Tua, Alabama race away from 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.
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 Michigan with a recordsetting victory 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.
NO. 5 GEORGIA 45, GEORGIA TECH 21
ATHENS, Ga. — Jake Fromm threw four touchdown passes, D’Andre Swift ran for 105 yards and Georgia romped into the Southeastern Conference championship game.
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.
Georgia went to the locker room with a 38-7 lead — which, in an interesting twist, was the score of last year’s dominating victory over the Yellow Jackets. The Bulldogs held a 343-66 edge in total yards, piling up 18 first downs to only four by Georgia Tech (7-5).
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 Syracuse.
The Orange (9-3, 6-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) gave up the first score of the game and then scored touchdowns on three straight possessions, starting with a 75-yard pass from Dungey to a wideopen Sean Riley. BC fumbled the ensuing kickoff, setting up Dungey’s 4-yard run to make it 14-7 and the Eagles (7-5, 4-4) never got any closer.
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.
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.
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 Pittsburgh.
Dallas also had a rushing touchdown for the Hurricanes (7-5, 4-4 Atlantic Coast Conference).
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 Penn State rout Maryland.
McSorley added 64 rushing yards on 11 carries for the Nittany Lions (9-3, 6-3 Big Ten, No. 12 CFP). He threw a 34-yard bullet through freezing rain to KJ Hamler on the game’s first play, sprinted downfield to throw a block that opened Miles Sanders up for a 35-yard run on the next, then skipped into the end zone from 3 yards out to cap the quick opening drive.
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 Northwestern beat Illinois for its seventh straight Big Ten win.
Thorson completed 12 of 18 passes for 110 yards and two TDs. He also ran for a score, and Bowser posted his fourth 100-yard game of the season.