PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) — Iowa quarterback Mark Gronowski ran for three touchdowns and passed for 186 yards to lead the Hawkeyes to a 38-28 win over Rutgers in the Big Ten season-opener for both teams on Friday night. Gronowski scored two fourth quarter TDs for Iowa (3-1), erasing a 28-24 Rutgers lead. Athan Kaliakmanis passed for 330 yards and ran for two TDs for the Scarlet Knights (3-1). Iowa is 5-0 against Rutgers.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Although Jayden Maiava has been one of the nation’s most productive quarterbacks to start the new season for No. 25 Southern California, he is decidedly not impressed by his play or his unbeaten Trojans. He says he isn't getting comfortable as USC prepares to host Michigan State in a late-night meeting of unbeaten Big Ten teams. Maiava has thrown for 989 yards despite only playing about nine quarters in the Trojans’ three comfortable wins, racking up six touchdowns with no interceptions while completing 68.6% of his passes for a team averaging 55 points per game.
UNDATED (AP) — There’s still nostalgia for the Pacific Northwest’s former Pac-12 rivalries, even if the realities of college football mean the gap between the teams involved is growing wider. Washington visits Washington State in the 117th Apple Cup, and Oregon State visits Oregon in a rivalry that dates back to 1894, on Saturday. The rivalries used to be the highlight of the year for many fans in both states, and the games were played the last weekend of the season, which often added to the drama as the teams fought for bowl position. But realignment changed everything. NIL money and the transfer portal added to the divide between programs.
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — Penn State linebacker Tony Rojas needed surgery following the Nittany Lion’s loss to Notre Dame in last season's Orange Bowl. He sat out spring practice to recover, but returned to action in time to start fall camp. Now, three games into the season, a healthy Rojas has helped spearhead Penn State’s defensive transition under new coordinator Jim Knowles. Rojas says “it’s way better and I can just play free.” With a Big Ten championship rematch looming next week against No. 4 Oregon, the Nittany Lions feel like they’ve made progress and can again be one of the nation’s elite defenses.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Former Ohio State football coach and current Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel says he won’t run for Ohio governor in 2026. His decision announced Friday helps clear the path toward a Republican nomination for biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, who has been endorsed by President Donald Trump and the Ohio Republican Party. Amy Acton, who led Ohio's health department early in the COVID-19 pandemic, is running as a Democrat. Tressel is a political rookie. Term-limited GOP Gov. Mike DeWine chose the championship-winning coach and university administrator in February to succeed Jon Husted, who was appointed to JD Vance’s U.S. Senate seat after Vance was elected vice president.
UNDATED (AP) — No. 9 Illinois visits No. 19 Indiana in the biggest game on this week's Big Ten schedule. This marks the 75th meeting between these two conference rivals. But it's only the second time both teams have been ranked at the time of their matchup. The only other time it happened was in 1950. Another interesting Big Ten pairing has Nebraska trying to snap its 27-game skid against Top 25 teams when it hosts No. 21 Michigan.
UNDATED (AP) — The storied rivalry between Oregon and Oregon State will go on hiatus after Saturday's night game. The Beavers will visit the No. 6 Ducks at Autzen Stadium in the 129th meeting between the two former Pac-12 rivals. The only time the series has been interrupted was during World War II. But it won’t be played in 2026 because schedules were set a while ago. The rivalry could possibly continue in 2027 and beyond.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio State's new coordinators, Brian Hartline and Matt Patricia, are making a strong impression after the first three games. This week, as the top-ranked Buckeyes have a bye week, both coordinators expressed satisfaction with their progress. Hartline, now calling plays for the first time, enjoys the connection with his players. Patricia, new to the team, appreciates the professionalism and youthful energy of the players. The Buckeyes have shown a conservative game plan with new quarterback Julian Sayin, but have opened up in recent games. Both coordinators focus on developing their units and adapting to personnel changes.
