STAT WATCH: Fitzpatrick’s 3 picks in game ties national high

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Interceptions seem to come in bunches for Alabama’s Minkah Fitzpatrick. All five of his career picks have come in two of his 20 games, and he’s returned three for touchdowns.

Fitzpatrick on Saturday against Arkansas joined Cincinnati’s Mike Tyson as the only FBS players to pick off three passes in a game this season.

Last year Fitzpatrick had both of his interceptions against Texas A&M, returning them for scores of 33 and 55 yards.

Saturday, Fitzpatrick ran back his third interception of the game 100 yards for a touchdown , with his third career pick-six tying the Alabama record.

Teammate Tim Williams returned a fumble 23 yards for a TD against the Razorbacks, and the Crimson Tide now has nine defensive touchdowns this season. Ohio State is second with four.

A look at other statistical feats this past weekend:

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TOP RUSHERS

San Diego State’s Donnel Pumphrey continues to lead the nation in rushing by a large margin after carrying 31 times for 141 yards against UNLV. Pumphrey is averaging 178.2 yards a game, nearly 30 more than second-place D’Onta Foreman of Texas.

There were five 200-yard performances Saturday: Kent State’ Nick Holley, 24 carries for 224 yards against Buffalo; Oregon State’s Ryan Nall , 14 for 221 against California; Texas A&M’s Treyveon Williams, 28 for 217 against Tennessee; Oklahoma’s Samaje Perine, 35 for 214 against Texas; and Penn State’s Saquon Barkley, 31 for 202 against Maryland.

THE BALL’S A FLYIN’

The two longest punts in the nation occurred in the same game. Bowling Green’s Joe Davidson got off a 79-yarder in the third quarter that was downed at the Ohio 10-yard line. In the fourth quarter, Ohio’s Michael Farkas boomed a 74-yarder that was downed at the BG 2.

RED-FACED SCARLET KNIGHTS

First-year coach Chris Ash’s Rutgers team had the misfortune of facing back-to-back games against top-five opponents in Ohio State and Michigan, and the combined score marked the worst consecutive shutout losses for a school that’s been playing football since 1869.

The Scarlet Knights’ 78-0 loss to Michigan came a week after their 58-0 loss to Ohio State. Saturday’s beat-down was Rutgers’ most lopsided since an 82-0 loss to Princeton in 1888. The 136 points allowed were the most in consecutive games since West Virginia and Pittsburgh won by a combined 122-7 in 2001.

WHOO WEE, LEE

Wake Forest linebacker Marquel Lee established a national high with 5.5 tackles for loss against Syracuse. Lee finished with a career-high 15 tackles, including 12 solo stops.

The senior led a dominating performance that saw the Demon Deacons record 11 tackles for loss with five sacks.

RUNNIN’ ROADRUNNERS

UTSA’s Jarveon Williams broke the nation’s longest run from scrimmage when he went 92 yards for a touchdown in a 55-32 win over Southern Mississippi .

Williams and Jalen Rhodes each went over 100 yards as the Roadrunners rushed for 339 yards and had 532 yards in total offense, both school records. The Roadrunners averaged 11.3 yards per play, also a program record, and scored their most points against an FBS opponent.

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Online:

AP college football website: http://collegefootball.ap.org

Alabama’s Minkah Fitzpatrick (29) intercepts a pass intended for Arkansas’ Jared Cornelius (1) in the Arkansas end zone during the fourth quarter of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 8, 2016, in Fayetteville, Ark. Alabama won 49-30. (AP Photo/Samantha Baker)
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2016/10/web1_112908805-141ede6baf5a4ad385f790a10b69c024.jpgAlabama’s Minkah Fitzpatrick (29) intercepts a pass intended for Arkansas’ Jared Cornelius (1) in the Arkansas end zone during the fourth quarter of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 8, 2016, in Fayetteville, Ark. Alabama won 49-30. (AP Photo/Samantha Baker)

Oregon State running back Ryan Nall, left, breaks through the California defense to score a touchdown during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Corvallis, Ore., on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2016. (AP Photo/Timothy J. Gonzalez)
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2016/10/web1_112908805-67d5853c25fb48769a5d04a6e9ca7e85.jpgOregon State running back Ryan Nall, left, breaks through the California defense to score a touchdown during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Corvallis, Ore., on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2016. (AP Photo/Timothy J. Gonzalez)

Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh, right, greets Rutgers head coach Chris Ash at the end of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 8, 2016, in Piscataway, N.J. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2016/10/web1_112908805-d4ce20a4aecf46bf9695b1bf9ca0307c.jpgMichigan head coach Jim Harbaugh, right, greets Rutgers head coach Chris Ash at the end of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 8, 2016, in Piscataway, N.J. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

By Eric Olson

AP College Football Writer

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