The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
No. 1 Alabama tops rival Auburn
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Tua Tagovailoa threw five touchdown passes and ran for a score to lead No. 1 Alabama to a 52-21 victory over rival Auburn on Saturday.
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.
Now, ‘Bama heads to the SEC championship game against No. 5 Georgia with a guaranteed playoff spot on the line.
Leading Auburn (7-5, 3-5) just 17-14 at halftime, Tagovailoa launched the Tide into another SEC blowout. He was 11-of-12 passing for 208 yards and four touchdowns in the second half, despite only playing one series in the fourth quarter.
Tagovailoa finished 25 of 32 for 324 yards and ran for 26 yards, including a 7-yard touchdown and a 21-yard third-down conversion on runs.
The second-half numbers included touchdowns of 46 yards to Jerry Jeudy, 33 to Josh Jacobs, 40 to DeVonta Smith and 22 to Henry Ruggs III — all accurate strikes downfield.
The game was close until Tagovailoa threw a pair of long TD passes in a threeminute span of the third quarter. The first hit Jeudy down the left sideline and the second went to Jacobs, who shook off a few defenders on his way to the end zone.
NO. 10 OHIO STATE 62, NO. 4 MICHIGAN 39
COLUMBUS, Ohio — 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 recordsetting 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 known simply as The Game, 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.
Maybe most satisfying of all, Ohio State made it 14 victories in the last 15 meetings against the team it loves to beat the most.
NO. 5 GEORGIA 45, GEORGIA TECH 21
ATHENS, Ga. — Jake Fromm threw four touchdown passes, D’Andre Swift ran for 105 yards and No. 5 Georgia romped into the Southeastern Conference championship game with a 45-21 rout of Georgia Tech on Saturday.
The Bulldogs (11-1, No. 5 CFP) couldn’t afford a slipup, not with top-ranked Alabama looming next week in Atlanta. No worries.
This game was over by halftime.
NO. 13 FLORIDA 41, FLORIDA STATE 14
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — 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, defeating the Seminoles.
Lamical Perine had a 74-yard touchdown run as Florida ran for 278 yards, averaging 5.3 yards per carry. Perine ran for 129 yards, averaging 9.9 yards per carry.
NO. 15 PENN STATE 38, MARYLAND 3
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Trace McSorley completed 12 of 22 passes for 230 yards and had a hand in three touchdowns to help No. 15 Penn State rout Maryland.
NO. 19 SYRACUSE 42, BOSTON COLLEGE 21
BOSTON — Eric Dungey ran for three touchdowns and threw for 362 yards and three more scores to lead No. 19 Syracuse to a victory over Boston College.
NO. 20 N’WESTERN 24, ILLINOIS 16
EVANSTON, Ill. — Clayton Thorson accounted for three touchdowns, Isaiah Browser rushed for 166 yards on 18 carries and No. 20 Northwestern beat Illinois 24-16 on Saturday for its seventh straight Big Ten win.
MIAMI 24, NO. 24 PITTSBURGH 3
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Travis Homer rushed for 168 yards and a long touchdown, DeeJay Dallas ran back a punt for one of his two scores and Miami closed its regular season by knocking off No. 24 Pittsburgh.
Dallas also had a rushing touchdown for the Hurricanes (7-5, 4-4 Atlantic Coast Conference).