Week Five Football Roundup
Nebraska and USC lead the latest college football roundup following major weekend victories.
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Key Points
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Nebraska had only 38 yards of offense in the first quarter, then gained at least 157 yards in each of the final three quarters and finished with 447 yards.
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Maryland running back DeJuan Williams returned and brought back explosiveness to the ground game, while receiver Chris Durr Jr. recorded his best receiving output of the season.
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USC coach Lincoln Riley said penalties—including alignment infractions and dead-ball personal fouls—repeatedly undermined the offense and kept Washington in the game.
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Notre Dame’s FPI outlook included a 24.8% chance of reaching the national championship game and a 39.5% chance of winning out; the Irish had slipped from No. 2 to No. 3 in the FPI rankings.
Nebraska steamrolled Maryland 48-23 on Saturday to remain undefeated at 5-0, pulling away decisively after a tight first half. Quarterback Anthony Colandrea threw three touchdown passes and racked up 346 all-purpose yards as the Cornhuskers shut out Maryland after halftime, showcasing a powerful second-half adjustment that moved them from 38 yards in the first quarter to 447 total yards for the game Yahoo Sports.
Meanwhile, USC snapped a three-game losing streak against Washington with a 25-21 victory to improve to 5-1, though the Trojans' path to victory relied heavily on defense. A 48-yard fumble-return touchdown proved decisive as USC's offense managed just 19 points, leaving coach Lincoln Riley frustrated with repeated penalties that kept the Huskies competitive 247Sports.
Nebraska's dominant second-half takeover
The Cornhuskers opened sluggishly against Maryland with only 38 yards of offense in the first quarter. But Nebraska's offense exploded in the second half, gaining at least 157 yards in each of the final three quarters and totaling 447 yards. The defensive shutout after halftime—holding Maryland scoreless in the second 30 minutes—sealed the dominant victory Yahoo Sports.
Maryland's ground game returns with DeJuan Williams
Running back DeJuan Williams' return to the lineup restored explosiveness to Maryland's rushing attack. Receiver Chris Durr Jr. also delivered his best receiving performance of the season, though the offensive output proved insufficient against Nebraska's suffocating second-half defense Yahoo Sports.
USC escapes Washington despite offensive struggles
Lincoln Riley's offense sputtered against the Huskies, scoring only 19 points on the drive. The Trojans were plagued by alignment infractions and dead-ball personal fouls that repeatedly stalled drives and extended Washington's possession time. Riley blamed the penalties for keeping the game closer than it should have been 247Sports. Washington fell to 3-2 overall and 0-2 in Big Ten play.
Notre Dame climbs Playoff odds while Arizona State surges
Notre Dame defeated North Carolina 37-26 and remained positioned as a top Playoff contender. The Irish slipped from No. 2 to No. 3 in ESPN's updated FPI rankings, though projections showed an 89.7% chance they reach the Playoff, a 24.8% probability of reaching the national championship game, and a 13.9% shot at winning the title 247Sports. Arizona State routed Texas Tech 55-19 and emerged as a Big 12 title threat, while Texas Tech's quarterback struggles cast doubt on their championship aspirations despite a favorable remaining schedule. Wake Forest obliterated Stanford 57-3 for its largest ACC victory margin.
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