No. 2 Michigan beats No. 18 Iowa 26-0 for Big Ten title, likely to claim top playoff seed
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Blake Corum scored twice, tying the school record for touchdown runs with 55, and No. 2 Michigan beat No. 18 Iowa 26-0 on Saturday night in the Big Ten championship game to likely take the top seed in the College Football Playoff. With coach Jim Harbaugh back on the sideline for the first time in four weeks, the Wolverines (13-0, No. 2 CFP) routed Iowa (10-3, No. 16 CFP) to win three straight outright conference crowns for the first time in school history. And with No. 1 Georgia falling to No. 8 Alabama in the Southeastern Conference title game, Harbaugh and the Wolverines are poised — finally — to claim the top playoff seed and reach No. 1.
No. 4 Florida State beats No. 15 Louisville 16-6 for ACC title, but could miss playoff at 13-0
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Florida State made things as difficult as possible on the College Football Playoff selection committee, using a dominant defensive performance to beat No. 15 Louisville 16-6 on Saturday night for the fourth-ranked Seminoles’ first Atlantic Coast Conference championship since 2014. The Seminoles moved to 13-0, but even that doesn’t guarantee a spot in the four-team playoff. No Power Five team has ever gone unbeaten, won its conference title and failed to make the playoff. But with starting quarterback Jordan Travis out for the season with a leg injury, Florida State is in danger of becoming the first. Down to their third-string QB, the Seminoles stuck to a conservative game plan against Louisville.
No. 8 Alabama knocks off No. 1 Georgia 27-24 for SEC title. Both teams await postseason fate
ATLANTA (AP) — Alabama is again top dog in the Southeastern Conference — and perhaps headed to the College Football Playoff. The Crimson Tide ended Georgia’s 29-game winning streak with a 27-24 victory over the No. 1 Bulldogs in the Southeastern Conference championship game. Now the big question: Is Georgia’s bid for a third straight national title over? Iron Bowl hero Jalen Milroe threw a pair of touchdown passes and No. 8 Alabama’s defense dominated much of the way after giving up a score on Georgia’s opening possession. It was a compelling playoff statement for a Bama team that lost to Texas early in the season.
Ewers throws 4 TDs as No. 7 Texas bids farewell to Big 12 with 49-21 title win over Oklahoma State
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Seventh-ranked Texas is leaving the Big 12 with bookend championships. Quinn Ewers set a career high by throwing for 452 yards with four touchdowns in a 49-21 victory over No. 19 Oklahoma State in the Big 12 championship game. The Southeastern Conference-bound and 12-1 Longhorns won the title in the league’s inaugural 1996 season, plus 2005 and 2009. Ewers completed 35 of 46 passes and his touchdowns went to four different receivers. The biggest one was 362-pound defensive tackle T’Vondrea Sweat, the Outland Trophy finalist who lined up as a tight end.
Freshman QB Brock Glenn makes first start for Florida State with potential CFP berth on line
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Freshman quarterback Brock Glenn made his first career start for No. 4 Florida State in Saturday night’s Atlantic Coast Conference championship game against No. 15 Louisville with a potential trip to the College Football Playoff on the line. Glenn has only attempted four passes in his career. Tate Rodemaker has been dealing with concussion symptoms following last week’s win over Florida and was limited in practice this week for the fourth-ranked Seminoles. Rodemaker warmed up before the game but wasn’t in pads when it began. Starting QB and Heisman Trophy candidate Jordan Travis suffered a season-ending left leg injury in a blowout win over North Alabama on Nov. 18.