STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Casey Washington caught a 2-point conversion pass from Brandon Peters to end the first nine-overtime game in NCAA history and lift Illinois over No. 7 Penn State 20-18 Saturday.

The teams were tied at 10 after regulation, exchanged field goals in the first two overtimes, then began to alternate 2-point attempts in the third OT as part of a format tweaked ahead of the 2021 season.

Neither team converted until the eighth overtime, when Isaiah Williams ran one in to put Illinois up 18-16. Penn State’s Noah Cain kept the game alive with a 2-point run of his own.

In the ninth OT, Sean Clifford’s pass to Parker Washington was broken up by linebacker Khalan Tolson. Peters then found Washington near the back of the end zone for the winning completion.

The 2-point conversion shootout started in 2019, the season after LSU and Texas A&M played a seven overtime game that left both teams badly beaten up. The rule was tweaked this year, with the 2-point conversion possessions beginning with the third overtime instead of the fifth.

Chase Brown and Josh McCray combined for 365 rushing yards and a touchdown and James McCourt kicked three field goals, including 39- and 32-yarders in overtime, to snap Illinois’ three-game skid to Penn State.

The two bullish backs blasted through wide-open holes and flanked Penn State’s defense again and again on a soggy day at Beaver Stadium. The Illini (3-5, 2-3 Big Ten) outgained the Nittany Lions 370 yards to 207 in regulation and battled back from an early 10-0 deficit.

Peters, normally Illinois’ starter, came off the bench when Artur Sitkowski hurt his left hand in the sixth overtime period.

KeAndre Lambert-Smith caught a touchdown pass and Jordan Stout added three field goals for the Nittany Lions (5-2, 2-2) who ran for just 62 yards and struggled to protect ailing Clifford.

(2) CINCINNATI 27, NAVY 20: Arquon Bush intercepted a pass with 25 seconds left to help the Bearcats (7-0, 3-0 American Athletic Conference) hold on for a victory over the Midshipmen (1-6, 1-4) in Annapolis, Maryland.

The Bearcats weren’t at their best, but they never looked like they were in significant danger of an upset until the final minute, when Navy scored to make it a one-score game and then recovered an onside kick with 48 seconds left.

The Midshipmen didn’t do much with that final chance, though. Tai Lavatai’s third-down pass was picked off by Bush near the Cincinnati 45.

The Bearcats were fortunate to lead by three after a mistake-filled first half, but Cincinnati eventually snapped out of its offensive funk. Desmond Ridder threw for 176 yards and two touchdowns.

(3) OKLAHOMA 35, KANSAS 23: Caleb Williams threw two touchdown pass, ran 40-yards for a score on a pivotal fourth down and the Sooners (8-0, 5-0 Big 12) rallied to beat the Wildcats (1-6, 0-4) and avoid an enormous upset in Lawrence, Kansas.

The Sooners trailed by double figures on two occasions – including 10-0 at the half – but outscored the Jayhawks 35-13 in the second half to win their 16th straight game.

Jason Bean passed for 246 yards and a score for Kansas, which led 17-7 late in the third quarter.

(4) ALABAMA 52, TENNESSEE 24: Bryce Young passed for 371 yards and two touchdowns and ran for two more scores, carrying the Crimson Tide (7-1, 4-1 SEC) to a victory over the Volunteers (4-4, 2-3) in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

Brian Robinson ran for 107 yards and three touchdowns, helping the Crimson Tide score 21 points in the first six-plus minutes of the final quarter.

That turned a mostly competitive game against the Volunteers, fueled by Hendon Hooker’s 282-yard passing performance, into another lopsided final score.

The result was Alabama’s 15th consecutive win in the border rivalry, with the previous five having an average margin of 33 points.

(6) MICHIGAN 33, NORTHWESTERN 7: Blake Corum and Hassan Haskins combined for 229 yards rushing and four touchdowns, carrying the Wolverines (7-0, 4-0 Big Ten) to a win over the Wildcats (3-4, 1-3) in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

The Wolverines closed strong after a sluggish start. They led by just three points at halftime, looking as if they were peeking ahead to next week’s game against ninth-ranked Michigan State on the road.

Michigan pulled away from the Wildcats by outscoring them 23-0 in the first 16:40 of the second half.

Corum finished with 119 yards rushing and two touchdowns. Haskins ran for 110 yards and two scores. Cade McNamara was 20 of 27 for 129 yards for the Wolverines.

IOWA STATE 24, (8) OKLAHOMA STATE 21: Brock Purdy threw for 307 yards and two touchdowns and the Iowa State defense made a late stand in the closing minutes as the Cyclones (5-2, 3-1 Big 12) knocked off the Cowboys (6-1, 3-1) in Ames, Iowa.

Breece Hall scored the go-ahead touchdown with 5:29 left, then the Cyclones’ defense forced a three-and-out and stopped the Cowboys on fourth down with 1:09 left.

Purdy kneeled twice in victory formation, and fans stormed the field at Jack Trice Stadium as the clock ran out to celebrate Iowa State’s first win over a top-10 opponent since 2018.

It was the seventh straight Oklahoma State-Iowa State game decided by seven points or less.

(10) OREGON 34, UCLA 31: Travis Dye became the first player in Football Bowl Subdivision history to score touchdowns on four consecutive carries and the Ducks (6-1, 3-1 Pac-12) overcame an early 14-point deficit to beat the Bruins (5-3, 3-2) in Pasadena, California.

