No. 8 Ohio State 27, No. 4 Wisconsin 21
No. 8 Ohio State (11-2, 9-1 Big 10) pulled out a tough 27-21 win over No. 4 Wisconsin (12-1, 9-1 Big 10) for its second Big 10 Championship.
With Wisconsin’s first loss of the season, one team will have the opportunity to jump into the top four of the College Football Playoff rankings.
Turnovers plagued the Ohio State offense, with senior quarterback J.T. Barrett throwing two interceptions. Barrett passed for 211 yards, two passing touchdowns and one rushing touchdown.
The Buckeyes’ defense was able to make up for the mistakes on offense, making key stops in the Badgers’ final drive of the game.
Sophomore quarterback Alex Hornibrook, attempted to lead his team on a game winning drive with under three minutes left in the game — but penalties would put the Badgers at fourth and 20, leading to a Buckeyes interception. Hornibrook passed for 220 yards and one interception.
Ohio State’s close win puts them in a tough position for the final spot in the College Football Playoff. The committee will have to decide between the Buckeyes and No. 5 Alabama (11-1, 7-1 SEC), who was not a conference champion. If Ohio State was to make the playoffs, it could set up a possible rematch with Oklahoma in the national championship, if both the Buckeyes and Sooners made it past the semifinals.
No. 1 Clemson 38, No. 7 Miami 3
No. 1 Clemson (12-1, 8-1 ACC) beat out No. 7 Miami (10-2, 7-2 ACC) 38-3, to win its third consecutive ACC Championship.
The Tigers’ dominant win makes a strong case for them to hold on to the top spot in the College Football Playoff rankings.
Despite the hype around Miami’s defense, Clemson had better defensive play— holding the Hurricanes to just 214 total yards and forcing three turnovers. Heading into Saturday’s game, Clemson ranked sixth in the country in total defense, holding teams to an average of 283.3 yards per game.
The Miami defense was no match for junior quarterback Kelly Bryant. Bryant completed 23-of-29 passes for 252 yards, one passing touchdown and one rushing touchdown. Despite the Clemson running backs only combining for 69 yards, they contributed four touchdowns in the Tigers’ victory.
With Clemson more than likely holding onto the number one spot in the rankings, No. 3 Oklahoma (12-1, 9-1 Big 12) will likely move into second place in the final playoff rankings, revealed on Sunday, Dec. 3.
No. 6 Georgia 28, No. 2 Auburn 7
In a fight for a spot in the College Football Playoff, No. 6 Georgia (12-1, 8-1 SEC) was able to spoil No. 2 Auburn’s (10-3, 7-2 SEC) hopes in a 28-7 win.
After dropping out of the top four with a loss to Auburn earlier this season, the Bulldogs are once again in position to play on New Year’s Day.
This time around, the game was much closer with the defenses controlling the pace. The Bulldogs were able to force key turnovers to keep the momentum on their side, including two fumbles and a blocked field goal.
Though Auburn’s turnover struggles definitely aided the Georgia offense, the Bulldogs were also able to establish the run game, resulting in possession control for 33 minutes compared to Auburn’s 27 minutes. Georgia’s running backs combined for 238 yards, with freshman D’Andre Swift contributing 88 yards and one touchdown in the victory.
Georgia freshman quarterback Jake Fromm was able to lead his team to its first SEC Championship since 2005. Fromm completed 16-of-22 passes for 183 yards and two touchdowns.
