In our weekly column, we check in on some of Penn State's past football opponents and what’s going on with the teams the Nittany Lions have already faced this 2017 season.

Akron Zips (5-4)

Beat the Buffalo Bulls

In MACtion news, the Akron Zips beat the Buffalo Bulls 21-20 in a game that came down to a one-handed touchdown by Kevin Gladney in the endzone in the last five minutes of the game. Buffalo answered with a 45 yard drive that ended with their kicker missing a field goal with under two minutes left.

The victory placed Akron into the top spot in the MAC East standings.

Buffalo went up 7-0 in the first, but Akron tied the game 7-7. In the second quarter, the Bulls settled for a field goal, then threw an interception to Akron’s Jordan George, setting up an eventual Zips touchdown for an Akron lead 14-10. Buffalo hit a field goal before the half for a Zips advantage 14-13.

Neither team scored in the third, but Buffalo scored in the fourth for a 20-14 lead, only to have Akron be intercepted, then finally score the game-winning touchdown in their next possession.

Zips quarterback Thomas Woodson was 21-of-29 passing and threw for a season-high 286 yards and three touchdowns. A.J. Coney led Akron with seven catches for 91 yards. Deltron Sands was the top Zips rusher with seven carries for a career-high 70 yards. Jordan George had a career-high 11 tackles and an interception for the Zips.

Up next for Akron are the Miami-Ohio Redhawks on Tuesday, November 7.

Up Next: Miami-Ohio Redhawks (3-6)

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Pitt Panthers (4-5)

Crushed the Cavaliers

The Pitt Panthers beat the Virginia Cavaliers 31-14 in a game where they never trailed, stopped Virginia four times on fourth down and collected three sacks.

Pitt ran up the score 21-0 until the second quarter when Virginia scored on a 19-yard pass, making the game 21-7 at the half. Pitt responded with a touchdown in the third for the 28-7 lead, but the Cavaliers caught a touchdown pass to make the game 28-14 in the fourth. With under four minutes to go, the Panthers landed a field goal to make the final 31-14 statement.

Pitt quarterback Ben DiNucci threw for 134 yards and a touchdown. Quadree Henderson added a twisting 75-yard punt return for a score, giving him eight combined kick returns for scores in his career, one off the NCAA record. Darrin Hall ran for 111 yards and a touchdown and Jester Weah recorded his fourth touchdown catch this season.

Thursday, November 9, Pitt looks for another likely win when they play the 1-8 North Carolina Tarheels.

Up Next: North Carolina Tarheels (1-8)

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Georgia State Panthers (4-3)

Beat South Alabama

The Georgia State Panthers beat the South Alabama Jaguars 21-13, starting with a Glenn Smith touchdown for a 7-0 Panthers lead. South Alabama responded with a field goal in the second, but a Panthers’ touchdown run to extended Georgia State's lead to 14-3 before the half.

South Alabama came back in the third quarter with a field goal for a 14-6 score but in the fourth quarter Georgia State pushed it to 21-6. Jaguar quarterback Dallas Davis found Jamarius Way for a 75-yard touchdown with 2:11 left in the game (21-13 Panthers), and the Jaguars recovered the onside kick. But South Alabama couldn’t capitalize, then Georgia State got the ball back and ran out the clock.

For the Panthers, Conner Manning threw for 195 yards and two touchdowns, and Penny Hart caught six for 98 yards and a touchdown. Safety Bryan Williams intercepted a pass on the opponent's opening drive for the second straight game and tied a GSU record for most interceptions in a season with four. Glenn Smith totaled 175 all-purpose yards with 73 yard rushing, two catches for 36 yards with a two-yard touchdown, and 66 kickoff return yards.

Georgia State next plays the winless Georgia Southern Eagles, so it’s looking like the Panthers may win again!

Up Next: Georgia Southern Eagles (0-7)

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Iowa Hawkeyes (5-3)

Buried the Golden Gophers

This weekend, the Iowa Hawkeyes beat the Minnesota Golden Gophers 17-10, making them just one win away from being bowl eligible, which probably won’t come against their next game vs. Ohio State. The teams played for the coveted (?) Floyd of Rosedale traveling trophy, which is a 98.3 pound bronze pig, which they’ve been doing since 1935. It sounds cuter than the Land Grant Trophy, so who’s to judge?

Anyway, Iowa started the scoring on their first drive of the first quarter on an Akrum Wadley run. The next score didn’t happen until Iowa’s first drive of the third quarter, a pass from Nate Stanley to Noah Fant for a 14-0 lead. Minnesota responded with a touchdown in the fourth bringing the score to 14-7, but Iowa’s kicker Miguel Recinos hit two field goals in the fourth quarter for the eventual Hawkeye 17-10 win.

Each team converted just 15 first downs and committed three turnovers.

