Friday’s College Football games

Virginia 42, Boise State 23

BOISE, IDAHO

Kurt Benkert threw for 273 yards and three touchdowns to lead Virginia past Boise State in the Broncos’ worst home loss since 2001. Virginia (3-1) notched its first win west of the Mississippi River since 1991 when it beat BYU 45-40. In avenging an embarrassing 56-14 loss to Boise State in 2015, the Cavaliers also surpassed their win total from last season. Boise State (2-2) hasn’t suffered a double-digit loss at home since the 2001 season. While this was Virginia’s first trip to Boise, second-year coach Bronco Mendenhall faced the Broncos on the road twice while coaching BYU, losing both times. After surrendering an 80-yard scoring drive to open the game, Virginia took control by ripping off 21 straight points.

NCAA puts Rutgers on two-year probation

NEWARK, N.J.

The NCAA has placed Rutgers on two-year probation and publically reprimanded and censured the university for failing to monitor its football program over a five-year period between 2011 and 2015. The Division I Committee on Infractions panel ruled Friday that Rutgers did not ensure its football student host group and its drug-testing program followed university policy and NCAA rules. The panel also said that former football coach Kyle Flood failed to monitor his operations staff and violated university policy by contacting an instructor to make a special academic arrangement for a student-athlete. The ruling was lenient in that the NCAA agreed with most of the self-imposed sanctions that Rutgers sought as punishment for the violations. Rutgers helped itself by cooperating with investigation, firing Flood and athletic director Julie Hermann after the 2015 season, and implementing a new drug testing and hiring a new chief medical officer.

Five players turn themselves in to police for hazing

WHEATON, ILL.

All five members of a Christian college football team in suburban Chicago charged with battery of one of their teammates have turned themselves in to police. The Chicago Tribune reports that the last of the Wheaton College students appeared at the Wheaton police station on Friday afternoon. The others turned themselves in previously, posted the required $5,000 bail and were released pending their arraignments next month. The five were charged this week with aggravated battery, mob action and unlawful restraint. They are accused of duct-taping the teammate’s hands and feet and attempting to sodomize him with an object before dumping him half-naked in an off-campus park. The five players were suspended from the team after charges were filed. The most serious charge carries a maximum sentence of two to five years in prison.

St. John’s-St. Thomas game to break D-III record

MINNEAPOLIS

One of the longest-running rivalries in small college football has reached major league status. The 87th edition of the St. John’s-St. Thomas game will be played on Saturday at Target Field, and more than 35,000 tickets have already been sold. With the Twins making their push for the baseball playoffs this weekend on the road, the Johnnies and the Tommies will take their place for an afternoon and more than double the previous NCAA Division III attendance record in the process. No, Pope Francis, is not expected to be there. Just about everybody else of significance to these two Catholic schools in Minnesota probably will be.

Associated Press