Howard, No. 2 Ohio State hand No. 5 Indiana first loss of season

BIG 10 ROUNDUP

Ohio State quarterback Will Howard had two TD passes and rushed for a score in Saturday’s win. Jason Mowry / Getty Images

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The Associated Press

Will Howard passed for two touchdowns and rushed for another, TreVeyon Henderson ran for a score and No. 2 Ohio State beat previously undefeated No. 5 Indiana 38-15 on Saturday.

All Ohio State (10-1, 7-1 Big Ten, CFP No. 2) has to do now is beat Michigan at home next Saturday and it will earn a return to the Big Ten championship game for the first time since 2020 and get a rematch with No. 1 Oregon. The Ducks beat Ohio State 32-31 in a wild one back on Oct. 12.

The Hoosiers (10-1, 7-1, No. 5 CFP) had their best chance to beat the Buckeyes for the first time since 1988 but were hurt by special teams mistakes and disrupted by an Ohio State defense that sacked quarterback Kurtis Rourke five times.

Late in the first half, Indiana punter James Evans fumbled a snap and was buried at his own 7-yardline with the Buckeyes taking over. That turned quickly into a 4-yard TD run by Henderson that gave the Buckeyes a 14-7 lead.

Early in the second half, Caleb Downs fielded an Evans punt at the Ohio State 21, raced down the right sideline, cut to the middle and outran the coverage for a TD that put the Buckeyes up 21-7. It was the first time a Buckeye returned a punt for a touchdown since 2014.

NO. 4 PENN STATE 26, MINNESOTA 25: Drew Allar passed for 244 yards and a touchdown, rushed for a score and completed a late fourth-down conversion to help the visiting Nittany Lions fend off the Gophers and stay on track for a spot in the College Football Playoff.

Tyler Warren had eight receptions for 102 yards for the Nittany Lions (10-1, 7-1 Big Ten, No. 4 CFP).

Dragan Kesich’s third field goal of the game with 5:48 left brought the Gophers (6-5, 4-4) within one after they had first-and-goal from the 7.

Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck trusted his defense enough to elect to kick, and the strategy almost paid off until tight end Luke Reynolds ran 32 yards on a fake punt to make up for two special teams gaffes by Penn State in the first half.

Allar converted another fourth-and-1 on a keeper from the 25 just before the two-minute warning and found his star tight end Warren for an 11-yard gain to end the game on another fourth-and-1 conversion.

NO. 24 ILLINOIS 38, RUTGERS 31: Luke Altmyer found Pat Bryant for a catch-and-run, 40-yard touchdown pass with 4 seconds left, sending the visiting Illini to a wild victory over the Scarlet Knights.

Illinois (8-3, 5-3 Big Ten) was down 31-30 when it sent long kicker Ethan Moczulski out for a desperation 58-yard field goal with 14 seconds to go. Rutgers coach Greg Schiano then called for a timeout right before Moczulski’s attempt was wide left and about 15 yards short.

After the missed field goal was waved off by the timeout, Illinois coach Bret Bielema sent his offense back on the field. Altmyer hit Bryant on an in cut on the left side at the 22, and he continued across the field and scored untouched in a game that featured three lead changes in the final 3:07.

Rutgers (6-5, 3-5) gave up a safety on the final kickoff return, throwing a ball out of bounds in the end zone as players passed it around hoping for a miracle touchdown.

Altmyer was 12-of-26 passing for 249 yards and two touchdowns.

MICHIGAN 50, NORTHWESTERN 6: Kalel Mullings ran for 92 yards and a career-high three touchdowns, leading the host Wolverines to a win over the Wildcats to make the defending national champions eligible for a bowl.

Michigan (6-5, 4-4 Big Ten) needed the victory to secure a spot in the postseason because it will be a heavy underdog next week against rival and second-ranked Ohio State on the road.

Northwestern (4-7, 2-6) likely knocked itself out of contention for a bowl by losing for the fourth time in five games.