Anthony Brown had 381 yards of total offense for the Ducks against the Bruins.

Dye – who finished with 35 yards on 14 carries – also became the seventh Oregon running back since 2000 with at least four rushing touchdowns in a game.

(12) MISSISSIPPI 31, LSU 17: Matt Corral threw for a touchdown and ran for another, directing the Rebels (6-1, 3-1 SEC) to a 31-point outburst that spanned the second and third quarters to beat lame-duck coach Ed Orgeron and the Tigers (4-4, 2-3) in Oxford, Mississippi.

LSU lost in its first game since it was announced Orgeron wouldn’t return next season. A former Mississippi coach, he led the Tigers to the national championship less than two years ago.

(16) WAKE FOREST 70, ARMY 56: Sam Hartman threw for a career-high 458 yards and five touchdowns in a big-play display and ran for another score, and the Demon Deacons (7-0) defeated the Black Knights (4-3) in West Point, New York.

Army, which lost its third straight, had not defeated a ranked opponent since a 17-14 victory over Air Force in 1972, but the Black Knights made Wake Forest earn it.

Hartman was unstoppable and rarely pressured, completing 23 of 29 passes and hitting touchdown passes of 41, 54 and two of 75 yards as he matched the Michie Stadium record for scoring passes. Army never led, and a costly interception return for a touchdown in the third quarter gave the Demon Deacons the breathing room they needed.

(23) PITTSBURGH 27, CLEMSON 17: Pittsburgh quarterback Kenny Pickett made the most of his Heisman Trophy showcase, throwing for 302 yards and two touchdowns as the 23rd-ranked Panthers (6-1, 3-0 ACC) topped the Tigers (4-3, 3-2) in Pittsburgh.

Pickett completed 25 of 39 passes to overtake Alex Van Pelt for the most career completions in school history. The fifth-year senior ran for two drive-extending dives late in the fourth quarter after the Tigers had drawn within 10.

Senior linebacker SirVocea Dennis returned an ill-advised shovel pass by Clemson quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei 50 yards for a touchdown early in the third quarter that gave the Panthers a 14-point lead they never really threatened to give away.

Pitt gained firm control of the ACC’s Coastal Division by winning its fourth straight following a stunning home upset loss to Western Michigan last month. Clemson saw its chances for another Atlantic Division title take a massive hit thanks in large part to an offense that remains very much a problem with Halloween looming.

(24) UTSA 45, LOUISIANA TECH 16: Frank Harris threw two touchdown passes to Zakhari Franklin and the Roadrunners (8-0, 4-0 Conference USA) celebrated their first national ranking with a victory over the Bulldogs (2-5, 1-2) in Ruston, Louisiana.

Harris was 12 of 20 for 193 yards, with scoring passes of 75 and 10 yards to Franklin, to help the Roadrunners extend their school-record winning streak to eight games.

Franklin had five catches for 118 yards, and Sincere McCormick ran for 113 yards and three touchdowns. Dadrian Taylor returned an interception 51 yards or a score.

UTSA won for the first time in Ruston in six attempts dating to 2012. Louisiana Tech hosted a Top 25 opponent for the first time since 2010 when the Bulldogs lost to then-No. 14 Nevada and Colin Kaepernick.

WISCONSIN 30, (25) PURDUE: Chez Mellusi ran for 149 yards and a touchdown and Braelon Allen had 140 yards and two scores to help the Badgers (4-2, 2-2 Big Ten) beat the Boilermakers (4-3, 2-2) in West Lafayette, Indiana.

Mellusi and Allen both had career highs for yards, with Mellusi carrying 27 carries and Allen 12 for the Badgers.

Wisconsin has won 15 straight against Purdue.

The Boilermakers took a 13-10 lead on defensive end George Karlaftis’ 56-yard fumble return with 6:13 left in the second second quarter.

JAMES MADISON 22, DELAWARE 10: Ethan Ratke kicked a school record five field goals to back a sturdy defense and the Dukes (6-1, 4-1 CAA) smothered the Blue Hens (3-4, 2-3) in Newark, Delaware.

ELON 24, NEW HAMPSHIRE 10: Davis Cheek threw two touchdown passes – including a 58-yarder to Bryson Daughtry on Elon’s second play from scrimmage – and ran for a score as the Phoenix 4-3, 3-1 CAA) turned beat the Wildcats (3-4, 2-2) in Elon, North Carolina.

WILLIAM & MARY 40, TOWSON 14: Donavyn Lester rushed for 99 of William & Mary’s 339 yards on the ground, scoring three touchdowns along the way, and the Tribe (5-2, 3-1 CAA) breezed to a win over the Tigers (3-4, 2-2) in Williamsburg, Virginia.

VILLANOVA 44, RHODE ISLAND 0: Daniel Smith threw for two touchdowns and Jalen Jackson ran for two scores and the Wildcats (6-1, 4-0 CAA) beat the Rams (5-2, 3-2) in Villanova, Pennsylvania.

It was Villanova’s first shutout since a 31-0 win over Maine on Oct. 7, 2017.

STONY BROOK 27, RICHMOND 14: Tyquell Fields threw two touchdown passes and ran for a third and the Seawolves (3-5, 2-3 CAA) forced six turnovers to defeat the Spiders (2-5, 0-4) in Stony Brook, New York.