3:30 games
- #25 USC 30, #19 UCLA 26
- #2 Alabama 34, 14 Texas A&M 13
- #7 OHIO STATE 24, ILLINOIS 23
- #4 Clemson d. Wake Forest
- Baylor d. West Virginia
- South Florida d. Navy
- MICHIGAN STATE d. RUTGERS
- Missouri d. #21 UL Lafayette
- Rice d. North Texas
- Louisiana Tech d. Vanderbilt
- Ole Miss d. Georgia Southern
- Virginia d. Pittsburgh
- Southern Miss d. UTSA
- Charlotte d. Marshall
- UAB d. UTEP
- Western Kentucky d. FIU
USC spotted their rivals a 13 point halftime lead, 20-7, but the Trojans packed the box and shut down Chip Kelly's offense. Dorian Thompson-Robinson didn't go over 100 yards passing until his 23rd completion. He finished 26-30, but for just 118 yards. The Bruins kicked a field goal with just over 2 minutes left to break a 23-23 tie, but USC's offense marched right down the field, before Slovis hit Tyler Vaughns on an 18 yard scoring strike with 43 seconds to play. The booth buzzed down for a review, but it was clear, not one, but two feet in. UCLA, now forced to go vertical with their passing game, never threatened.
The Crimson Tide wasted no time in putting separation between themselves and the Aggies, picking off Kellen Mond twice in the first quarter, leading 24-0 after 1. It could have been worse, but Alabama opted for a 19 yard field goal, and missed another after going backwards following an interception return down to the Texas A&M 18. Mond finished the day just 21-44, and while the Aggie bend, but don't break defense, was effective (thanks to a 2-6 day for Bama kicker Will Reichard), settling for field goals on back to back possessions to end the first half doomed them.
Ohio State has had national title plans seemingly derailed by Illinois in the not so recent past, and the Illini put the fear of god into the Buckeyes again in a driving rain storm. The Illinois offense didn't muster much, but the defense did their part, and Illinois was +3 in turnover differential, with a 17-0 edge in points off turnovers. The Buckeyes forced Illinois into a 3 and out to open, and immediately marched right down to first and goal. But a bubble screen was read perfectly by safety Sydney Brown who broke on it, picked the ball off, and returned it 94 yards for a touchdown. On Ohio State's very next play from scrimmage, Fields fumbled the ball, Illinois recovered, and punched it in 5 plays later, for a quick 14-0 lead. Problem was Illinois never found the end zone again, and even in a rain filled slop fest, 23 points wasn't enough.