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CFB Wrap-Up: Takeaways from the conference championship games

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College Football Wrap-Up recaps the most important developments from the day's action and examines their significance moving forward.

Georgia stands alone

The Big 12 title game was an epic back-and-forth affair that produced some late drama leading to an overtime finish. The SEC championship was the complete opposite scene, with Georgia once again proving it stands alone in college football.

The Bulldogs took advantage of a huge LSU special teams blunder to open the scoring and raced out to a 35-10 advantage at the half before finishing with a 50-30 victory.

Stetson Bennett continued his late push for a Heisman invite with a record-tying four touchdown passes in the opening half, eventually finishing with 274 passing yards in the win. The Bulldogs piled up 255 yards on the ground as a team at a very solid 5.8 per carry, punishing the Tigers' defense throughout the contest.

Despite losing a record 15 players from last season's national champion squad in the NFL draft, Georgia once again finds itself headed to the CFP - this time with a perfect 13-0 record, the likely No. 1 seed, and a virtual home game in Atlanta for the semifinal.

It's been ten years since the college football world last had a back-to-back champion, but the Bulldogs are positioned as well as anybody to stop that streak and make it 13 national titles for the SEC since 2006.

2nd-half Michigan strikes again

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For the second straight week, Michigan found itself in a tight contest headed to the locker room at the half - this time a one-point lead over Purdue in the Big Ten title game. The Wolverines were again unfazed by that scenario, pulling away over the final 30 minutes for another 20-plus point victory.

A week after turning a three-point halftime deficit into a 25-point win, Michigan rode the running game and defense to turn a one-point lead into a 21-point victory.

  • 2nd half vs. Ohio State: 242 rushing yards, +2 turnovers, 28 points
  • 2nd half vs. Purdue: 180 rushing yards, +1 turnovers, 29 points

Donovan Edwards was again the star in Blake Corum's absence, with the sophomore going for 185 yards on the ground and a score.

The victory has the Wolverines at 24-2 in the last 26 games, a mark that trails only Georgia for most successful over that time. The win also brought a bit of history to one of college football's most storied programs, as Michigan is 13-0 for the first time in its 133-year history.

The Wolverines are a virtual lock for the No. 2 slot in the CFP rankings Sunday and a date in Arizona at the Fiesta Bowl on New Year's Eve. The big question for the committee to answer: Will their opponent be TCU, or will it be a blockbuster rematch with rival Ohio State?

Klubnik's brilliance brings questions for Dabo

Clemson is back on top of the ACC after a one-year absence. But Saturday's blowout win over North Carolina came with one very big question - Did Dabo Swinney's loyalty to DJ Uiagalelei cost the Tigers a shot at the CFP?

After using him sporadically throughout the season, Swinney finally gave Cade Klubnik the bulk of the game against North Carolina after punting on the first two drives with Uiagalelei. The prized freshman responded with an absolutely brilliant performance, throwing for 279 yards and a touchdown and running for 30 yards and another score in the 29-point victory.

Swinney told reporters on the broadcast that the plan all along was to let Uiagalelei get the first two drives before Klubnik entered on the third series.

The Tigers' two losses at Notre Dame and home to South Carolina are why they aren't in the CFP. With Klubnik under center, those results could have been different. Uiagalelei struggled mightily in both those contests, putting up two of his worst three QBR scores of the season in completing a combined 27-of-56 passes for 290 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.

Swinney consistently backed Uiagalelei as his starter throughout the campaign, even after he was forced to insert Klubnik in the second half against Syracuse to lead a comeback win. While his loyalty is admirable in this day and age, it's fair to question if it came at a high cost to the program.

Regardless, it's doubtful Uiagalelei will be back with the potential for a graduate transfer next season. It's Klubnik's time to take over and possibly return the ACC program to the CFP in 2023.

Drama Kings TCU fall, still virtual lock for CFP

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And the Emmy for best performance in a drama goes to Max Duggan, TCU.

There's no better reality television than watching the third-ranked Horned Frogs and their quarterback play football in 2022. TCU once again showed why it's the most dramatic team in the nation, staging yet another epic comeback before suffering its first loss of the season versus Kansas State in overtime.

