No. 3 Ohio St. runs past No. 15 Wildcats for Big Ten crown
Sermon runs for school-record 331 yards
INDIANAPOLIS » Trey Sermon ran for a school-record 331 yards and two secondhalf touchdowns Saturday, helping No. 3 Ohio State rally for a 22-10 victory over Northwestern for a fourth consecutive Big Ten championship.
The Buckeyes (6-0) will find out Sunday if they’ve done enough to earn one of four spots in the College Football Playoff. It’s the first time Ohio State has won four consecutive outright conference crowns.
Northwestern (6-2) heads into the bowl season with two losses in its last three games and a second runnerup finish to the Buckeyes in three years.
It was a struggle for Ohio State.
After the Buckeyes settled for a field goal on the game’s first possession, Northwestern running back Cam Porter answered with a 9-yard TD run late in the first quarter. The Buckeyes trailed from that moment until Sermon’s 9-yard run with 2:41 left in the third priod.
The Buckeyes had trailed for all of 5 minutes, 5 seconds this season — until they fell behind for nearly 32 minutes Saturday.
Ohio State added a 26yard field goal early in the fourth quarter, and Sermon, who had 29 carries, sealed the win with a 3-yard scoring run with 4:03 to go.
Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields was 12 of 27 with 114 yards and ran 12 times for 35 yards.
Porter finished with 16 carries and 61 yards. Northwestern quarterback Peyton Ramsey was 24 of 37 with 224 yards but was picked off twice and lost a fumble — all in the second half.
THETAKEAWAY» Northwestern: For the second time in three years, the Wildcats proved they were worthy West Division champions. But like just about every other Big Ten team over the last decade, there’s still a gap between the Buckeyes and everyone else. Northwestern might be closing the gap — the Wildcats just haven’t overcome it yet.
Ohio State: When the Big Ten waived the six-game eligibility requirement, the Buckeyes took full advantage. They didn’t earn any style points, but they got the job done despite being short-handed.
MISSING OUT » The Buckeyes certainly weren’t at full strength Saturday. They released an inactive list of nearly two dozen players less than two hours before kickoff, nearly the same total that missed the Michigan State game.
Among those sitting out were star receiver Chris Olave, linebacker Baron Browning, defensive end Tyler Friday and punter Drue Chrisman. Safety Marcus Hooker, listed as a gametime decision, also sat out.
The Buckeyes didn’t say whether any of those on the inactive list tested positive for COVID-19. If so, Big Ten rules would require them to sit out 21 days and potentially keeping them out of the semifinal game.
POLLIMPLICATIONS» Northwestern: The Wildcats may slip in the polls but this loss shouldn’t hurt their bowl resume much.
Ohio State: Whatever happens in the polls this week, the Buckeyes really only care about one thing — making the playoff.
UP NEXT » Northwestern: Will find out Sunday where it will head for bowl season.
Ohio State: Will wait to see if it has earned one of the precious four playoff spots.
NO.5TEXASA&M34,TENNESSEE 13 » Kellen Mond threw for 281 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 59 yards and a score to lead Texas A&M closed its case for inclusion in the College Football Playoff with a 3413 victory over Tennessee o Saturday.
Isaiah Spiller ran for 89 yards and a touchdown, and Ainias Smith scored once rushing and once receiving.
Mond completed 26 of 32 passes as the Aggies (81, No. 5 CFP) finished their regular season and hoped for an upset or two within the CFP’s top four.
Tennessee (3-7) has lost seven of its last eight games, ramping up speculation about Jeremy Pruitt’s future as Vols coach.
Harrison Bailey and J.T. Shrout combined to throw for 189 yards and two touchdowns for the Vols.
The Aggies had trouble getting separation in the second half. Up 2413 at halftime, the Aggies flirted with pulling away in the third quarter, but a red zone interception ended the threat.
It wasn’t until the 9:02 mark of the fourth quarter that Texas A&M got some breathing room. Mond engineered an 88-yard drive, with a key play of a 28-yard pass to Jalen Wydermeyer, that ended with a 1-yard run by Smith for a 31-13 lead.
