Nevada: 2018 Arizona Bowl Champions

TUCSON, Ariz. -- As Nevada quarterback Ty Gangi worked through his progressions, Reagan Roberson slipped out into the left flat unnoticed.

Gangi flipped the ball out to his tight end and Arkansas State's defense quickly converged. Roberson shed the first would-be tackler like he was brushing off a bug, made a beeline for the corner of the end zone, diving across the line just before two more defenders could stop him.

Following more than three quarters of offensive ineptitude, the Wolf Pack found their offensive rhythm at just the right time, beating Arkansas State 16-13 on Saturday in the Arizona Bowl on Roberson's 11-yard overtime catch-and-run.

"They took some things away and we had to go to the tight end more," said Gangi, who threw for 200 yards and a touchdown on 18-of-34 passing with two interceptions. "I gave him a chance and he made a great play for me, broke a tackle and dove into the end zone for the winner."

Nevada (8-5) looked as if it would never get the chance. The Wolf Pack struggled against Arkansas State's stout defensive front, barely eking out 100 yards of total offense for three quarters.

Nevada stayed in it with a bend-don't-break defense and found a rhythm with a couple of big plays in the fourth quarter. Devonte Lee put the Wolf Pack up 10-7 on a 1-yard run with 1:06 left and, after the Red Wolves tied it with Blake Grupe's last-play field goal, Roberson sent them racing onto the field with his bulldozing touchdown.

"This is right up there at the top as far as guys fighting and believing in each other," Nevada second-year coach Jay Norvell said.

Arkansas State (8-5) needed a little more belief -- at least in the red zone.

The Red Wolves made five trips inside Nevada's 20 and came away with seven points. Arkansas State had two turnovers in the end zone and twice failed to convert on fourth down, including once on a trick play.

Throw in a blocked field goal and another short one badly missed by Grupe, the Red Wolves head into the offseason wondering what if after racking up 499 total yards and coming away with 13 points.

"We've had a struggle with that for a long time," Arkansas State coach Blake Anderson said. "You can blame on whatever you want to, at the end of the day we just didn't get it done."

Arkansas State's Warren Wand ran for 140 yards and Justice Hansen threw for 275 yards, but also had three interceptions -- two in the end zone -- after throwing six during the regular season.

The Red Wolvers' miscues in the red zone allowed Nevada to still be within 7-3 at halftime despite managing 72 total yards.

"We believed in the plan and if you continue to work, good things will happen," Novell said. "Just amazing."

BIG PICTURE

Nevada's offense came to life at just the right time to avoid ending the season with a loss to rival UNLV and a disappointing bowl performance.

Arkansas State will lament its lost offensive opportunities all offseason.

INJURED WOLVES

Arkansas State lost two of its best players by early in the third quarter.

Defensive end Ronheen Bingham, who led the Red Wolves with nine regular-season sacks, had to be helped from the field with a serious left leg injury in the first quarter. On the first play of the third quarter, defensive back Justin Clifton went down with an injury.

"It was tough seeing two of our best defensive players go down," Red Wolves safety B.J. Edmonds said. "We still played well after that, but who knows what could have happened."

SCHOLARSHIP TIME

Nevada receiver Ben Putman had two of the game's biggest plays, catching a pair of 44-yard passes from Gangi -- one on a flea flicker, the other to set up Lee's 1-yard score late in regulation.

A walk-on, Putman finished with four catches and a game-high 144 yards. After the game, Norvell rewarded the junior with a scholarship.

"I didn't know who he was three months ago," Norvell said. "All he does is compete.."

UP NEXT

Arkansas State: Hansen is a senior, so the Red Wolves will need a new QB next season. They also have 14 players on their two-deep roster who are seniors.

Nevada: The Wolf Pack also will be searching for a new QB with Gangi in his final year of eligibility. They also have 14 seniors on the two-deep roster, most of their skill players on offense should be back.

Minnesota: 2018 Quick Lane Bowl Champions

DETROIT -- Mohamed Ibrahim took full advantage of holes his teammates created to burst through the line or get to the outside.

