Holy crap, Michigan-Michigan State! Coming into Saturday, this game felt actually important for the first time in years, and it actually lived up. Up 23-21 with 10 seconds left, Michigan's botched punt led to an improbable Sparty fumble recovery for a touchdown, winning the game as time expired.
Pro Spartan Le'Veon Bell channelled King Leonidas after the win, and Michigan fan faces were stunned. (Ohio State paused its video board on one of those sad Michigan fans, because of course it did). You can't blame 'em, either. Michigan State had just a 0.2 percent chance of winning the game on that final play, and the Spartans had already delivered the Paul Bunyan Trophy to the Wolverines.
The win makes a 7-2 record in the series for the Spartans under Mark Dantonio, Jim Harbaugh or not, and did you know MSU actually outgained U-M by quite a bit? Stay strong, though, Michigan fans; this team is still improving.
It was pretty funny Michigan lost on a special teams play, considering that same punter booted one of the best kicks you'll ever see earlier in the game. And remember Joe Bolden, the Michigan linebacker who planted a stake in Michigan State's field last year? He took a pump-up victory lap around the Big House after a questionable targeting ejection.
The bad news: the player who scored the winning touchdown, Jalen Watts-Jackson, suffered a hip injury, likely in the ensuing celebration. The good news: a fan who suffered a heart attack during the ending is reportedly in stable condition.
LSU is the final undefeated SEC team. And the Tigers beat Florida on a fake field goal, of course. LSU looks like a real title contender, as per the every-four-years tradition, but still has to contend with Alabama. Meanwhile, the Tide sat on Texas A&M again, outscoring the Aggie offense with its defense. Good luck, LSU!
Memphis has arrived. Sorry, Ole Miss :( . Justin Fuente has built two things: a powerhouse and one heck of a resume for a power-conference job. The Tigers beat No. 13 Ole Miss, which beat No. 10 Alabama, and a Playoff bid should go to any team that can survive the AAC undefeated. The Tigers were hitting hard, and got the fans riled up again.
Your weekly Baylor POINTS update. Sixty-two of them, beating West Virginia's 38. This is America's POINTS-iest new rivalry. The Bears now also have *two* 300-pounders who can score touchdowns and potentially superhuman Corey Coleman.
Your weekly TCU POINTS update. Forty-five, beating Iowa State's 21. TCU's defense leveled a hit so big, Trevone Boykin made an emoji face.
— Frogs O' War (@FrogsOWar) October 18, 2015
Ohio State: still undefeated. Another slow start for the Buckeyes, whose quarterback questions may have become clearer. Urban Meyer now has four separate 20-game winning streaks. That's incredible.
Oh, and the Buckeyes got called for holding in a Big Ten game for the first time since 2013. You never know when that'll happen again!
Nebraska won the $5 Bits of Broken Chair Trophy (we can explain), and actually embraced it!
.@SBNationCFB it's good to be back in Lincoln with some new furniture. #GBR pic.twitter.com/dp1404olic
— Nebraska Huskers (@Huskers) October 18, 2015
FSU and Clemson remain unscathed. Florida State has somehow taken its 2014 turnover-riddled team, combined it with turnover-riddled Everett Golson, and turned that into a product that does not commit turnovers. The Seminoles beat Louisville, 41-21, Saturday, as that "rebuilding year" continues to look pretty good. Meanwhile, the Tigers scored 34 on Boston College, one of the nation's top defenses, in a win.
Florida State plays at Clemson on Nov. 7, and the two look on track to be undefeated.
Utah, also undefeated, despite ... throwing a pass out of its end zone on a kickoff return, resulting in a safety that allowed Arizona State to take the lead. The No. 4 Utes recovered to win 34-18, thanks in part to a nifty juggling catch.
No. 14 Notre Dame beat USC, 41-31, in a pretty wild one.
So, Iowa. The Hawkeyes are 7-0, and with an easy backend of the schedule, 12-0 seems a distinct possibility. No. 17 Iowa beat No. 20 Northwestern, 40-10.
Washington's best chance in years to beat Oregon results in the 12th straight Ducks win over the Huskies.
Saturday's best trick play. Texas Tech's sideways direct snap to a 308-pound lineman for a two-point conversion.
What we felt like all Saturday: Interim South Carolina head coach Shawn Elliott:
Other individual feats of excellence:
- Nebraska WR De'Mornay Pierson-El's sweet self-tipped touchdown catch between two defenders.
- Terrifying Texas A&M defensive lineman Myles Garrett blocking a punt.
- 250-pound Michigan State fullback Trevon Pendleton, who had a 74-yard reception.
- Syracuse QB Eric Dungey, who went back to his track and field roots (and against his coach's wishes) by hurdling over a defender.
- Alabama offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin, blocking Nick Saban from calling time out before a successful fourth down conversion.
While you have the time. Check out (and bookmark) our coaching rumors tracker, which is already a thing in October after multiple fired coaches.
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SB Nation presents: Breaking down the wild final play of Michigan State's win