When the Wildcats fell behind, Duggan went hero mode down the stretch, accounting for 95 yards rushing on the final drive alone. After punching in an 8-yard touchdown run, a bloodied and battered Duggan threw a perfect pass for the game-tying two-point conversion to force overtime. The senior standout ended the contest as the only player since 2015 to have over 250 yards passing and 100 yards rushing in a conference title game.

Overtime in itself is always dramatic, but TCU even found a way to up the ante in the extra frame, going for it on 4th-and-goal from the one-yard line. The Wildcats would come up with the epic stop and kick the eventual game-winning field goal a few plays later.

While the loss denied the Horned Frogs a conference title, a perfect 13-0 season, and a nation-leading eighth comeback win, TCU should be a lock for its first CFP berth in program history when the final rankings are announced Sunday. The only question is whether the committee will keep them at No. 3 for a likely matchup with Michigan or drop them one slot to No. 4 for a probable semifinal date with Georgia.

Kansas State rises with Howard

Adrian Martinez had some solid moments as Kansas State's quarterback this season, but it's clear that the Wildcats are a different beast with Will Howard as the starter. The 6-foot-5, 235-pound passer threw for 199 yards and two scores on Saturday while also finding the end zone on the ground.

Howard has appeared in six games this season, with the team putting up a whopping 38 points in those contests. Martinez started against six FBS opponents, averaging 27 points. Howard may not have the running ability that Martinez possesses, but the offense clearly functions better with the passing threat he presents.

  • Will Howard: 237 yards passing per game, 15 TD, 2 INT
  • Adrian Martinez: 196 yards passing per game, 6 TD, 1 INT

The improved passing game has also opened things up for Deuce Vaughn - the talented runner put up 115 yards per contest against FBS competition with Howard under center compared to 101 with Martinez. Vaughn was a menace all day on Saturday against TCU, compiling 160 total yards and a score. The speedy running back has over 280 total yards and two touchdowns in two games against the Horned Frogs this season.

Kansas State's three losses on the season won't see them in the CFP, but a Big 12 title and a likely berth in the Sugar Bowl is a phenomenal year for Chris Klieman in Manhattan.

Defense finally costs USC

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USC followed virtually the same script in every game this season. First: Ride Caleb Williams' brilliance to light up the scoreboard on offense. Second: Rely on the defense's ability to force turnovers to make up for its knack of allowing a ton of yards.

Williams' injury blew that script to bits Friday against Utah, with the defense unable to step up as the offense struggled. The final result was a 47-24 blowout win for the Utes - their second victory over the Trojans this season and a result that secured their second straight Pac-12 title.

The Trojans now rank 119th of 131 programs in the country in yards allowed per play at 6.3. After a slow start in the first quarter, Utah had its way on offense, piling up 7.7 yards per play and hanging 47 points on Alex Grinch's defense.

USC has been elite at forcing turnovers this season and entered the game leading the nation in turnover margin at a remarkable plus-22. Unfortunately, there's a fair amount of luck associated with turnovers, and, like many visitors to Sin City, the Trojans weren't very lucky Friday.

The Trojans' lust for turnovers cost them badly, as many defenders were more concerned with attempting to knock the ball loose than making the tackle. USC thus produced an array of embarrassing efforts - highlighted by this 57-yard touchdown from Money Parks.

Pushing the defensive issues aside, Williams' injury played a massive factor in the outcome of this game. The Heisman favorite got off to a hot start but suffered a hand and leg injury in the process. He was virtually immobile for the last three quarters - a sitting duck for a relentless Utah pass rush that sacked the passer seven times.

After going up 17-3 near the start of the second quarter, USC put up just 193 total yards on 44 plays the rest of the way. That 4.38 yards per play is almost three yards fewer than its season average. Without the threat of Williams using his legs to extend plays, Lincoln Riley's offense was unable to adjust against the swarming Utes.

The loss comes with massive ramifications for USC and the Pac-12, which are both virtually out of the discussion for a College Football Playoff berth. The conference is poised for a sixth straight year on the outside looking in at the semifinals, with Ohio State likely to grab the fourth and final slot.

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