And when defenders were in Ibrahim's way, he simply lowered his shoulder to run over them.

Ibrahim ran for career-high 224 yards and two touchdowns, leading Minnesota to a 34-10 victory over Georgia Tech on Wednesday night in the Quick Lane Bowl.

The Golden Gophers (7-6) won three of their last four games, and Ibrahim had a lot to do with that. The 5-foot-10, 205-pound redshirt freshman running back had 121 yards rushing in a win at Wisconsin that made Minnesota bowl eligible and ran for 155 yards last month in a victory over Purdue.

"He's not the biggest, strongest or fastest," coach P.J. Fleck said. "He has that too short, too small, too this, king of the toos, which is right up my alley. This kid's got more heart, passion, courage and plays the game the right way more than anybody I've ever met."

The Yellow Jackets (7-6) did not have the speed or strength to slow down Ibrahim, who was so effective Minnesota didn't have to punt once. And, their triple-option offense was stunted in coach Paul Johnson's finale .

"They did pretty much whatever they wanted," said Johnson, who is retiring as Georgia Tech's coach. We never stopped the run and then we let them throw it over our head a couple times.

"I wasn't expecting that, but that's life and you move on."

The Gophers limited Georgia Tech to 206 yards on the ground after it led the nation with 335 yards rushing per game.

Minnesota led 13-0 early in the second quarter after Tanner Morgan threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Johnson in the first quarter and Emmit Carpenter made two field goals. Ibrahim's 3-yard touchdown run midway through the third quarter made it 20-3.

The Yellow Jackets responded with Nathan Cottrell's 20-yard touchdown run, but their defense allowed Ibrahim to score again on the ensuing drive. Morgan connected with Johnson on a 30-yard touchdown strike with 6:19 left, giving the Gophers a 24-point cushion.

THE TAKEAWAY

Minnesota: Ibrahim has the potential to be one of the top players on offense in the Big Ten next season. He runs with a mix of speed and power.

"He's a physical back," Johnson said. "He broke tackles and he ran through us some."

Ibrahim had the best day on the ground for a Gopher since 2005 when Laurence Maroney had 258 yards rushing against the Badgers.

"That's big," Ibrahim said. "He's a superstar and he had a great career."

Georgia Tech: The Yellow Jackets were in trouble when they fell behind because they don't pass much, making it tough to come back. They averaged fewer than 10 passes during the regular season and it was clear both of their quarterbacks were not comfortable dropping back to throw.

"It's tough to go out this way," Marshall said. "We didn't come ready to play and it showed."

RECORD WATCH

Johnson set single-season school record with 1,169 yards receiving and 12 touchdowns. He finished the season with 78 catches, six short of another Minnesota record.

"The hard work and dedication paid off," he said.

MISSING MEN

Georgia Tech linebacker Charlie Thomas and Minnesota linebacker Kamal Martin were suspended for undisclosed violations of team rules.

"If you don't do the right things, you're not going to travel," Fleck said.

The Gophers also were without senior linebacker Blake Cashman, who announced his intention to skip the bowl game to focus on preparing for the NFL draft.

UP NEXT

Minnesota: The Gophers had a nation-high 52 percent of their roster filled by freshmen, giving them a lot of hope for next season when they open at home Aug. 29 against South Dakota State.

"We have a bright future -- for sure," Ibrahim said. "We're coming together as a team."

Georgia Tech: It will be challenging for Geoff Collins to win in his coaching debut with the Yellow Jackets. They play Aug. 22 at Clemson in the first game on the ACC Network. The former Temple coach, who is from Georgia, will be installing a new offense without a handful of starters on offense and the defense is losing eight starters.

Virginia: 2017-18 Atlantic Coast Men's Basketball Champions

NEW YORK -- Kyle Guy, Devon Hall and No. 1 Virginia completed one of the most successful seasons in the storied history of Atlantic Coast Conference basketball, beating No. 12 North Carolina 71-63 in the tournament championship game Saturday night to finish 20-1 against league competition.

