Saturday’s early college football: Indiana escapes, UNC upsets Pitt and Army wins at the horn

Saturday’s early college football window delivered two fourth-quarter road comebacks, a last-play Army field goal and explosive individual performances. Here is how the eleven-game slate finished, with full recaps for each matchup.

Indiana 20, Nebraska 17

Nick Marsh rescued Indiana’s unbeaten season with fourth-quarter touchdown catches of 75 and 44 yards. The second came on fourth-and-1 and put the Hoosiers ahead for the first time. Marsh finished with 187 receiving yards; Nebraska had led by 11 early in the fourth. Full recap.

North Carolina 21, Pitt 17

Shamar Easter’s 75-yard touchdown catch erased Pitt’s fourth-quarter lead just 11 seconds after the Panthers had moved ahead. UNC then stopped three consecutive fourth-down attempts. Bill Belichick earned his first college win against a ranked opponent, handing Pitt its first loss. Full recap.

Army 20, Tulane 17

Dawson Jones made a 25-yard field goal as time expired after Army stopped Tulane on fourth down and drove into kicking range. Cale Hellums ran for a career-high 223 yards, including the 58-yard touchdown that tied the game in the fourth quarter. Full recap.

Missouri 27, Texas A&M 6

Jamal Roberts carried Missouri with 222 rushing yards and two touchdowns, the last a 54-yard run that closed the scoring. Missouri held Texas A&M to 216 total yards and 29 rushing yards, forcing the Aggies to spend the afternoon chasing points. Full recap.

Oklahoma State 42, UCF 28

Evan Jackson returned a fumble 28 yards for a fourth-quarter touchdown, and Oklahoma State followed with a fourth-down stop and another score. Drew Mestemaker threw for 304 yards. The Cowboys scored the first 21 points after a halftime tie. Full recap.

Arizona 52, West Virginia 31

Isaiah Mizell caught six passes for 183 yards and two touchdowns as Arizona answered West Virginia’s rushing production with explosive passing plays. Noah Fifita threw for 341 yards and three scores. The Wildcats won despite being outgained 522–482. Full recap.

Wake Forest 38, NC State 14

Wake Forest scored all 28 second-half points after trailing at halftime. Gio Lopez threw three touchdowns and ran for another, while Jack Foley and Carlos Hernandez combined for 273 receiving yards. NC State’s offense never reached the end zone after the break. Full recap.

Northwestern 45, Ball State 14

Aidan Chiles supplied three passing touchdowns and a rushing score, with Griffin Wilde catching eight passes for 144 yards. Northwestern scored on five of its first six possessions and finished its nonconference schedule unbeaten for the first time since 2015. Full recap.

Old Dominion 10, App State 3

Maurki James’ fourth-quarter touchdown gave Old Dominion the only offensive touchdown in a defensive game. The Monarchs held App State to one third-down conversion in 13 attempts. Devin Roche ran for 101 yards, helping ODU overcome three turnovers. Full recap.

East Carolina 28, Rice 12

East Carolina answered Rice’s third-quarter lead with three straight touchdowns. Emory Williams threw two scoring passes to Ray Ray Joseph Jr. and ran for another touchdown. TJ Engleman Jr. added 136 rushing yards, including a 43-yard score. Full recap.

South Carolina 38, Florida 19

LaNorris Sellers threw four touchdown passes and ran for another as South Carolina beat Florida 38–19 for its first SEC win of the season. Four different receivers caught his scoring passes. The Gamecocks scored 21 consecutive points after Florida drew within four in the third quarter, building a lead that survived the Gators’ late touchdown. Full recap.