CJ Carr threw for four touchdowns and ran for another as No. 3 Notre Dame beat North Carolina 37-26 in rainy conditions in Chapel Hill, N.C.
Jordan Faison caught two touchdown passes as part of an eight-catch, 132-yard receiving effort for the Fighting Irish (5-0). Carr completed 21 of 29 passes for 234 yards. Jonaz Walton rushed for 120 yards on 23 carries.
Billy Edwards Jr. threw for three touchdowns, two interceptions and 208 yards for the Tar Heels (2-2), who were held to 285 yards of total offense. Jordan Shipp had 109 receiving yards on seven catches and Jelani Thurman caught two touchdown passes.
UNC’s Jaden Jefferson returned the second-half kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown to cut Notre Dame’s lead to 21-20, but the Tar Heels’ bid to take the lead went awry on a failed two-point conversion pass.
Carr’s 3-yard touchdown run on fourth down capped a 17-play drive that took 9:10 off the clock and stretched Notre Dame’s lead to 27-20 in the third quarter. Notre Dame moved 68 yards on its next possession, scoring on Carr’s 6-yard pass to Nolan James Jr. on the first snap of the fourth quarter to take a 34-20 lead.
No. 2 Georgia 38, Vanderbilt 14
Gunner Stockton completed 25 of 32 passes for 295 yards and three touchdowns to lead the host Bulldogs to the Southeastern Conference victory in Athens, Ga.
Stockton connected with 10 receivers topped by Dwight Phillips Jr., who had five catches for 75 yards and a score.
The Bulldogs (5-0, 3-0 SEC) have won all their games by at least 24 points. They outscored the Commodores 17-0 in the second half after going into halftime with a 21-14 lead.
Vanderbilt (3-2, 0-2) was without freshman quarterback Jared Curtis, who was scratched before the game with an undisclosed injury. Curtis, one of the top QB recruits in the 2026 high school class, flipped his commitment from Georgia to Vanderbilt in December.
In his place, Blaze Berlowitz completed 12 of 23 passes for 190 yards and a touchdown. Junior Sherrill posted seven receptions for 107 yards and a score for the Commodores, who dropped their second straight.
No. 7 Alabama 56, No. 16 Mississippi State 23
Keelon Russell totaled four touchdowns as the Crimson Tide scored 14 points in each quarter to roll past the Bulldogs in an SEC clash in Starkville, Miss.
Russell threw for 285 yards and three touchdowns and ran for one more. Rico Scott had 56 receiving yards and two touchdowns for Alabama (5-0, 3-0 SEC), which is 5-0 for the first time in Kalen DeBoer’s three seasons at the helm.
Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor completed 19 of 34 passes for 258 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. The Bulldogs (4-1, 2-1) have lost 17 straight games against the Crimson Tide. Taylor went to the locker room with an undisclosed injury early in the fourth quarter and did not return. Anthony Evans III caught 12 passes for 166 yards and two scores.
No. 20 Houston 27, UCF 17
Conner Weigman rushed for three touchdowns in the second half as the host Cougars shrugged off a scoreless opening 40 minutes to roar from behind to beat UCF in Big 12 play.
Weigman’s third rushing touchdown, a 1-yard plunge with 10:15 to play, gave Houston (4-1, 1-1 Big 12) its first lead. On the ensuing drive, Weigman — who finished with 239 passing yards — connected with Trent Walker for a 43-yard catch-and-run to set the table for Jonathan Dimas’ 40-yard field goal with 4:14 to play.
Keyone Jenkins passed for 253 yards and a touchdown and ran for another score for UCF (3-2, 1-1), which built a 17-0 lead midway through the third quarter. Josh Derry caught seven passes for 101 yards and one touchdown.
No. 21 SMU 25, Boston College 16
Kevin Jennings threw touchdown passes to Randy Pittman Jr. and Derrick McFall in the second half as the Mustangs built on a 3-point halftime lead to earn the ACC win over the Eagles in Dallas.
SMU (4-1, 2-1 ACC) sacked Boston College quarterback Mason McKenzie five times and held the Eagles (2-3, 0-2) scoreless for seven straight possessions from the first quarter until a touchdown with 2:07 left in regulation. Marques White recorded three of the five sacks.
While Jennings finished 20 of 30 for 160 yards, McKenzie completed 20 of 31 for 208 yards and two scores. He also led all rushers with 74 yards on 21 attempts. Evan Dickens and Danny Edgehill each caught one touchdown pass.