The top-seeded Cavaliers (31-2) set a school record for victories and won the ACC Tournament for the second time in five seasons under coach Tony Bennett, and third time overall. With plenty of their fans packing Barclays Center in Brooklyn, the Cavaliers beat sixth-seeded North Carolina (25-10) for the second time this season and snapped a seven-game losing streak to the Tar Heels in ACC Tournament play.

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Guy, the tournament MVP, scored 11 of his 16 points in the second half and Hall added 15 points, five rebounds and four assists. Ty Jerome had 12 points, six assists and six rebounds for Virginia, which will certainly enter the NCAA Tournament as the top overall seed.

Not bad for a bunch that started the season unranked and was picked to finish sixth in the ACC. With no one-and-dones and no lock NBA lottery picks, the Cavaliers dominated the ACC with efficiency and tenacity. They went 17-1 in the regular season, the one loss by one point in overtime, and finished in first by four games.

"This is one of the most connected groups I've ever coached," Bennett said.

Virginia held the Tar Heels scoreless for five minutes and took a 58-49 lead on De'Andre Hunter's baseline fadeaway with 3:32 left. North Carolina snapped the drought with a 3-pointer by Luke Maye, who scored 20, but Jerome nailed a 3 out of a timeout to restore the nine-point lead.

UNC, playing in its record 35th ACC championship game, never got closer than five again as Virginia closed it out from the free-throw line. The Tar Heels played about as well as any team has this season against the best defensive team in the country, shooting 40 percent and committing only nine turnovers. In the regular season, the Tar Heels managed only 49 points and 29 percent shooting, while committing 19 turnovers in a loss at Virginia.

The Cavaliers played defense with their offense, turning the ball over just four times and allowing the fast-paced Tar Heels just two fast-break points.

BIG PICTURE

North Carolina: UNC won three games in four days in Brooklyn and might have played its way into a high enough seed -- probably a No. 2 -- to open the NCAAs in Charlotte. The Tar Heels are 33-1 in NCCA games played in their home state.


Virginia: In nine seasons in Charlottesville, Bennett has built one of the most successful programs in the country on a foundation of slow-paced but precise offense and sound and suffocating defense. When he climbed the ladder to cut down the last piece of string holding up the nets at Barclays, Virginia fans filled the arena with chants of "To-ny! To-ny!"

BYE BROOKLYN

The ACC Tournament heads back to North Carolina after a two-year stint in New York City, but expect it to be back sooner rather than later. Maybe even as soon as 2022, when the arena is free and the ACC has no plans booked.

UP NEXT

Both teams will head home and find out their NCAA Tournament destinations.

Kansas State: 2017 Cactus Bowl Champions

PHOENIX -- Bill Snyder stood on a makeshift stage in the middle of a baseball stadium with a roof, a sparkling trophy at his side depicting a football sailing through cactus uprights.

If this was the end of his storied coaching career at Kansas State, it sure was a great way to go out.

Alex Delton ran for 158 yards and accounted for four touchdowns, leading the Wildcats to a 35-17 Cactus Bowl victory over UCLA on Tuesday night in what could be Snyder's final game.

"We've got so many people to be proud of at Kansas State University and it starts with our players, quite obviously," Snyder said.

Delton replaced Skylar Thompson late in the first quarter and scored on runs of 68 yards, 3 yards and 1 yard. Alex Barnes added 117 yards and a touchdown for the Wildcats, who rushed for 345 yards.

Kansas State (8-5) struggled in the first half against UCLA's potent offense, but shut down the Bruins in the second to give Snyder his 210th -- and possibly last -- win with the Wildcats.

UCLA (6-7) played without top NFL prospect Josh Rosen, who's recovering from a concussion, and built a 10-point halftime lead without its star quarterback.

The Bruins' offensive success didn't carry over into the second half and their defense had a hard time containing Delton, saddling interim coach Jedd Fisch with a loss in his last game before Chip Kelly takes over the program.

