San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
No. 3 Alabama rallies, then beats Auburn in 4th OT
Pushed to the limits all game and down 10-3 with seconds left in regulation, Alabama delivered plays to celebrate in a stadium that has produced a few devastating ones.
The result was another unforgettable Iron Bowl.
John Metchie III caught a two-point scoring pass from Bryce Young in the fourth overtime to give No. 3 Alabama a 24-22 comeback victory at rival Auburn on Saturday, rescuing the Crimson Tide’s national title hopes.
It was the first-ever overtime in the Iron Bowl.
“Wow, what a game,” Tide coach Nick Saban said.
Freshman Kool-Aid McKinstry tipped away T.J. Finley’s pass in the final OT and Young hit Metchie just as he did in the previous one.
Alabama (11-1, 7-1 SEC, No. 3 CFP) moves on to face No. 1 Georgia in the league championship game with its College Football Playoff hopes on the line. The Tigers (6-6, 3-5) dropped their fourth straight game despite smothering Young and the Tide’s prolific offense most of the way.
Young capped a 97-yard drive with a 28-yard touchdown to freshman Ja’Corey Brooks — his fourth catch and first touchdown this season — with 24 seconds left in regulation. Young converted a 4th-and-7 pass to Jahleel Billingsley, followed by two incompletions under pressure for an offense that had been held in check for 59 minutes.
“It was crazy,” said Young, who passed for 317 yards and two touchdowns with an interception. “When you’re playing in the Iron Bowl, what else are you supposed to expect? Throughout all the ups and downs, even that last drive, I have so much faith in my guys. My confidence never wavered.”
The Tigers had been trying to win their third straight Iron Bowl at Jordan-Hare Stadium, and fourth in five years. They nearly pulled it off. Auburn had won with a Kick-Six (2013) and two pick-sixes (2019).
#1 Georgia 45, Georgia Tech 0:
Stetson Bennett passed for 255 yards and four touchdowns, two to tight end Brock Bowers, and the visiting Bulldogs (12-0) finished their first undefeated regular season since 1982, when they capped a streak of three consecutive SEC championships with tailback Herschel Walker. Next up for Georgia: next week’s much-anticipated SEC title game against No. 3 Alabama in Atlanta. Georgia, which began the day leading the nation with averages of 7.5 points and 236 yards allowed, posted its third shutout while giving up 171 yards. The Yellow Jackets (3-9) finished with three wins for the third consecutive season under Geoff Collins.
#7 Oklahoma St. 37, #10 Oklahoma 33: Spencer Sanders threw for a touchdown and ran for another and the Cowboys (11-1, 8-1, No. 7 CFP) kept alive their College Football
Playoff chances and stopped the Sooners’ streak of Big 12 titles at six. The Cowboys will play No. 9 Baylor next Saturday for the Big 12 championship. Oklahoma (10-2, 7-2, No. 10 CFP) got the ball one last time at its 20 with 54 seconds remaining and no timeouts. Caleb Williams scrambled and ran 56 yards to put the Sooners in scoring range. But Oklahoma State’s Collin Oliver sacked Williams on fourth down at the Oklahoma State 32 with eight seconds left. Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy won for just the third time in 17 tries against Oklahoma. Now the Cowboys can win their first Big 12 title since 2011.
#9 Baylor 27, Texas Tech 24: Blake Shapen threw for 254 yards and two touchdowns in his first start, and the host Bears (10-2, 7-2 Big 12, CFP No. 8) advanced to the Big 12 championship game for the second time in three seasons. Abram Smith ran for 117 yards and a touchdown for the Bears. The Red Raiders (6-6, 3-6) had one more chance after stopping Baylor on fourth down on its 12 with 1:18 left and no timeouts. They got in position for a 53-yard field goal try by Jonathan Garibay, who had plenty of leg but pushed the kick left.
#11 Oregon 38, Oregon State 29: Anthony Brown Jr. threw for 275 yards and two touchdown and ran for a score, and the host Ducks (10-2, 7-2 Pac-12) clinched the Pac-12 North Division and claimed a spot in the conference championship game. The Ducks will face No. 16 Utah in Las Vegas on Friday. Oregon was coming off a 38-7 loss to Utah that dropped it from No. 3 in the College Football Playoff rankings to No. 11 and out of contention for a national title. Washington State, which beat Washington 40-13 in the Apple Cup on Friday night, needed the Beavers (7-5, 5-4) to beat the Ducks to win the division.
