Book, defense help No. 2 Notre Dame beat No. 25 UNC 31-17

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) - Ian Book kept No. 2 Notre Dame's offense moving while the Fighting Irish defense locked down Sam Howell and No. 25 North Carolina's potent offense for the final three quarters on a 31-17 victory on Friday.

Book threw for 279 yards and a score and ran for 48 yards for the Fighting Irish (9-0, 8-0 ACC, No. 2 CFP), using his mobility and elusiveness to keep plays alive on a night when both offenses frequently faced long fields.

Receiver Ben Skowronek got Notre Dame its first lead with his 13-yard run around the right side midway through the third quarter. Kyren Williams ran for 124 yards -- including a 47-yarder with about 51/2 minutes left as the Irish burned clock and sealed the game

Williams closed that drive with his second rushing TD, a clinching 1-yarder with 1:20 left that kept the Fighting Irish alone atop the ACC standings ahead of No. 4 Clemson and No. 10 Miami.

More impressively, though, was a defensive effort that forced Howell and the high-scoring Tar Heels to work for every gain after the opening quarter.

UNC (6-3, 6-3) sprinted to touchdowns on its first two drives, but Notre Dame surrendered only one field goal from there. The Tar Heels came in averaging 43 points and 563 yards, yet they were unable to buy time for Howell to push downfield for big gains nor open running lanes for a pair of backs averaging better than 100 yards rushing each in Javonte Williams and Michael Carter.

By the end, UNC had finished with a season-low 298 yards while Howell -- one of the national leaders in passing yardage and touchdowns -- threw for just 211 yards and a score. He also ran for a touchdown.

NO. 15 IOWA STATE 12

NO. 20 TEXAS 20

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - Iowa State didn't fret or panic while trailing Texas for nearly an entire game Friday.

Instead, the Cyclones looked like a program with championship DNA in the fourth quarter, despite not having won a conference title in more than 100 years.

Breece Hall scored on a 3-yard run with 1:25 remaining, and No. 15 Iowa State held off a last-minute drive by Sam Ehlinger and No. 20 Texas to remain in first place in the Big 12 with a 23-20 victory Friday.

After Iowa State sacked Ehlinger on third down, Texas' Cameron Dicker barely missed left with a 58-yard field goal attempt as time expired.

The Cyclones (7-2, 7-1) have almost locked up a spot in the Big 12 championship game for the first time with their second victory ever against Texas in Austin. Upstart Iowa State has beaten the blue blood Longhorns in consecutive seasons for the first time in 18 meetings.

Hall gained 91 yards on 20 carries, his first game under 100 this season, but had 30 on the final 69-yard touchdown drive. Quarterback Brock Purdy connected with tight ends Charlie Kolar and Dylan Soehner for the other 39 yards.

Iowa State trailed 20-16 early in the fourth quarter after a bad two-play sequence for Texas (5-3, 4-3) helped the Cyclones get a field goal by Connor Assalley.

First, the Longhorns came up 3 yards short throwing the ball on a fake punt on fourth-and-8. Then Purdy found Kolar for 44 yards. A holding penalty by the Cyclones forced them to settle for the Assalley's field goal to make it 20-16.

Ehlinger was also were stopped inches short on a fourth-and-2 at the Iowa State 13 with 8:05 left in the fourth quarter when a field goal would have made it a seven-point game.

Purdy completed 25 of 36 for 312 yards and one touchdown. Kolar made six receptions for 131.

Ehlinger was 17 of 29 for 298 yards and one touchdown in what could be his final home game for the Longhorns. Ehlinger and Brennan Eagles set up touchdowns in the first and third quarters, connecting for 59 and 45 yards.