"We handled a ton of adversity this year and a ton of change," Fisch said. "After the (USC) week, they continued to play as hard as possible."

Snyder turned around one of the nation's worst programs after taking over in 1989, leading the Wildcats to eight straight bowl appearances after un-retiring in 2008.

He says he has not decided whether he will return for a 27th season or retire again to spend time with his family.

The 78-year-old coach made a quarterback change in the first quarter of the Cactus Bowl after Thompson threw an interception. Delton had an immediate impact, bursting up the middle for a 68-yard touchdown run.

Snyder opted to go for it on fourth-and-goal from the 1 in the third quarter, and Delton came through again, bulling his way through a massive pile -- with some help from his teammates.

Kansas State's Denzel Goolsby recovered Bolu Olorunfunmi's fumble at the Bruins 24-yard line on the next play from scrimmage, and Delton hit Dominique Heath for an 8-yard touchdown to give the Wildcats the lead.

"That was possibly the play of the ballgame," Snyder said.

UCLA turned it over on downs -- after a successful fake punt -- and Kansas State turned its fourth-down try into a touchdown, with Alex Barnes putting the Wildcats up 28-17 with a 41-yard run.

Kansas State ended UCLA's comeback hopes with an eight-minute drive capped by Delton's final TD run.

"They wore us down," Fisch said.

Rosen, expected to leave for the NFL after his junior year, was in uniform and warmed up before the game, but Devon Modster trotted out to the huddle.

The Bruins still had their big-play game going even without Rosen, building a 17-7 halftime lead on two long TD passes by Modster.

UCLA's offensive roll ended with halftime. The Bruins had 100 total yards and three first downs in the second half.

"I just threw too many incomplete passes," said Modster, who threw for 295 yards. "That's pretty much it."

THE TAKEAWAY

If this was the final game of Snyder's career, the Wildcats sent him out on a high note with a dominant second-half performance.

UCLA's defense, a sore spot all season, had no answer for Delton, and its offense could have used Rosen in the second half.

ROSEN'S DECISION

Reports surfaced this week that Rosen wouldn't play in the bowl game, possibly to protect himself from injury. Fisch shot that notion down quickly.


"I want to be clear on this: Josh wanted to play," he said. "Josh was unable to play because of the fact that he had two concussions within a four-week span in November, and our physicians didn't feel comfortable putting him out there and putting him at risk for a possibility of a third concussion."

UP NEXT

Kansas State: The Wildcats should be in good shape on offense next season whether Snyder returns or not. Kansas State has no seniors on its two-deep roster on offense, though there are five on defense.

UCLA: Kelly will likely have to replace Rosen when he takes over, but will have plenty of firepower returning. He's also a top recruiter, so the Bruins should be well-stocked with talent.

North Carolina: 2017 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Champions

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- It's OK, Carolina, you can open your eyes.

An unwatchable game turned into a beautiful night for the Tar Heels, who turned a free-throw contest into a championship they've been waiting an entire year to celebrate.

Justin Jackson delivered the go-ahead 3-point play with 1:40 left Monday and North Carolina pulled away for a 71-65 win over Gonzaga that washed away a year's worth of heartache.

It was, in North Carolina's words, a redemption tour -- filled with extra time on the practice court and the weight room, all fueled by a devastating loss in last year's title game on Kris Jenkins' 3-point dagger at the buzzer for Villanova.

"I wanted to see this confetti fall on us and we're the winners," said Carolina's Joel Berry II, who led the Heels with 22 points. "We came out here and we competed. It came down to the last second, but we're national champs now."

Berry, along with most of Roy Williams' players, returned for another run. To say everything went right for them at this Final Four would not be the truth.

The Tar Heels (33-7) followed a terrible shooting night in the semifinal with an equally ice-cold performance in the final -- going 4 for 27 from 3-point land and 26 for 73 overall.

Gonzaga, helped by 8 straight points from Nigel Williams-Goss, took a 2-point lead with 1:52 left, but the next possession was the game-changer.

