiana on Saturday, October 31.

NEW MEXICO - Lost 15 straight conference games (FBS longest). Lost 9 straight road games (tied with Akron for FBS longest).
Last: Game at Colorado State on Saturday was canceled due to Covid issues at New Mexico.
Next: Hosts San Jose State on Saturday, October 31.

AKRON - Lost 17 straight overall (FBS longest). Lost 8 straight home games (FBS longest). Lost 9 straight road games (tied with New Mexico for FBS longest).
Last: Lost 52-3 at home to Ohio on November 26, 2019.
Next: Season opener at home versus Western Michigan on Wednesday, November 4.