LSU’s CFP hopes dashed
Devon Achane had a career-best 215 yards rushing with two touchdowns, and Texas A&M stunned No. 5 LSU 38-23 on Saturday night in College Station, Texas, all but certainly knocking the Tigers out of contention for the College Football Playoff.
Conner Weigman threw two TD passes for the Aggies (5-7, 2-6 SEC) and Demani Richardson returned a fumble for a score. The game was tied at 17 in the third quarter before A&M scored 21 consecutive points.
LSU (9-3, 6-2) had secured a spot in next week’s SEC title game against No. 1 Georgia, and a win there could have put the Tigers in the playoff. But with three losses, even beating the Bulldogs likely won’t be enough.
The Aggies, who opened the season ranked No. 6 but won’t qualify for a bowl game for the first time since 2008, had a strong finish to their disappointing season. They won consecutive games for the first time since September after snapping a six-game skid with a victory over UMass last week.
Achane ran for 119 yards and a score before halftime to help A&M to a 17-10 lead.
LSU opened the second half with a nineplay, 71-yard drive, capped by a 19-yard run by John Emery Jr. to tie it at 17-17.
South Carolina 31, Clemson 30
Some teams would been content with a season-defining victory over top-10 Tennessee. Not the Gamecocks, and certainly not quarterback Spencer Rattler.
Visiting South Carolina (8-4) followed up its 63-38 stunner over the Vols last week with a shocking one-point victory over the No. 8 Tigers (10-2), ending the title chances of another College Football Playoff contender for a second consecutive week.
“We wanted more. We knew this was the biggest game of the season for us,” said Rattler, who passed for 360 yards and two TDs.
Oregon State 38, Oregon 34
Isaiah Newell ran for the go-ahead touchdown with 8:11 remaining, and the No. 21 Beavers (9-3, 6-3 Pac-12) took advantage of critical mistakes in the fourth quarter by the No. 9 Ducks to stage an epic rally in Corvallis.
Oregon State trailed 31-10 late in the third and 34-17 early in the fourth, but Oregon gave its rivals short fields on three consecutive possessions, leading to touchdowns.
Georgia 37, Georgia Tech 14
Stetson Bennett threw two touchdown passes and the No. 1 Bulldogs (12-0) completed back-to-back undefeated regular seasons for the first time in school history by overcoming a slow start to bounce the visiting Yellow Jackets (5-7).
Alabama 49, Auburn 27
Bryce Young passed for 343 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another score in perhaps his final college home game as the No. 7 Crimson Tide (10-2, 6-2 SEC) ripped the visiting Tigers (5-7, 2-6) in the Iron Bowl.
Akron 44, Northern Illinois 12
Jeff Undercuffler threw for 312 yards and three touchdowns, leading the visiting Zips (2-9, 1-6 MAC) to a victory over the Huskies (3-9, 2-6). NIU’s Nevan Cremascoli was 14for-30 passing for 144 yards and was intercepted twice.