Auburn stops No. 1 Alabama
Jarrett Stidham and No. 6 Auburn beat top-ranked Alabama, 26-14, yesterday to earn a berth in the Southeastern Conference title game.
The Tigers quarterback passed for 237 yards and ran
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for a fourth-quarter touchdown in Auburn, Ala., to set up a rematch with No. 7 Georgia in the SEC championship game next Saturday with a playoff spot almost certainly on the line.
Auburn (10-2, 7-1 SEC, No. 6 CFP) mostly shut down the league’s top scoring offense for their second win in three weeks over the top team in the playoff rankings. The Tigers won the Western Division a week after dispatching Georgia with similar precision.
Auburn coach Gus Malzahn didn’t shy away from a question about his team’s chances of making the playoffs with two losses. One of the defeats was to defending national champion Clemson, No. 3 at the time.
“We’ve got to win next week and that’s going to be a handful,” Malzahn said. “I don’t know, them experts got it figured out. I don’t think anybody else has played two No. 1 teams and a No. (3) team.”
The Crimson Tide (11-1, 7-1, No. 1 CFP) made a rare assortment of mistakes for a team that had appeared to be headed toward a shot at a fourth consecutive SEC title and playoff berth.
Kerryon Johnson delivered a jump pass for a touchdown and ran 30 times for 104 yards for the Tigers before leaving in the fourth quarter with a shoulder injury.
With No. 2 Miami losing Friday, it’s the first time the top two teams in the AP poll lost on the same regularseason weekend since November 2012.
Oklahoma 59, W. Virginia 31 — In Norman, Okla., Baker Mayfield threw three touchdown passes after being punished for directing a lewd gesture toward the Kansas bench a week earlier with a benching to start the game and loss of captaincy, Rodney Anderson ran for 118 yards and four touchdowns, and the No. 3 Sooners (11-1, 8-1 Big 12, No. 4 CFP) manhandled the Mountaineers (7-5, 5-4) on the way to accumulating 646 total yards.
Clemson 34, S. Carolina 10 — In Columbia, S.C., Kelly Bryant threw two touchdown passes to Hunter Renfrow and a third to Bryan Edwards, and the No. 4 Tigers (11-1, No. 3 CFP), whose Ryan Carter started the scoring with a 12-yard pick6, kept on track for a third straight trip to the playoffs with their fourth straight win in their rivalry with the Gamecocks (8-4).
Wisconsin 31, Minnesota 0 — In Minneapolis, Alex Hornibrook threw three touchdown passes without an interception and the No. 5 Badgers (12-0, 9-0 Big Ten, No. 5 CFP) easily remained unbeaten by scoring their 14th straight victory over the Gophers (5-7, 2-7), with Jonathan Taylor rushing for 149 yards, including a 53yard TD to open the fourth quarter.
Georgia 38, Ga. Tech 7 — In Atlanta, Sony Michel ran for 85 yards and a touchdown, Jake Fromm threw two TD passes and the No. 7 Bulldogs (11-1, No. 7 CFP) routed the Yellow Jackets (56), who are bowl-ineligible and now must hope for a bowl waiver based on their academics if there is a shortage of bowl-eligible teams.
Ohio St. 31, Michigan 20 — In Ann Arbor, Mich., Dwayne Haskins replaced injured star quarterback J.T. Barrett, who suffered a knee injury in the third quarter, and set up scores with 6-of7 passing and a 22-yard run, as the No. 8 Buckeyes (10-2, 8-1 Big Ten, No. 9 CFP) rallied past the Wolverines (84, 5-4) for their sixth straight win in the rivalry.
Stanford 38, Notre Dame 20 — In Stanford, Calif., K.J. Costello threw two of his four touchdown passes in the fourth quarter, the second set up by Curtis Robinson’s first career interception, and the No. 20 Cardinal (9-3) rallied by the No. 9 Irish (9-3, No. 8 CFP).
Penn St. 66, Maryland 3— In College Park, Md., Trace McSorley threw two touchdown passes and ran for a score, backup Tommy Stevens ran for 113 yards and three TDs and the No. 12 Nittany Lions (10-2, 7-2 Big Ten, No. 10 CFP) shredded the Terrapins (4-8, 2-7).
Washington 41, Washington St. 14 — In Seattle, Myles Gaskin ran for 192 yards and four touchdowns and the No. 15 Huskies (102, 8-2 Pac-12) peeled away from the No. 14 Cougars (93, 6-3) to maintain control of the Apple Cup for a fifth straight year.
Memphis 70, E. Carolina 13 — In Memphis, Tenn., Riley Ferguson threw for three touchdowns, Patrick Taylor and Darrell Henderson each ran for 120-plus yards and two TDs, and the No. 17 Tigers (10-1, 7-1 American) dominated in beating the Pirates (3-9, 2-6).
Oklahoma St. 58, Kansas 17 — In Stillwater, Okla., Mason Rudolph passed for 438 yards and two TDs and ran for two, and the No. 18 Cowboys (9-3, 6-3 Big 12) beat the Jayhawks (1-11, 0-9).
LSU 45, Texas A&M 21 — In Baton Rouge, La., Danny Etling passed 347 yards and three touchdowns and the No. 19 Tigers (9-3, 6-2 SEC) busted the Aggies (7-5, 4-4).
Michigan St. 40, Rutgers 7 — In Piscataway, N.J., Brian Lewerke accounted for two TDs as the No. 21 Spartans (9-3, 7-2 Big Ten) beat the Scarlet Knights (4-8, 3-6).
Northwestern 42, Illinois 17 — In Champaign, Ill., Justin Jackson ran for 144 yards and a score and the No. 23 Wildcats (9-3, 7-2) downed the Illini (2-10, 0-10).
Fresno St. 28, Boise St. 17 — In Fresno, Calif., Marcus McMaryion’s two scoring tosses led the Bulldogs (9-3, 7-1 Mountain West) by the No. 25 Broncos (9-3, 7-1).