STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP)Quarterback Matt McGloin had the go-ahead score with a 5-yard touchdown run with 2:37 left and Penn State rallied from 11 points down in fourth quarter to beat No. 24 Northwestern 39-28 on Saturday.
The Nittany Lions scored three times in the final 9:49, starting with McGloin's 8-yard touchdown pass to Allen Robinson as the receiver dragged along the back line of the end zone. Michael Zordich had a 2-point conversion run to get within 28-25 before McGloin's scramble into the end zone sent the homecoming weekend crowd into a frenzy.
Penn State (4-2, 2-0 Big Ten) then stuffed Northwestern's last-gasp drive after Trevor Siemian's pass for Kain Colter was tipped away on fourth down.
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Things looked so good for Northwestern (5-1, 1-1) after Venric Mark's 75-yard punt return for a touchdown with 50 seconds left in the third quarter demoralized the blue-and-white faithful for a 28-17 lead.
Mark also ran for a score.
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Scheelhaase's performance not enough for Illini
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MADISON, Wis. (AP) Joel Stave threw two touchdown passes and Wisconsin's running game showed signs of life as the Badgers defeated Illinois 31-14 on Saturday.
Stave threw for 254 yards for the Badgers (4-2, 1-1 Big Ten), who rushed for 173 yards - 96 in the fourth quarter.
The offensive struggles of the Illini (2-4, 0-2) continued, with quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase the only positive. He finished with 178 yards passing and 84 rushing as Illinois gained 287 yards overall.
Scheelhaase ran for a 5-yard touchdown in the first quarter and threw for an 8-yard touchdown to Ryan Lankford to make it 24-14 late in the game.
But Jared Abberdaris fielded the ensuing onside kick, and Montee Ball scored his second touchdown of the game to snuff any hopes of an Illinois comeback.
Ball has 59 rushing TDs in his career, nine shy of the NCAA record. He finished with 19 carries for 116 yards.
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Lynch rallies NIU past Ball State
MUNCIE, Ind. (AP) Jordan Lynch accounted for 402 yards and gave Northern Illinois the lead for good with a 54-yard touchdown pass to Akeem Daniels, and the Huskies defeated Ball State 35-23 on Saturday.
Northern Illinois (5-1, 2-0 Mid-American), which has won five straight after a season-opening loss to Iowa, trailed 23-14 after Keith Wenning's short TD run for the Cardinals (3-3, 1-2) in the third quarter. But Lynch, who ran for 207 yards on 29 carries, scored on a 12-yard run. With 4:58 to play, the TD pass to Daniels made it 28-23 Huskies. Lynch then sealed it with a 71-yard run, his third rushing TD, with 3:03 left.
Lynch was 16 of 23 for 195 yards and was not intercepted. Wenning attempted 71 passes for Ball State, completing 42, for 434 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions. Jamill Smith ran for 146 yards on just 14 attempts for the Cardinals.
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SIU spoils Illinois State's homecoming
NORMAL, Ill. (AP) Anthony Thompson returned a blocked punt for a touchdown, and Southern Illinois intercepted four passes en route to a 17-0 victory against Illinois State on Saturday.
The Salukis (3-3, 2-1 Missouri Valley), who had just 182 yards of offense, recorded their first shutout since 2009.
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Western holds off South Dakota
VERMILLION, S.D. (AP) Wil Lunt connected with Fredson Salomon on a 66-yard touchdown midway through the fourth quarter Saturday and Western Illinois held on to beat South Dakota 24-17.
The Leathernecks (3-2, 1-1 Missouri Valley) trailed 10-3 at halftime but Kieron James blocked a punt to set Western Illinois up in Coyotes territory, and Lunt threw a 25-yard TD pass to Salomon to tie it. Lunt later hit Charles Chestnut for 39 yards to the South Dakota 1 and Caulton Ray ran it in on the next play to make it 17-10 WIU late in the third quarter.
South Dakota (1-4, 0-2) tied it up quickly. After Jasper Sanders returned the kickoff 55 yards, three plays later Josh Vander Maten found Anthony Williams for 41 yards and the tying score. But Lunt and Salomon answered for the winning points with 7:40 left.
Nikko Watson ran for 138 yards for the Leathernecks.
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UT-Martin downs Eastern
MARTIN, Tenn. (AP) Derek Carr threw four touchdowns and Tennessee-Martin racked up 616 yards of total offense in the Skyhawks' 51-37 win over Eastern Illinois on Saturday.
UT Martin (4-2, 2-1 Ohio Valley Conference) struck first, returning the opening kick 93 yards for a touchdown. The Skyhawks extended their lead to 21-6 behind two touchdown passes from Carr.
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