Numbers showing how Tide, Tigers dominate
It should come as no surprise to see Alabama and Clemson fill the top two seeds in the College Football Playoff.
Although LSU broke through to earn the national title last season, either Alabama or Clemson has still won 12 of the last 15 playoff games. The exceptions are LSU’S two playoff wins last year and Georgia’s Rose Bowl semifinal triumph over Oklahoma during the 2017 season.
Both teams flexed their muscles in winning their respective conference championship games.
Alabama’s 52-46 Southeastern Conference championship game victory over Florida marked the 24th straight game in which the Crimson Tide scored at least 35 points, the longest such streak in major college football history. Alabama has shattered the old record held by Oregon, which scored 35-plus points in 15 straight games from November 2011 to November 2012.
The last time Alabama was held below 35 points came in a 44-16 loss to Clemson in a CFP championship game to cap the 2018 season.
Clemson’s 34-10 Atlantic Coast Conference championship game rout of Notre Dame improved Trevor Lawrence’s record as a starting quarterback to 34-1.
The Tigers avenged a 47-40 doubleovertime loss at Notre Dame by reversing the rushing deficit they faced in their first meeting. After getting outrushed
208-34 at Notre Dame, Clemson outrushed the Irish 219-44 on Saturday.
Buckeyes’ best: From Archie Griffin to Eddie George, Ohio State has produced
plenty of stellar running backs during its storied history.
But none of them ever had quite as prolific a rushing performance as Trey
Sermon delivered Saturday with the Buckeyes’ playoff hopes on the line.
Sermon’s 331 yards rushing in a 22-10 Big Ten championship game triumph over Northwestern broke the single-game school record previously owned by George, who ran for 314 yards against Illinois in his Heisman Trophy-winning season of 1995.
That 331-yard performance also was the highest rushing total for any conference championship game ever.
Reigning supreme: Oklahoma’s 27-21 triumph over Iowa State in the Big 12 championship game marked the Sooners’ Fbs-leading 50th conference title. Nebraska ranks second among all FBS programs with 46 conference titles.
But this is the first Oklahoma team to win a conference title after starting out 0-2 in league play. The Sooners have won seven straight since falling to Kansas Stat and Iowa State early in the season.
Clemson and Oklahoma are the first teams in any active conference to win six consecutive league titles outright. Oklahoma won 12 straight outright league titles from 1948-59 in the Big Eight, which no longer exists.
Double-digit sacks: One more statistical note on San Jose State’s milestone victory: Cade Hall recorded two sacks in that game to increase his season total to 10, putting him in a tie for the FBS lead in total sacks.
The only other FBS player with a double-digit sack total this year is Tulane’s Patrick Johnson, also with 10.