Three teams that are favorites to be included in the College Football Playoffs finished off perfect regular seasons on Saturday, but two of them still have some work to do before we get to New Year's Day. That included the top-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide, who pulled away in the Iron Bowl for a 52-21 rout of the Auburn Tigers. After the Tigers fought hard in the first half and trailed by just three at halftime, the Crimson Tide found the end zone three times in the third and twice in the fourth to cruise on their home field. Tua Tagovailoa threw for 324 yards and five touchdowns in a game that saw him playing more than a snap in to the fourth quarter for just the second time this season.
Tagovailoa also ran in for a touchdown, as he threw three touchdowns in the third to help pull away from just a 17-14 halftime lead. This performance makes him the first Alabama player to be involved in six touchdowns game during one game, while tying a school record with five touchdown passes. He completed 25 of his 32 passes for 324 yards through the air, as the Crimson Tide handed the Tigers their fifth loss of the season. They will now move on to Atlanta, Georgia and look to secure a playoff spot with a win over the Georgia Bulldogs in the SEC Championship Game on Saturday night.
Elsewhere, a familiar foe in the National Championship picture for the Crimson Tide are the Clemson Tigers, and the second-ranked team also completed a perfect 12-0 season. They were also in a bit of a fight in the first half, but pulled away for another blowout, 56-35, over the South Carolina Gamecocks. Travis Etienne ran for 150 yards and two touchdowns on the night, setting the Clemson single-season touchdown record with 19 of them this year. Meanwhile, Trevor Lawrence threw for a career-high 393 yards and a score, while Adam Choice found the end zone three times on the ground.
The Tigers scored a touchdown on the first four possessions of the game, as they completed a perfect 12-0 season for the second time in four seasons and the third time in program history. The only other time was during their 1981 National Championship season. They send the Gamecocks to 6-5, with one makeup game to go, and have defeated their in-state rivals six straight seasons. That is their longest such streak against South Carolina since winning seven in a row from 1934-1940. The Gamecocks did fight for a while, including Jake Bentley throwing for 510 yards and five touchdowns, which is second-most ever given up by Clemson. Although, they came away with a win and will now battle the Pittsburgh Panthers for the ACC Championship next week.
One team that will not have to fight for a conference title, but may already be a lock to get in to the playoffs are the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, who rallied for a 24-17 win over the USC Trojans on Saturday night. Ian Book threw for 352 yards and two touchdowns, helping his team rally from an early 10-0 deficit for their fourth road win of the season. Dexter Williams had the official go-ahead touchdown with a 52-yard score in the third quarter, as the Irish's playoff hopes were also helped out by the Michigan Wolverines getting trounced by the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Chris Finke and Tony Jones both caught touchdown passes from Book, as the Fighting Irish finished their 10th perfect regular season since 1945, and first since 2012. Williams finished the day with 97 yards on the ground, as his team did not get on the board in their 90th matchup with the Trojans until right before halftime. J.T. Daniels threw for 348 yards in the Trojans' seventh loss of the year, and they are not bowl eligible with their first losing season since 2000, This comes after they dropped five of their last six games of the season. For Notre Dame, despite some saying them without a conference haunts them in the playoff picture, it actually helps them this time around, and you can expect to see them fighting for the National Championship on New Year's Day.
Tagovailoa also ran in for a touchdown, as he threw three touchdowns in the third to help pull away from just a 17-14 halftime lead. This performance makes him the first Alabama player to be involved in six touchdowns game during one game, while tying a school record with five touchdown passes. He completed 25 of his 32 passes for 324 yards through the air, as the Crimson Tide handed the Tigers their fifth loss of the season. They will now move on to Atlanta, Georgia and look to secure a playoff spot with a win over the Georgia Bulldogs in the SEC Championship Game on Saturday night.
Elsewhere, a familiar foe in the National Championship picture for the Crimson Tide are the Clemson Tigers, and the second-ranked team also completed a perfect 12-0 season. They were also in a bit of a fight in the first half, but pulled away for another blowout, 56-35, over the South Carolina Gamecocks. Travis Etienne ran for 150 yards and two touchdowns on the night, setting the Clemson single-season touchdown record with 19 of them this year. Meanwhile, Trevor Lawrence threw for a career-high 393 yards and a score, while Adam Choice found the end zone three times on the ground.
The Tigers scored a touchdown on the first four possessions of the game, as they completed a perfect 12-0 season for the second time in four seasons and the third time in program history. The only other time was during their 1981 National Championship season. They send the Gamecocks to 6-5, with one makeup game to go, and have defeated their in-state rivals six straight seasons. That is their longest such streak against South Carolina since winning seven in a row from 1934-1940. The Gamecocks did fight for a while, including Jake Bentley throwing for 510 yards and five touchdowns, which is second-most ever given up by Clemson. Although, they came away with a win and will now battle the Pittsburgh Panthers for the ACC Championship next week.
One team that will not have to fight for a conference title, but may already be a lock to get in to the playoffs are the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, who rallied for a 24-17 win over the USC Trojans on Saturday night. Ian Book threw for 352 yards and two touchdowns, helping his team rally from an early 10-0 deficit for their fourth road win of the season. Dexter Williams had the official go-ahead touchdown with a 52-yard score in the third quarter, as the Irish's playoff hopes were also helped out by the Michigan Wolverines getting trounced by the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Chris Finke and Tony Jones both caught touchdown passes from Book, as the Fighting Irish finished their 10th perfect regular season since 1945, and first since 2012. Williams finished the day with 97 yards on the ground, as his team did not get on the board in their 90th matchup with the Trojans until right before halftime. J.T. Daniels threw for 348 yards in the Trojans' seventh loss of the year, and they are not bowl eligible with their first losing season since 2000, This comes after they dropped five of their last six games of the season. For Notre Dame, despite some saying them without a conference haunts them in the playoff picture, it actually helps them this time around, and you can expect to see them fighting for the National Championship on New Year's Day.
