OSU continues dominance of rival
Dwayne Haskins threw five touchdown passes, freshman Chris Olave scored twice and blocked a punt that was returned for a TD and No. 10 Ohio State continued its mastery over No. 4 Michigan with a record-setting 62-39 victory Saturday that sends the Buckeyes to the Big Ten championship game.
The Wolverines were two victories away from their first conference championship since 2004 and a trip to the College Football Playoff, facing an Ohio State team that has looked discombobulated on defense and one-dimensional on offense much of the season. Looking to snap a six-game losing streak against the Buckeyes (11-1, 8-1, No. 10 CFP) and get coach Jim Harbaugh his first victory in four tries in the rivalry, the Wolverines (10-2, 8-1, No. 4 CFP) wilted.
In the 115th meeting between two of college football’s most storied rivals, Ohio State scored more points than it ever had against Michigan more points than any team has ever scored in regulation against Michigan. The previous high was 58 by Cornell in 1891.
And now, despite all the dysfunction at Ohio State this season both on and off the field the Buckeyes will face No. 20 Northwestern next week in Indianapolis with a chance to repeat as Big Ten champs and maybe even squeeze into the playoff.
NO. 1 ALABAMA 52, AUBURN 21 >> Tua Tagovailoa threw five touchdown passes and ran for a score to lead Alabama past rival Auburn (75, 3-5).
Tagovailoa and the Crimson Tide (12-0, 8-0 Southeastern Conference, No. 1 CFP) took over with an explosive third quarter, when the Heisman Trophy contender threw three long touchdown passes. He’s the first Alabama player to have a hand in six TDs in a game and matched the school record with the five scoring passes.
NO. 2 CLEMSON 56, SOUTH CAROLINA 35 >> Trevor Lawrence threw for a careerhigh 393 yards, Adam Choice rushed for three touchdowns and Clemson capped a perfect regular season with a victory over South Carolina for its fifth consecutive rivalry win. NO. 3 NOTRE DAME 24, USC 17 >> Ian Book passed for 352 yards, Dexter Williams went 52 yards on a go-ahead touchdown run and No. 3 Notre Dame completed an unbeaten regular season and likely secured a spot in the College Football Playoff with a victory over longtime rival USC.
Chris Finke caught an early TD pass for the Fighting Irish (12-0, No. 3 CFP), who showed playoff-level tenacity in rallying from an early 10-point deficit, their largest of the season. Tony Jones Jr. then took a short pass 51 yards for a touchdown with 3:09 to play to finish off Notre Dame’s 10th perfect regular season since 1945, the first since 2012.
NO. 5 GEORGIA 45, GEORGIA TECH 21 >> Jake Fromm threw four touchdown passes, D’Andre Swift ran for 105 yards and Georgia romped into the SEC championship game.
The Bulldogs (11-1, No. 5 CFP) couldn’t afford a slipup, not with top-ranked Alabama looming next week in Atlanta.
TEXAS A&M 74, NO. 8 LSU 72 >> Kellen Mond’s 2-point conversion to Kendrick Rogers in the seventh overtime gave the Aggies the victory over the Tigers (93, 5-3 SEC) in a game that tied the NCAA record for most overtimes in an FBS game. Mond connected with Quartney Davis on a 17-yard throw to tie it at 72. Greedy Williams was called for pass interference on the first 2-point conversion try, giving the Aggies (8-4, 5-3), another shot. After a false start by Texas A&M, Mond found Rogers for the conversion to end it.
Joe Burrow had a 10-yard TD run to put LSU up 72-66 in the seventh OT, but his 2-point conversion throw failed.
Mond threw for 287 yards and six touchdowns, three 2-point conversions and ran for one more TD as Texas A&M snapped a seven-game skid against LSU.
NO. 13 FLORIDA 41, FLORIDA STATE 14 >> Feleipe Franks had three touchdown passes and No. 13 Florida used a punishing ground attack to end a five-game losing streak to Florida State.
Lamical Perine had a 74yard touchdown run, and Florida (9-3) ran for 278 yards, averaging 5.3 yards per carry. Perine ran for 129 yards.
NO. 21 BOISE STATE 26, NO. 14 UTAH STATE 24 >> Brett Rypien threw for 310 yards and a touchdown, and Alexander Mattison rushed for 200 yards and three scores to lead the Broncos. Boise State (10-2, 7-1 Mountain West), which has won seven straight since losing to San Diego State on Oct. 6, will host Fresno State for the conference championship on Saturday in a rematch from last season.
Utah State (10-2, 7-1) had its 10-game winning streak snapped and had its hopes dashed of earning a berth to one of the New Year’s Six bowls.
ARIZONA STATE 41, ARIZONA 40 >> Eno Benjamin scored on a 22-yard touchdown, and Arizona State survived a last-second field goal attempt, rallying from a 19-point deficit. Arizona led 40-21 heading in the fourth quarter. Cal running back Patrick Laird, left, is congratulated by wide receiver Nikko Remigio after scoring Saturday.