Jackson took a zinger of a pass under the basket from Theo Pinson and converted the shot, then the ensuing free throw to take the lead for good. Moments later, Williams-Goss twisted his right ankle and could not elevate for a jumper that would've given the Bulldogs the lead.

Isaiah Hicks made a basket to push the lead to 3, then Kennedy Meeks, in foul trouble all night, blocked Williams-Goss' shot and Jackson got a slam on the other end to put some icing on title No. 6 for the Tar Heels. Williams got his third title, putting him one ahead of his mentor, Dean Smith, and now behind only John Wooden, Adolph Rupp and Mike Krzyzewski.

"I think of Coach Smith, there's no question," Williams said. "I don't think I should be mentioned in the same sentence with him. But we got three because I've got these guys with me and that's all I care about right now -- my guys."

Berry recovered from ankle injuries to lead the Tar Heels, but needed 19 shots for his 22 points. Jackson had 16 on a 6-for-19 night and, overall, the Tar Heels actually shot a percentage point worse than they did in Saturday night's win over Oregon.


Thank goodness for free throws. They went 15 for 26 from the line and, in many corners, this game will be remembered for these three men: Michael Stephens, Verne Harris and Mike Eades, the referees who called 27 fouls in the second half, completely busted up the flow of the game and sent Meeks, Gonzaga's 7-footers Przemek Karnowski and Zach Collins and a host of others to the bench in foul trouble.

The most bizarre sequence: With 8:02 left, Berry got called for a foul for (maybe) making contact with Karnowski and stripping the ball from the big man's hands. But as Karnowski was flailing after the ball, he grabbed Berry around the neck and, after a long delay, got called for a flagrant foul of his own.

That resulted in four straight free throws, a 52-all tie and booing from every corner of the massive Phoenix University Stadium.

Nevada: 2016-17 Mountain West Men's Basketball Champions

LAS VEGAS -- Nevada is king of college basketball in the Silver State.

Jordan Caroline had 23 points and 10 rebounds as Nevada beat Colorado State 79-71 on Saturday in the Mountain West Conference championship game to earn its first NCAA Tournament berth in 10 years.

The top-seeded Wolf Pack (28-6) claimed the league's automatic bid and took home their first conference tournament title since 2006, when they were in the Western Athletic Conference. They received an at-large invitation to the NCAAs the following season.

A decade later, Nevada has finally punched its ticket to return -- three days after the worst season in UNLV history ended.

"It's a great feeling winning it anywhere, knowing we have an automatic bid to go to the Dance," Caroline said when asked about winning the tournament inside the Thomas and Mack Center, UNLV's home arena. "I wanted to help my team any way I could to get to the tournament. Not just scoring -- any way I could."

Caroline was chosen tournament MVP after compiling 55 points and 28 rebounds in three games.

Gian Clavell scored 30 points for No. 2 seed Colorado State, which was seeking its first Mountain West title since 2003. Prentiss Nixon added 23 points, and Emmanuel Omogbo had 10.

After squandering a 16-point lead and allowing the Rams to tie the game midway through the second half, Nevada used an 11-3 run during a five-minute stretch to build another cushion while Colorado State (23-11) missed eight consecutive field goal attempts.

The Rams pulled to 66-65 when J.D. Paige hit a 3-pointer with 2:32 left, but they never managed to tie the score again.

"At halftime we talked to the team and we all discussed -- we knew that they weren't going to go away, that they would compete and make a run," Nevada coach Eric Musselman said. "They're tough-minded and can compete. I'm proud of the way we defended and rebounded, especially when we struggled to score at times and they went on their scoring run."

Marcus Marshall added 21 points and was 12 of 15 from the free throw line down the stretch for Nevada, which went to the line 35 times to 11 for Colorado State.

Nevada got 25 of its 39 points in the second half from the foul line.

At the start, Nevada scored the first nine points en route to building a 16-point advantage with balanced scoring across the board.

