Conference championship weekend gave teams a chance to not only win a trophy but make a lasting impression ahead of the season’s final College Football Playoff seedings. Before the CFP Top 25 and picks are announced on Sunday, catch the drama here: No. 10 Kansas State defeats No. 3 TCU for its first Big 12 crown
TCU avoided danger every week and almost did the same in the Big 12 title game. But K-State gained a goal-line position in overtime and lost their first game to the Frogs. 31-28. TCU, which was ranked #3 in the CFP rankings, will now have to wait and see if it moves down. (Kansas State Hands TCU First Overtime Loss, Adds To College Football Playoff Week 14 Drama After USC Loss)
Kansas State led by 11 in the fourth quarter before TCU QB Max Duggan, a Heisman hopeful, reached the boundary. With his team down to eight to play, Duggan drove TCU 80 yards in eight plays. Streaks of 15, 13, 19, 40, and eight stunned the Wildcats before the two-point conversion. Duggan finished with 251 passing yards and 110 rushing yards.
However, Kansas State stopped TCU near the goal line in overtime and then won on Ty Zentner’s 31-yard field goal. The Wildcats got two passing scores from quarterback Will Howard and 130 rushing yards and a touchdown from Deuce Vaughn to win the Big 12 for the first time since 2012 (co-champions).
No. 11 Utah beats No. 4 USC, again, likely ruining Trojans’ CFP hopes
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For the second time this season, Utah defeated Southern California. This time, it was for the Pac-12 championship and probably the end of USC’s playoff dreams. USC took on the fourth and final seed in the semifinals at No. 4.
The Utes have now won back-to-back conference titles after posting a 47-24 victory on Friday.
The Trojans entered the second quarter with a 14–3 lead, but it did not last long. Utah then went on to defeat USC 44–10 as USC quarterback Caleb Williams suffered a foot injury. The Trojans struggled to keep the drive alive, going 1–12 on third-down conversions (3–5 on fourth-down).
Final Stats: How Utah beats USC by the numbers
Defensively, Utah crushed the Trojans with seven sacks and 11 tackles. On offense, Utah QB Cameron Rising passed for 310 yards and three touchdowns.
Battling that injury for most of the game, Williams passed for 363 yards and three touchdowns.
No. 1 Georgia defeated No. 14 LSU in the SEC Championship
No. 1 Georgia defeated No. 14 LSU 50–30 to win the SEC Championship Game. The Bulldogs went 13–0 and are likely to clinch the top spot in the College Football Playoff.
Stetson Bennett became the oldest starting quarterback to win an SEC championship at age 25, completing 23-29 passes for 274 yards and four touchdowns. Georgia’s 50 points were the second most points scored by the Bulldogs this season.
Georgia’s defense limited LSU to only 47 rushing yards, but allowed 502 passing yards, with the Tigers’ starting and backup quarterbacks each passing for over 200 yards.
No. 2 Michigan is perfect in the Big Ten Championship against Purdue
Purdue was able to take a 10–7 lead early in the second quarter, thanks to a late first-quarter touchdown before a field goal, but the field goals quickly became all boilermakers as Michigan ran away. 43–22.
Coming out of halftime with only a 14–13 lead, the Wolverines exploded through Purdue’s defense for two touchdowns on their first two drives of the second half.
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Donovan Edwards played a key role in driving Michigan 60-yards on the first offensive play of the half into Purdue territory before Kalle Mullings finished the drive with a one-yard score. After a quick three-and-out, the Wolverines made light work of it on the ensuing drive when J.J. Edwards capped off the drive with a 27-yard run into the end zone before McCarthy hit Luke Schoonmaker for a 40-yard completion.
McCarthy wasn’t very busy, going 11 of 17 through the air for 161 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception. Edwards finished his game with a monster 185 rushing yards and a touchdown, while Mullings added a second rushing score for late insurance.
Purdue QB Aidan O’Connell (32-of-47, 366 yards, 2 INT) had a strong connection with Charlie Jones (13 receptions, 162 yards), but it was to no avail.
No. 9 Clemson drives No. 23 North Carolina in ACC Championship
Phenomenal quarterback Drake Maye could open the scoring with a three-yard run in the first quarter, but the good vibes for UNC were short-lived as Clemson cruised to a 39–10 victory for another ACC crown.
It was all Tigers from there as three straight touchdowns opened up a 21–7 lead in short order before the Tar Heels were able to find an answer with a field goal to cut it to 21–10. Clemson responded immediately with a 52-yard field goal before scoring two more touchdowns to close the game, including a 98-yard pick-six to Nate Wiggins to tie the game. Filled. E firmly out of reach.
Tigers rookie quarterback Cade Klubnick, who replaced DJ Uygaleli, was 20 of 24 for 279 yards and a touchdown, including a run of 30 yards and another rushing score. Running backs Will Shipley and Phil Maffah also added touchdowns for Clemson. (Kansas State Hands TCU First Overtime Loss, Adds To College Football Playoff Week 14 Drama After USC Loss)
May was busy on offense for UNC as the redshirt attempted 42 passes (26 completions) for 268 yards, two interceptions and a lost fumble.
No. 18 Tulane tops No. 22 UCF for AAC title
The Green Wave took a 10–0 lead in the first quarter, and never looked back as they cruised to a 45–28 victory over the Knights for their first AAC title since their 38–31 loss to UCF earlier in the year. The defeat was avenged. weather.
UCF pulled within 10–7 in the second quarter thanks to a five-yard run by Xavier Townsend, but Tulane responded quickly on the ensuing drive when Michael Pratt connected with Lawrence Keyes III on a 43-yard bomb for the score.
The play was not the most explosive for the Green Wave, however, as Pratt added touchdown passes of 73 yards and 60 yards in the fourth quarter before Tyjay Spears scored on a run from 60 yards in the third. (Kansas State Hands TCU First Overtime Loss, Adds To College Football Playoff Week 14 Drama After USC Loss)
A 60-yard pass from Pratt to Shay Wyatt (110 yards, 2 TD) proved to be key insurance for Tulane after RJ Harvey cut off Kobe Hutson’s 49-yard pass and Isaiah Bowser’s 10-yard run. -28 in the fourth. Pratt added an 18-yard rushing score late for good measure.
He finished the day with 442 total yards and five total touchdowns. Spears rushed for 199 yards and a touchdown, while Deuce Watts caught three passes for 134 yards and a score.
Tulane even made it look easy after losing the turnover battle when UCF recovered two Green Wave fumbles and came up with a pick on Pratt.