Hawkeye quarterback Nate Stanley threw for 190 yards. Linebacker Josey Jewell returned after missing the last game and led the Iowa defense with 11 tackles.

Rodney Smith led the offense for Minnesota rushing for 82 yards on 15 attempts. Minnesota had a tough time passing the ball, with Golden Gophers’ quarterback Demry Croft completing just nine passes in the game.

Iowa next plays the No. 6 Ohio State Buckeyes.

Up Next: Ohio State Buckeyes (7-1)

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Indiana Hoosiers (3-5)

Lost to the Terrapins

Sorry, Mom and Dad (my IU alumni parents) but maybe you should stick to watching Indiana basketball. The Indiana Hoosiers had their third straight close loss this Saturday to the Maryland Terrapins, 42-39 in a back-and-forth game, making Indiana still winless in the Big Ten.

Indiana scored first on their first possession, taking a 7-0 lead on a Simmie Cobbs touchdown. Maryland’s opening drive had an interception by Tony Fields that set up another Hoosier touchdown, for the early lead 14-0 in the first quarter. The Terrapins responded with a touchdown in the first quarter, but the Hoosiers snagged a safety , still in the lead 16-7 at the end of the first quarter.

By the half, the score was 28-23 with Maryland in the lead. In the third quarter, Indiana scored 10 unanswered points, but by the fourth, Maryland scored 14 to Indiana’s six points for the final 42-39 score.

Indiana’s starting quarterback Peyton Ramsey went 31 for 41 for 279 yards and three touchdowns, and backup Richard Lagow passed for 131 yards and two scores.

Simmie Cobbs had 10 receptions for 138 yards and two touchdowns, freshman Whop Philyor caught 13 passes for 127 yards and Luke Timian had 13 catches for 91 yards.

Maryland’s quarterback Max Bortenschlager was 10-for-16 for 171 yards and two touchdowns.

Up Next: Wisconsin Badgers (8-0)

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Northwestern Wildcats (5-3)

Beat Michigan State

In an exciting triple overtime game, the Northwestern Wildcats stunned the Michigan State Spartans 39-31.

Michigan State scored first in the first with a touchdown pass, then hit a field goal in the second quarter for a 10-0 lead. Northwestern scored 10 unanswered points in the second quarter to tie the game 10-10 at the half. In the fourth quarter, both teams scored touchdowns, leading to the 17-17 tie going into the first overtime, then made it 24-24 going into the second overtime, then 31-31 going into the third overtime.

In the final overtime, Northwestern quarterback Clayton Thorson threw a touchdown pass to Flynn Nagel to make the score 39-31. On the next Spartan possession, Wildcat Nate Hall intercepted Spartan quarterback Lewerke in the end zone, sealing the Northwestern win.

Although Lewerke threw for a school record 445 yards and four touchdowns, and the Spartan defense held Northwestern to just 64 yards rushing, Michigan State just couldn’t pull ahead for the win.

Thorson threw for 356 yards and two touchdowns. Justin Jackson had 41 yards rushing and 51 receiving. Nagel added 87 yards receiving, and Cameron Green had 76 yards and a touchdown catch.

This Saturday Northwestern takes on the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

Up Next: Nebraska Cornhuskers (4-4)

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Michigan Wolverines (6-2)

Beat Rutgers

The Michigan Wolverines bounced back nicely from their loss to Penn State, and this past week defeated the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, 35-14 who last year they beat 78-0. Ouch.

The game was scoreless in the first quarter, until Michigan scored on a Khalid Hill run for the Wolverine 7-0 lead. Rutgers’ Janarion Grant responded with a score early in the second quarter, pulling the Scarlet Knights into a 7-7 tie. The Wolverines then scored two more touchdowns in the second quarter, giving Michigan a 21-7 lead at the half.

Michigan’s Kareem Walker early in the third gave the Wolverines a 21-point lead 28-7. The Scarlet Knights responded with a touchdown, but the Wolverines scored once more in the fourth for the final 35-14 win.

Quarterback John O’Korn started a fourth straight game in place of injured starter Wilton Speight. O’Korn was 3 of 6 for 13 yards with an interception, and recovered two of his own fumbles off snaps. Jim Harbaugh had planned to play redshirt freshman quarterback Brandon Peters, so he said, for several weeks before the game. And once Harbaugh put him in the game, Peters helped Michigan score touchdowns on his first three drives and threw 10 of 14 passes for 124 yards and a touchdown in the game.

Karan Higdon had a touchdown and finished with 158 yards rushing on 18 carries. Ty Isaac ran for 109 yards on 14 attempts for the Wolverines, who ran for a season-high 334 yards.

Next Michigan takes on the Minnesota Golden Gophers.

Up Next: Minnesota Golden Gophers (4-4)