FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Jarvis Landry made a spectacular one-handed touchdown catch and No. 8 LSU kept its BCS hopes alive with a 20-13 win over Arkansas on Friday.
Zach Mettenberger passed for 217 yards and hooked up with Landry for the play of the day with 1:12 left in the first half to put LSU up 10-0 on a 22-yard TD pass. The Tigers (10-2, 6-2 Southeastern Conference) reached double-digit wins for the sixth time in eight seasons under coach Les Miles.
LSU must now hope for an Alabama loss to Auburn and Texas A&M victory on Saturday in order to reach next weekend’s SEC championship game. Even without a division crown, the Tigers could still get an at-large bid to the BCS.
Tyler Wilson was 31 of 52 passing for the Razorbacks (4-8, 2-6), whose fall from preseason top 10 is now complete. The senior set the school record for career passing yards in the loss.
Arkansas’ Cobi Hamilton set the school record for receptions in a career with 175.
Wilson passed former Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallet’s mark of 7,493 yards passing in the second quarter, finishing with 359 yards in the game and 7,765 yards for his career, and his 28-yard touchdown pass to freshman Mekale McKay in the third quarter closed the LSU lead to 17-10.
No. 17 NEBRASKA 13, IOWA 7
IOWA CITY, Iowa — Rex Burkhead scored the go-ahead touchdown in his return from a knee injury and Nebraska secured a spot in the Big Ten title game.
The Huskers (10-2, 7-1 Big Ten) will face off against Wisconsin next Saturday in Indianapolis. It’ll be a rematch of Nebraska’s thrilling 30-27 home win over the Badgers in late September.
Burkhead, making his first appearance since aggravating a sprained left knee on Oct. 20 against Northwestern, broke through with a 3-yard TD run to make it 13-7 late in the third quarter.
Alonzo Whaley’s interception with 2:11 left sealed the victory for Nebraska.
The Huskers defense held the Hawkeyes (4-8, 2-6) scoreless in the final three quarters in windy conditions.
Mark Weisman had 91 yards rushing for Iowa, which finished the season on a six-game losing streak. The Hawkeyes will miss out on a bowl game for just the second time since 2000.
No. 23 KENT STATE 28, OHIO 6
KENT, Ohio — C.J. Malauulu returned an interception 33 yards for a touchdown — 12 seconds after another Kent State TD — and the Golden Flashes completed a perfect season in the Mid-American Conference with their 10th straight win.
The regular-season finale was a tuneup for Kent State (11-1, 8-0 MAC), which will meet No. 24 Northern Illinois in next week’s MAC championship. The win allowed the Golden Flashes to continue the best season in the program’s 90-year history. They are ranked for the first time since 1972, the last time they appeared in a bowl game.
Trayion Durham rushed for 97 yards and scored on a 15-yard run in the first quarter to put Kent State ahead 14-0.
On Ohio’s next play, Malauulu picked off Tyler Tettleton and scored.
The Bobcats (8-4, 4-4) lost four of their last five after cracking the Top 25.
No. 24 NORTHERN ILLINOIS 49,
E. MICHIGAN 7
YPSILANTI, Mich. — Jordan Lynch ran for 107 yards and Akeem Daniels scored a career-best four touchdowns as the Huskies won their 11th straight game.
Daniels scored on runs of 25 and 20 yards in the first half and finished with a career-high 112 yards on 12 carries to help the Huskies (11-1, 8-0) cap a perfect run through the Mid-American Conference.
Lynch, a week removed from a 407-yard passing performance, was 16 for 25 for 168 yards but extended his FBS record streak of 100-yard rushing games by a quarterback. He had 20 carries to crack the century mark for the 10th straight game.
The West division winners will go for a second straight conference title when they face No. 23 Kent State in next week’s championship game.
LSU keeps BCS hopes alive with win over Arkansas
Friday's AP Top 25