#12 Michigan State 30, Penn State 27: Payton Thorne threw two touchdown passes and ran for a score, and Kenneth Walker III rushed for 138 yards and a touchdown on 30 carries to help the host Spartans (10-2, 7-2 Big Ten) bounce back from a 56-7 loss to Ohio State. Michigan State finished unbeaten at home for the first time since 2015. Sean Clifford threw three touchdown passes, two to Jahan Dotson, for Penn State (7-5, 4-5).
LSU 27, #14 Texas A&M 24: Max Johnson hit Jaray Jenkins with a 28-yard scoring pass with 20 seconds left, and the host Tigers (6-6, 3-5 SEC) gave dismissed head coach Ed Orgeron a triumphant send-off in his final game in Tiger Stadium. The loss likely relegated Texas A&M (8-4, 4-4) to a less prestigious bowl while ending the Aggies’ chance for their first 10-win season since 2012. North Texas 45, #15 Texas-San
Antonio 23: The visiting Roadrunners’ hopes for an undefeated season ended in a blowout as Mean Green running backs DeAndre Torrey and Ikaika Ragsdale combined for five touchdowns. Quarterback Frank Harris had two of UTSA’s three lost fumbles among six overall before sitting the second half at rain-soaked Apogee Stadium, a 10-year-old facility where a Top 25 team had never played. UTSA (11-1, 7-1 Conference USA) is still hosting the conference championship game Friday night against either Western Kentucky or Marshall. The Roadrunners, ranked 10th nationally in rushing defense, had given up six touchdowns on the ground all season. The Mean Green (6-6, 5-3) matched that late in the third quarter of their fifth consecutive victory after a six-game losing streak.
Minnesota 23, #18 Wisconsin 13:
Tanner Morgan overcame an interception that was returned for a first-half touchdown, leading the host Golden Gophers (8-4, 6-3 Big Ten) on three scoring drives after halftime to surge past the Badgers (8-4, 6-3, No. 14 CFP), take back Paul Bunyan’s Axe and give Iowa the Big Ten West Division title. The Gophers held freshman standout Braelon Allen to 47 yards on 17 rushes and forced Graham Mertz to throw throughout the second half to favorable results. Mertz went 21-for-38 for 171 yards and an interception.
#19 Houston 45, Connecticut 17:
Clayton Tune threw for 301 yards and four touchdowns and the visiting Cougars (11-1, 8-0 American Athletic) completed their regular season with a victory over the host Huskies (1-11) in cold and windy conditions. Nathaniel Dell caught two touchdown passes, and Jake Herslow and Jeremy Singleton each topped 100 receiving yards to go with a TD apiece for Houston, which will play at No. 4 Cincinnati for the conference title next Saturday.
#20 Pittsburgh 31, Syracuse 14:
Kenny Pickett threw for four touchdowns to reach 40 and break Dan Marino’s school record (37) for scoring passes in a season for the visiting Panthers (10-2, 6-1 ACC, CFP No. 20). It’s Pitt’s first 10-win season since 1981. Syracuse (5-7, 2-6) was coming off a pair of lopsided losses and failed in its quest to reach the six victories required to play in the postseason.
#21 Wake Forest 41, Boston College 10: Sam Hartman threw three touchdown passes and ran for a score to help the visiting Demon Deacons (10-2, 7-1) beat the Eagles (6-6, 2-6) and clinch a spot in the ACC championship game. Wake Forest will attempt to claim its first league title since 2006 when it faces Pitt next Saturday.
#23 La.-Lafayette 21, La.-Monroe
16: Emani Bailey scored on a 2-yard run to help the Ragin’ Cajuns (11-1, 8-0) win their school-record 11th straight game after a season-opening loss at Texas as they went unbeaten in Sun Belt Conference play for the first time. Lafayette will host Appalachian State in the conference championship game next Saturday.
Arizona State 38, Arizona 15: The question of whether Herm Edwards will continue as the Sun Devils’ coach has been answered. Athletic director Ray Anderson told the team that Edwards will be back after the Sun Devils won their fifth straight against the rival Wildcats. Jayden Daniels accounted for three touchdowns, Jack Jones returned an interception 87 yards for a touchdown for the Sun Devils (8-4, 6-3 Pac-12). Will Plummer had a career day, throwing for 346 yards and a touchdown for Arizona (1-11, 1-8), which lost 70-7 at home to Arizona State last season.
Cougars keep interim coach: Washington State lifted the interim tag and named Jake Dickert head coach after he led the Cougars to a 3-2 record after Nick Rolovich was fired.