CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Carolina Panthers upped their record to 8-0 with a 37-29 victory over the Green Bay Packers. Cam Newton threw three touchdown passes and ran for another score to solidify the Panthers’ hold on the NFC’s best record. Newton completed 15 of 30 passes for 297 yards and ran for 57 yards on nine carries in one of the better games of his five-year NFL career.
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — The New England Patriots joined the Cincinnati Bengals and Carolina Panthers at 8-0 with a 27-10 victory over Washington. Tom Brady completed 26 of 39 passes for 299 yards and two touchdowns for the Pats, who have scored in 31 of 32 quarters this season. The Pats did suffer the loss of offensive tackle Sebastian Vollmer and running back Dion Lewis to injuries.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Broncos had been 7-0 until Andrew Luck completed 21 of his 36 passes for 252 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions in the Colts’ 27-24 win over Denver. The Broncos tied the game with an extra point following Peyton Manning’s one-yard TD toss to Owen Daniels with 8:54 remaining. But Luck marched the Colts into Denver territory on the next possession before Adam Vinatieri drilled a 55-yard field goal with 6:13 to play.
NEW YORK (AP) — Ohio State’s season-long run atop The Associated Press college football poll is over after Clemson took over at No. 1 on Sunday. The 9-0 Tigers received 31 first-place votes and 29 more points than the Buckeyes following Clemson’s 23-12 win over Florida State and Ohio State’s 28-14 triumph against Minnesota. The third-ranked school is Alabama, followed by Baylor and Oklahoma State.
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Jimmie Johnson has won the fall race at Texas Motor Speedway for the fourth straight year, passing Brad Keselowski’s dominant car with three laps to go. Johnson led just six laps, while Keselowski paced the field a track-record 312 of 334 laps after starting from the pole. Kevin Harvick finished third, followed by Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards.