Top 25 college football: No. 2 Notre Dame beats No. 25 North Carolina 31-17

Associated Press

Ian Book kept No. 2 Notre Dame’s offense moving while the defense locked down Sam Howell and No. 25 North Carolina’s potent offense for the final three quarters in a 31-17 victory on Friday in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

Book threw for 279 yards and a score and ran for 48 yards for the Fighting Irish (9-0, 8-0 ACC), 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 5½ minutes left as the Irish burned clock and sealed the game

More impressive 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.

No. 15 Iowa State 23, No. 20 Texas 20: Breece Hall scored on a 3-yard run with 1:25 remaining and the Cyclones (7-2, 7-1) held off a last-minute drive by Sam Ehlinger and the Longhorns (5-3, 4-3) in Austin, Texas, to remain in first place in the Big 12.

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.

Hall gained 91 yards on 20 carries, his first game under 100 this season, but had 30 on the final 69-yard touchdown drive. For Iowa State, Brock Purdy completed 25 of 36 passes for 312 yards and a touchdown, and Charlie Kolar had six receptions for 131 yards.