ATLANTA (AP) — Alabama is again the top dog in the Southeastern Conference — and perhaps headed to the College Football Playoff — after ending Georgia’s 29-game winning streak with a 27-24 victory over the No. 1 Bulldogs in the SEC championship game Saturday.
Now, the big question: Is Georgia’s bid for a third straight national title over?
Jalen Milroe threw a pair of touchdown passes and No. 8 Alabama’s defense dominated much of the way — a compelling playoff statement for a Crimson Tide team that lost at home to Texas early in the season.
Alabama (12-1) hasn’t lost since. The victory over Georgia was the Tide’s 11th in a row and may be good enough to push them from No. 8 in the CFP rankings to the final four.
Georgia (12-1) will have to hope the selection committee provides a do-over in the playoffs, as it did two years ago. The Bulldogs hadn’t lost since that defeat to Alabama in the SEC title game, beating the Crimson Tide for the national title and going 15-0 last season.
Georgia closed the gap to 20-17 after a 28-yard punt return by Anthony Evans III set up Carson Beck’s sneak into the end zone.
Milroe then hooked up with Isaiah Bond on four completions for 56 yards, and Roydell Williams scored on a 1-yard run that restored Alabama’s lead to 27-17 with 5:47 remaining.
Georgia scored with 2:52 left, but Milroe and Alabama didn’t let the Bulldogs get the ball back.
NO. 2 MICHIGAN 26, IOWA 0
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Blake Corum scored twice, tying the school record for touchdown runs with 55, and Michigan beat Iowa 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 after serving a three-game suspension over allegations of sign stealing and in-person scouting, the Wolverines (13-0, No. 2 CFP) won their third straight conference title for the first time in school history. They’re in position for the top spot because No. 1 Georgia lost to Alabama.
Michigan extended its school record for consecutive wins over Big Ten foes to 25.
Corum tied Anthony Thomas’ school career rushing TD mark and finished with 16 carries for 52 yards. J.J. McCarthy was 22 of 30 for 147 yards.
For the Hawkeyes (10-3, No. 16 CFP), it was more of the same. While the defense held stout — allowing TDs on drives of 5 and 6 yards and four field goals — the offense produced just 155 yards. Iowa became only the second team in Big Ten title game history to be shut out.
NO. 4 FLORIDA STATE 16, NO. 15 LOUISVILLE 6
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 Louisville for the fourth-ranked Seminoles’ first Atlantic Coast Conference championship since 2014.
The Seminoles moved to 13-0. No Power Five team has ever gone unbeaten, won its conference title and failed to make the playoff. But Florida State’s offensive performance and unsettled quarterback situation created some doubt about whether it’s one of the four best teams in the country.
Lawrance Toafili ran for 118 yards and a touchdown for the Seminoles, who stuck to a conservative game plan with third-string quarterback Brock Glenn behind center. Glenn finished 8 of 21 for 55 yards.
Starting QB and Heisman Trophy candidate Jordan Travis is out for the season with a leg injury. Tate Rodemaker, Travis’ backup, was sidelined with a concussion.
The difference for the Seminoles was their defense, which had a season-high seven sacks and a critical interception that kept Louisville (10-3) out of the end zone.
NO. 7 TEXAS 49, NO. 19 OKLAHOMA STATE 21
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Quinn Ewers set a career high by throwing for 452 yards with four touchdowns, one of those to 362-pound defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat, and Texas bid farewell to the Big 12 by beating Oklahoma State in the conference championship game.
The Southeastern Conference-bound Longhorns (12-1, No. 7 CFP) will leave the Big 12 with four titles. They also won it in the league’s inaugural 1996 season, in 2005 when they were last national champs and in 2009.
Keilan Robinson tiptoed the sideline on a 57-yard run for the first of his two touchdowns in the second half as the Longhorns, the only team to beat Alabama this season, stayed in contention for the College Football Playoff.
Alan Bowman was 22-of-38 passing for 250 yards for the Cowboys (9-4, No. 18 CFP), with two of his three touchdowns going to Rashod Owens.
Ewers completed 35 of 46 passes. Texas scored on its first four possessions, going ahead 28-7 on CJ Baxter’s 10-yard run early in the second quarter.
NO. 25 SMU 26, NO. 17 TULANE 14
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Kevin Jennings threw a touchdown pass and accounted for 266 yards from scrimmage in his first career start, Collin Rogers kicked four second-half field goals, and SMU beat Tulane in the American Athletic Conference championship game.
The Mustangs (11-2) limited Tulane (11-2, No. 22 CFP) to a touchdown during the final 59 minutes to snap the Green Wave’s 10-game winning streak and dethrone the defending league champs.
SMU sacked Michael Pratt seven times. Defensive back Isaiah Nwokobia’s interception in the fourth quarter all but sealed it.
The game was played amid reports that Tulane coach Willie Frtiz is Houston’s top candidate following the Cougars’ firing of Dana Holgorsen. Fritz declined to confirm his intentions after the game.
Tulane’s loss means Conference USA champion Liberty or SMU — which ever team winds up higher in the final College Football Playoff rankings — will play in a New Year’s Six bowl.
SMU’s league title was its first since winning the Southwest Conference in 1984. The Mustangs move to the Atlantic Coast Conference next season.
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