Smith had two big runs accounting for 50 yards on the Aggies’ last possession. It ended in a 21-yard field goal that accounted for the 34-13 final.
Mond was impressive in the first half, completing 19 of 22 passes for 183 yards as the Aggies led, 24-13. He threw a 4-yard scoring pass to Ainias Smith and also ran for a TD from five yards.
Texas A&M, ranked third in the nation in third-down conversion percentage (55%), didn’t punt in the first half. The Aggies converted on 6 of 7 third-down opportunities. They controlled the ball than 21 minutes.
Bailey led Tennessee to the game’s opening score. The freshman hit Jacob Warren with a 33-yard scoring pass to cap a five-play, 75-yard drive.
Mond answered with a 75-yard drive of his own that included five passing plays of double digits. He ended it with a 5-yard run.
The Aggies took the lead when Spiller bulled over from 3 yards to cap a 69yard drive four plays into the second quarter. Texas A&M’s advantage went to 17-7 when the Aggies turned a Bailey fumble into a 23-yard field goal by Seth Small.
Shrout came of f the bench and made an immediate impact for the Vols. He hit Cedric Tillman twice for 61 yards, the payoff being a 46-yarder while diving into the end zone.
After a missed PAT, the Aggies moved the ball 75 yards in 11 plays and scored on a 4-yard pass from Mond to Smith 15 seconds before intermission.
NO. 12 OKLAHOMA 27, NO. 8 IOWA STATE 21 » Spencer Rattler threw a 45-yard touchdown to Marvin Mims and also ran for a score as No. 12 Oklahoma won its sixth consecutive Big 12 title, holding on to beat No. 8 Iowa State 27-21 in the conference championship game Saturday.
That impressive title streak probably won’t be enough to get the Sooners (8-2, No. 10 CFP) back in the College Football Playoff for the fourth year in a row, even when paired with their seven-game winning streak. Oklahoma lost at Iowa State on Oct. 3 and was 0-2 in Big 12 play for the first time since 1998.
Big 12 rushing leader Breece Hall ran for two touchdowns for the Cyclones (8-3, No. 6 CFP) in the second half, when Oklafor more
homa punted on its first five drives before Gabe Brkic’s 32-yard field goal with 2:01 left. The Sooners finally clinched the game when Iowa State quarterback Brock Purdy was under pressure and threw his third interception, a fluttering pass picked off by Tre Brown inside the 10.
The Sooners will play in a New Year’s Six game, probably back at AT&T Stadium, after winning their fourth Big 12 championship in a row since the title game was reinstated — with four different starting quarterbacks. Rattler, who finished 22-of-34 passing for 272 yards and his 25th TD, is the first of those QBs who went to Oklahoma as a freshman instead of transferring into the program.
Iowa State played in a conference championship game for the first time in school history, though fifthyear coach Matt Campbell was incensed at times. Standout defensive back Isheem Young was ejected after a questionable targeting call in the opening minute, and the Cyclones later didn’t get a fourth-down call when trying to draw
Oklahoma offside even when two Sooners appeared to jump over the line.
Rattler hit Mims in stride behind two defenders on the opening play of the second quarter to put Oklahoma up 14-0. That came after a 16yard catch by Mims to end the first quarter on a pass that first deflected off two defenders. Campbell lost it on the sideline, pointing and screaming, but like his team calmed down and got back in the game.
After Iowa State finally scored with 1:34 left in the first half on Purdy’s 10-yard touchdown pass to tight end Charlie Kolar, the Sooners got a 43-yard kickoff return from Brown. That set up a quick four-play drive capped by Rattler’s 9-yard keeper for a 24-7 halftime lead.
Oklahoma led throughout, scoring on the game’s opening drive when thirdstring freshman quarterback Chandler Morris came in for a 2-yard TD keeper. Brkic, who was just wide right on a 43-yard field goal attempt, was later good on a 54-yarder that was the longest for the Sooners since 1990.