The Wolf Pack, who shot 9 of 24 (79 percent) from the field in the second half of their semifinal win over Fresno State, carried the momentum into the championship game, hitting 58 percent (19 of 33) from the floor in the first half.

Caroline found his stroke early against the Rams, making his first four attempts. As a team, the Wolf Pack hit nine of their first 14 shots from the field while building a 19-10 lead.

The Rams put together a mini-run of their own and cut the deficit to four at the 8:02 mark. But Nevada's depth was too much, as it outscored Colorado State 25-17 to close the half and head into the locker room with a 44-32 lead.

"This is a special group that I will always remember," Rams coach Larry Eustachy said. "I can't speak for Gian or Emmanuel, but I don't think we want to stop playing. I think we want to keep this group together as long as we can. I would assume we're in the NIT, and we're anxious to see what happens there, and how far we can advance."

It marked the eighth time the top two seeds met for the Mountain West title. The second seed won the previous seven matchups.

BIG PICTURE

Colorado State: Clavell surpassed 1,000 career points. He came into the game needing 11 to reach the milestone.

Nevada: After struggling through their worst first half of the season, scoring a mere 21 points on 23 percent shooting in a semifinal win over Fresno State, the Wolf Pack have shot 42 of 79 (53 percent) from the field, including 15 of 47 (41 percent) from 3-point range, in their last three halves of basketball.

THE CODE TO THE DANCE

Musselman said a security code for the door to the room where team meetings are held has been the same since the first meeting of the season: 3-12-17. "Because that's the day of Selection Sunday," he said. "And it's been that way for 11 months, basically, where every time they walk in that locker room they had to put that code in. ... This was our goal from Day One."

RICE'S SWEET RETURN


Nevada assistant coach Dave Rice brings an NCAA Tournament pedigree to the bench for the Wolf Pack. Rice was fired by rival UNLV last season -- three games into conference play -- but was hired by Musselman last April. Rice, a member of UNLV's 1990 national championship team, took the Runnin' Rebels to the NCAA Tournament in his first two seasons as coach, but did not make the postseason in his last two.

UP NEXT

Colorado State: The Rams might be on the bubble to make the NCAA Tournament. If they don't, they expect to receive an NIT bid.

Nevada: Will find out Sunday where it is headed in the NCAA Tournament.

Florida State: 2016 Orange Bowl Champions

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- Renegade, the horse that serves as Florida State's mascot, took an uncharacteristic tumble while prancing on the field before kickoff.

The horse got up and was just fine.

Hours later, Florida State collapsed -- and like Renegade, recovered with a flourish.

Deondre Francois' 12-yard touchdown pass to Nyquan Murray with 36 seconds left put No. 10 Florida State ahead for good, and the Seminoles topped No. 6 Michigan 33-32 in a frantic, down-to-the-wire Orange Bowl on Friday night. It capped a simply wild final few minutes of a game that Florida State controlled most of the way before needing a rally in the final moments.

"The character on this team," Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher said. "I've said it before. I'm as proud of this team as any I've coached."

Dalvin Cook rushed for 145 yards and a touchdown for Florida State (10-3), which led 17-3 and 20-6 early -- and was up by 12 midway through the fourth quarter before falling behind. Francois completed only 9 of 27 passes but made the most of them, throwing for 222 yards and connecting with Murray for two scores.

"There's no team in the country like this team," Seminoles offensive lineman Alec Eberle said.

Chris Evans had a 30-yard touchdown run and Khalid Hill an 8-yard scoring catch in the final minutes for Michigan (10-3), which also got a defensive conversion when Josh Metellus ran a blocked extra point back after the second Francois-Murray TD.

But Michigan turned the ball over on its final possession, and the Seminoles held on to win after the teams combined for 23 points and two lead changes in the final 5:22.

"I love them. Love these guys," Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh said. "Great group of competitors, great group of workers, and a great group of guys that find a way."

Well, almost, in this case.

The Wolverines played without Heisman Trophy finalist Jabrill Peppers, their do-everything guy who couldn't go because of a bad left hamstring, and lost standout tight end Jake Butt to what was believed to be a serious knee injury in the second quarter.

