Miami jumped LSU and Penn State into the No. 2 spot behind Ohio State in The Associated Press Top 25 college football poll.

Six AP Top 25 college football teams had an early bye week.

Hank Beatty returned a punt 69 yards for a touchdown and broke Red Grange’s nearly 102-year-old Illinois record for yards on punt returns to help the No. 12 Illini rout Western Illinois 52-3 on Friday night to open the season.

Somewhere in the fight-filled, money-chasing hustle that the college bowl season has become, a national champion will emerge.

A historically poor season has led Purdue athletic director Mike Bobinski to fire coach Ryan Walters after just two seasons at the helm.

Luke Altmyer found Pat Bryant for a catch-and-run, 40-yard touchdown pass with 4 seconds left, sending No. 24 Illinois to a wild 38-31 victory over Rutgers.

Max Brosmer threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to Jameson Geers and Dragan Kesich kicked his fourth field goal of the game in the final five minutes, rallying Minnesota to a 25-17 victory over No. 24 Illinois.

Luke Altmyer threw for a touchdown and ran for another, leading No. 22 Illinois to a 21-7 victory over No. 24 Michigan.

The Big Ten has become a landing zone for quarterbacks on the move.

Cam Miller, Abdul Carter, Daequan Dixon and Johnny Hardy had interceptions and No. 7 Penn State took advantage of five Illinois turnovers to beat the Illini 30-13.

Cincinnati coach Luke Fickell has informed his team that he is leaving the school, paving the way for him to become the next head coach at Wisconsin.

Jake Moody made a go-ahead, 35-yard field goal with nine seconds left to give No. 3 Michigan a 19-17 win over Illinois.

A 5-1 start has netted No. 24 Illinois three Big Ten midseason awards from The Associated Press.

Georgia has taken back the top spot in The Associated Press college football poll from Alabama.

Wisconsin has fired head coach Paul Chryst after a 2-3 start to his eighth season leading his alma mater.

Bielema is returning to the Big Ten and his home state to coach Illinois. Illinois hired the former Wisconsin and Arkansas coach, hoping he can turn around a program with nine straight losing seasons. Illinois said Bielema will receive a six-year contract with an annual salary starting at $4.2 million, and begin work immediately. He became the third coach in NCAA history to win 12 games in his rookie season when Wisconsin went 12-1 in 2006. In January, the New York Giants and new head coach Joe Judge hired Bielema as outside linebackers coach and senior assistant.