Saturday in Review: Championship Week

Biletnikoff-winner Amari Cooper and his Alabama Crimson
Tide won the SEC and the top-spot in the playoffs.
Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

It's over. We have our conference champions. The final four is set. Surprisingly, we made it through championship week without any of the important higher-ranked teams being upset.

The first game of the week ended with one of the most exciting finishes of the year. UCF overcame East Carolina, but needed a last-second Hail Mary to do it. ECU started the fourth quarter down 26-9, but were in position to score. The Pirates capitalized, passed for a touchdown, and reduced the deficit to 10. Suddenly, UCF's offense became totally impotent while their defense couldn't make a stop. ECU went on to score another two touchdowns, capturing a 30-26 lead with just 2:17 to go. The Knights received the ensuing kickoff, but couldn't do anything. After four plays, the ball went over on downs. The Pirates got the ball in field goal-range and attempted to run out as much clock as possible. ECU may have tried to set up a field goal that would have put them up by seven; instead, they chose to scramble their quarterback on fourth down and waste as much time as possible. Shane Carden took the sack, going down on the Knight's 32-yard-line. Still, UCF had just 10 seconds to go 68 yards. The Knights completed a short out-route. Just five seconds remained and UCF was still on their own 49-yard-line. Justin Holman took the snap, stepped up in the pocket, and heaved it 51 yards, where three Pirates were waiting near the goal line to knock it down. Inexplicably, it sails over their arms and into the hands of Breshad Perriman. The touchdown put UCF up 32-30, and with no time left, they sealed the victory. The win secured UCF part of the American Athletic Conference Championship.

Friday's championship games were both blowouts with the victors scoring 51 points while holding their opponents to less than 20. NIU won the MAC by bowling over Bowling Green. Oregon won their first Pac-12 title in a few years after squashing Arizona. The dominating victory ensured the Ducks would receive a spot in the playoffs.

The Oregon Ducks are Pac-12 Champions and will face ACC-
Champion Florida State in Pasadena. Brian Bahr/Getty Images

By edging past Louisiana Tech, Marshall wrapped up their first Conference USA championship. The turnover-plagued Herd found themselves down seven starting the final quarter. Marshall won the game by scoring 10 points in the fourth quarter and forcing a late interception.

Cincinnati held on to beat Houston and earn a share of the American title. SMU ended their losing streak (and the nation's longest) by beating UConn in their season finale. The Mustangs had lost their last 13 games. TCU blasted by Iowa State, winning a share of the Big 12. In one of the most improbable comebacks of the year, Oklahoma State came back to beat Oklahoma. The Cowboys needed a punt return for a touchdown (with less than a minute left) and an overtime field goal to top the Sooners.

Missouri mostly kept up with Alabama through the first three quarters of the SEC Championship Game. However, the Crimson Tide were too much better in the fourth, and came away with a big win. Alabama earned the top seed in the playoffs along with their SEC title.

Baylor won their half of the Big 12 title by putting away Kansas State in their season finale. The ambiguous split-championship of the Big 12 appears to have been a major factor in the conference's snub from the playoffs. Despite a generally higher regard of the Big 12 over the Big Ten (in respect to competitive strength), the latter's champion was chosen over either co-champion of the former to hold a spot in the playoffs. Due to this, a new championship format for the Big 12 may be in the conference's imminent future.

Florida State is the only unbeaten team in the country and
will take their perfect record into the playoffs.
Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

Florida State won their third-straight ACC Championship in typical fashion of this season. The Seminoles defeated Georgia Tech in a game that came down to the final minutes. The first half was dominated by offenses; each defense could only make one stop the entire half. FSU led 28-21 going into halftime, though the outcome was far from determined. Tech tied the game starting the third, but Florida State responded with three-straight field goals from Roberto Aguayo. The Yellow Jackets, in desperation mode, scored another touchdown with 1:47 left. Still down by two points, they attempted an onside kick, but it was recovered by Florida State. The Seminoles ran out the clock and held on to another close victory. FSU never developed into the dominating team so many expected of them and so many expect from national championship contenders. Yet they are undefeated and going to Pasadena for the playoffs.

The Big Ten Championship Game was something completely different. Ohio State obliterated a favored Wisconsin squad in Indianapolis. A nuclear explosion could hardly have defeated the Badgers so soundly. The Wisconsin offense was utterly neutralized by the Buckeye defense while their own defense could barely perform any better. This rout was one major factor (the other being the Big 12's indeterminate champion) that propelled Ohio State into the playoffs. The Buckeyes will go to New Orleans to face Alabama in the first round.

Finally, defense won the day for Boise State, as the Broncos once again rule the Mountain West after beating Fresno State.

Championships:

• MAC: Northern Illinois (11-2) over Bowling Green (7-6), 27-20 51-17
• Pac-12: #3 Oregon (12-1) over #8 Arizona (10-3), 45-27 51-13
• Conference USA: Louisiana Tech (8-5) over Marshall (12-1), 38-34 26-23
• SEC: #1 Alabama (12-1) over #14 Missouri (10-3), 38-17 42-13
• ACC: #12 Georgia Tech (10-3) over #2 Florida State (13-0), 34-27 37-35
• Big Ten: #11 Wisconsin (10-3) over #6 Ohio State (12-1), 31-23 59-0
• Mountain West: #22 Boise State (11-2) over Fresno State (6-7), 38-31 28-14

State of Florida:

• East Carolina (8-4) over UCF (9-3), 24-20 32-30
• FIU (4-8), END OF SEASON
• Florida (6-5), END OF REGULAR SEASON
• Florida Atlantic (3-9), END OF SEASON
• Miami (6-6), END OF REGULAR SEASON
• South Florida (4-8), END OF SEASON

Southeastern Conference:

• Arkansas (6-6), END OF REGULAR SEASON
• #20 Auburn (8-4), END OF REGULAR SEASON
• #15 Georgia (9-3), END OF REGULAR SEASON
• Kentucky (5-7), END OF SEASON
• #23 LSU (8-4), END OF REGULAR SEASON
• #13 Mississippi (9-3), END OF REGULAR SEASON
• #10 Mississippi State (10-2), END OF REGULAR SEASON
• South Carolina (6-6), END OF REGULAR SEASON
• Tennessee (6-6), END OF REGULAR SEASON
• Texas A&M (7-5), END OF REGULAR SEASON
• Vanderbilt (3-9), END OF SEASON

Top 25:

• #4 TCU (11-1) over Iowa State (2-10), 49-20 55-3
• #18 Oklahoma (8-4) over Oklahoma State (6-6), 35-14 38-35 (OT)
• #5 Baylor (11-1) over #9 Kansas State (9-3), 41-27 38-27
• #7 Michigan State (10-2), END OF REGULAR SEASON
• #16 UCLA (9-3), END OF REGULAR SEASON
• #17 Arizona State (9-3), END OF REGULAR SEASON
• #19 Clemson (9-3), END OF REGULAR SEASON
• #21 Louisville (9-3), END OF REGULAR SEASON
• #24 Utah (8-4), END OF REGULAR SEASON
• #25 Nebraska (9-3), END OF REGULAR SEASON

Championship Week Record: 6-5 (55%)

Season Record: 199-88 (69%)