Las Vegas Review-Journal (Sunday)
Ohio State hands Wisconsin first loss
QB Barrett’s recovery is boon for No. 8 Buckeyes
INDIANAPOLIS — J.T. Barrett looked just fine Saturday. Now it’s up to college football’s selection committee to decide whether No. 8 Ohio State has done enough to earn a playoff bid.
Six days after having surgery on his right knee, Barrett threw two touchdown passes, ran for another and had a crucial late fourth-down conversion to give the Buckeyes a 27-21 victory over previously unbeaten No. 3 Wisconsin in the Big Ten championship game.
Ohio State (11-2) claimed its first conference crown since its 2014 national championship season. The loss ended the nation’s longest active winning streak at 13 and probably doomed the playoff hopes of the Badgers (12-1).
The reason: Barrett’s speedy recovery.
He finished 12 of 26 passing for 211 yards and two touchdowns, with two interceptions, and rushed 19 times for 60 yards.
While most athletes need at least two or three weeks to recover from minor knee surgery, Barrett told doctors and coaches he would be OK. He got the starting nod and played like the threetime conference quarterback of the year.
After running 9 yards to convert a third down on the Buckeyes’ second possession, he found a wide open Terry McLaurin for an 84-yard TD pass to make it 7-0.
Two possessions later, Barrett threw a short pass to Parris Campbell, who turned a missed tackle into a 57-yard mistake for another score. Then, after a 77-yard run by J.K. Dobbins, Barrett powered in from the 1-yard line to put the Buckeyes up 21-7 early in the second quarter.
Sure, Barrett made mistakes and missed receivers.
But the only time he paid for it came on an ill-advised pass from near his goal line in the first quarter. Barrett was picked off by linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel, who returned it 9 yards for a score.
Wisconsin closed its deficit to 21-10 at the half and 21-13 early in the third quarter.
The Badgers offense broke through early in the fourth by capping a 52-yard drive with a Chris James’ 1-yard TD run and a 2-point conversion pass from Alex Hornibrook to Troy Fumagalli after a delay to repair the field. That cut the deficit to 24-21 with 12:39 to go.
Barrett’s fourth-and-1 conversion on the next series set up a short field goal, and the Badgers couldn’t rally on their final two possessions to save the perfect season.
ATLANTIC COAST
■ No. 1 Clemson 38, No. 7 Miami 3 — At Charlotte, N.C., Kelly Bryant completed his first 15 passes and finished 23 of 29 for 252 yards and one touchdown and had one of four TD runs by the Tigers (12-1), who held the Hurricanes (10-2) to a season-low 214 yards of offense. Defending national champion Clemson won its third straight league crown and dealt Miami its second straight loss.
BIG 12
■ No. 2 Oklahoma 41, No. 10 Texas Christian 17 — At Arlington, Texas, Baker Mayfield threw for 243 yards and four touchdowns, two to tight end Mark Andrews, for the Sooners (121), who won their record 11th Big 12 title and staked claim to a playoff spot for the second time in three seasons. Kenny Hill threw two TD passes for the Horned Frogs (10-3) to slice a 17-0 deficit to 24-17 by halftime.
AMERICAN ATHLETIC
■ No. 12 Central Florida 62, No. 16 Memphis 55, 2OT — At Orlando, Fla., McKenzie Milton threw for 494 yards and five touchdowns for the Knights (12-0), who scored in the second overtime on Otis Anderson’s 1-yard run and clinched the win when safety Tre Neal intercepted a second-and-goal pass by the Tigers (10-2). Afterward, UCF coach Scott Frost took the Nebraska coaching job.
MOUNTAIN WEST
■ Boise State 17, No. 25 Fresno State 14— At Boise, Idaho, Brett Rypien threw for 246 yards for the Broncos (10-3), who went ahead to stay on Ryan Wolpin’s 1-yard run with 4:42 left for their second league title in four years. The Bulldogs (9-4), who haven’t won in Boise since 1984, held the Broncos to 103 yards of offense on their first four second-half possessions.
CONFERENCE USA
■ Florida Atlantic 41, North Texas 17— At Boca Raton, Fla., Devin Singletary ran for 164 yards and three touchdowns for the Owls (10-3), who routed the Mean Green (9-4) for their first league title in coach Lane Kiffin’s first season. Kalib Woods had 208 yards receiving for Florida Atlantic, which totaled 633 yards of offense.
SOUTHWESTERN ATHLETIC
■ Grambling State 40, Alcorn State 32— At Houston, Devante Kincade threw two touchdown passes and ran for two scores for the Tigers (11-1), who won their second straight league title in their third straight title game meeting with the Braves (7-5). De’Lance Turner ran for 137 yards and two TDs for Alcorn State, which held a 502-439 edge in yards of offense and held Grambling to 76 second-half yards.
NONCONFERENCE
■ Florida State 42, Louisiana-Monroe 10— At Tallahassee, Fla., Jacques Patrick ran for 155 yards and two touchdowns and Cam Akers for 117 yards and two scores for the Seminoles (6-6), who qualified for a bowl for the 36th straight season. Marcus Green had eight catches for 106 yards for the Warhawks (4-8).
MID-AMERICAN
■ Toledo 45, Akron 28 — At Detroit, Logan Woodside threw four touchdown passes, and Terry Swanson ran for 180 yards and two TDs for the Rockets (11-2), who won their third conference title game and first since 2004. The Zips (7-6) forced five turnovers.