Bama stays unbeaten, wins SEC
ATLANTA — This was merely an annoyance for Alabama, a chance to add another trophy to its overflowing cases. The Crimson Tide did just enough things wrong to give Nick Saban something to complain about over the next month, but in the end it was another dominating victory for the nation’s top-ranked team.
Florida coach Jim McElwain was certainly impressed after his No. 15 Gators took a 54-16 whipping in the Southeastern Conference championship game Saturday. He called it Saban’s best team yet in a dynasty that shows no signs of stumbling.
“I don’t see a lot of weaknesses,” marveled McElwain, Saban’s offensive coordinator from 2008-11.
OKLAHOMA 38, OKLAHOMA STATE 20: Baker Mayfield passed for 288 yards and three touchdowns, and No. 7 Oklahoma defeated No. 11 Oklahoma State in Norman in a matchup that decided the Big 12 champion and likely guaranteed the Sooners a trip to the Sugar Bowl.
The Heisman Trophy candidate performed well throughout, despite finishing the game without top receiver Dede Westbrook, a Biletnikoff Award finalist. Westbrook caught four passes for 111 yards before being knocked out of the game on a crushing hit by Oklahoma State safety Jordan Sterns.
Oklahoma’s response to Westbrook’s injury was similar to the way the Sooners have bounced back throughout this injuryplagued season.
“I’m just incredibly pleased with our team, their resilience through the season and in this game,” Sooners coach Bob Stoops, who won his 10th conference title in 17 years, said.
WEST VIRGINIA 24, BAYLOR 21: In Morgantown, Skyler Howard threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score as No. 14 West Virginia held on in the Big 12 regular-season finale for both teams.
Justin Crawford rushed for 209 yards to help the Mountaineers (10-2, 7-2) to their first 10win regular-season since 2007. They came from 11 points down in the first half to hand Baylor (6-6, 3-6) its sixth straight loss after a 6-0 start. Baylor held the momentum for nearly three quarters in the final regular-season game for acting coach Jim Grobe, but that changed on two plays. Howard, having one of his worst games of the season, threw to Gary Jennings over the middle and he turned it into a 58-yard scoring play.
TEMPLE 34, NAVY 10: Soon after coach Matt Rhule received the obligatory drenching on the sideline, confetti rained down on the Temple football team and the players jumped with excitement during a celebration that was nearly five decades in the making. For the first time since 1967, the Owls are league champions.
Phillip Walker threw two touchdown passes, Temple’s defense stuffed Navy’s running game and the Owls claimed their first American Athletic Conference title with a 34-10 victory.
After Temple (103) scored touchdowns on its first three possessions, protecting the 21-0 lead became substantially easier when No. 20 Navy (9-3, No. 19 CFP) lost standout quarterback Will Worth to a second-quarter ankle injury.
WESTERN KENTUCKY 58, LOUISIANA TECH 44: Anthony Wales rushed for 209 yards and four touchdowns, Mike White threw for 421 and three more scores and Western Kentucky defeated Louisiana Tech in Bowling Green. Following a 1-yard run by Kam McKnight that gave the Bulldogs their only lead of the second half, Western Kentucky would take control in outscoring the Bulldogs 24-6 over the final 24 minutes.
SOUTH DAKOTA STATE 10, VILLANOVA 7: South Dakota State’s Chase Vinatieri banked a 42-yard field goal off the right upright with 1:21 left to lift the Jackrabbits over Villanova in the second round of the FCS playoffs.
HERMAN GETS $25M: University of Texas regents on Saturday gave new football coach Tom Herman a five-year contract worth at least $25 million. Herman could make even more if all goes well and he’s not fired like his predecessor, Charlie Strong. Herman gets a first-year salary of $5.25 million and it will grow to $6.25 million by the fifth year.
—AP