Wilton Speight was 21 for 38 passing for 163 yards for Michigan, which got a 14-yard interception return from Mike McCray for a touchdown.

Florida State was in total control, but the game turned midway through the fourth when Trey Marshall was ejected for targeting on a punt return -- giving Michigan a short field on which to start its comeback.

Marshall missed an amazing finish.

"Best game of my life," Cook said.

Hill's scoring grab was Michigan's first offensive TD of the night, and Evans' run with 1:57 left gave the Wolverines their first lead.

It lasted 81 seconds.

"Coach Harbaugh kept saying it's going to happen, it's going to happen, just stay patient," Speight said. "And I think before that drive that we scored, he basically just said now is the time. We were able to capitalize and almost pull it out."

Florida State's Keith Gavin swung momentum back to the Seminoles with a 66-yard kickoff return right up the middle -- setting up the drive where his team would take the lead for good.

Francois lobbed one up perfectly for Murray, and the Seminoles escaped.

"This game here took so many turns," Cook said. "But we kept fighting ... and things turned our way."

THE TAKEAWAY

Michigan: The Wolverines' three losses this season were by a combined five points. ... Michigan managed only 3.4 yards per play, and had players tackled for losses 15 times in the game. ... Michigan also played in the last Orange Bowl to be decided by a single point, the game on Jan. 2, 2000 when Tom Brady led the Wolverines past Alabama 35-34 in overtime.

Florida State: The Seminoles had 201 yards in the first quarter alone. That's more than Michigan allowed in any of four entire games from Sept. 24 through Oct. 22. ... Cook broke his own school single-season rushing record, finishing 2016 with 1,765. ... Florida State snapped a two-game bowl slide. There's never been a three-game bowl losing streak in school history. ... The ACC improved to 6-2 in this season's bowl games.

ORANGE RECORDS


Francois' scoring pass to Murray in the first quarter was the longest TD throw in Orange Bowl history, the 92-yarder topping the mark set in 1959 when Oklahoma's Brewster Hobby connected with Ross Coyle on what became a 79-yard score against Syracuse. Francois also was part of the shortest interception return for a TD in the game's history, when McCray ran his back 14 yards late in the third.

UP NEXT

Michigan: Another Sunshine State team awaits the Wolverines, with Michigan starting its 2017 slate Sept. 2 against Florida in Arlington, Texas.

Florida State: The Seminoles open their season Sept. 2 in Atlanta, against Alabama -- in the new domed stadium being built for the NFL's Falcons.

North Carolina Tar Heels: 2015-16 ACC Men's Basketball Champions

WASHINGTON -- Thanks to the sort of defensive dominance coach Roy Williams has been seeking, North Carolina's longer-than-usual wait for its latest ACC tournament championship is over.

Now the Tar Heels can turn their focus to returning to their customary results in the NCAAs too.

No. 7 North Carolina held No. 4 Virginia without a field goal for more than 8 minutes in the second half to break open a back-and-forth Atlantic Coast Conference final, and tournament MVP Joel Berry II scored 19 points Saturday night, giving the Tar Heels a 61-57 victory for their first league title since 2008.

Since then, Williams had led the Tar Heels to four ACC finals -- in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2015 -- and lost each one. Even Virginia owned a more recent ACC trophy, from 2014.

Marcus Paige added 13 points to help North Carolina (28-6) win its 18th league championship.

Malcolm Brogdon led Virginia (26-7) with 15 points, but the conference player of the year was limited to 6 of 22 on field-goal attempts, 2 of 9 on 3s. In all, Carolina held the Cavs to 37 percent shooting.

Now comes the NCAA tournament and an all-but-certain No. 1 seeding that often feels like a birthright for the kids who wear Carolina blue. UNC hasn't been to the Final Four since winning its second national title under Williams in 2009 -- which would not seem all that long ago for most schools but feels like a lifetime to the folks from Chapel Hill.

Virginia would have been a No. 1 with a victory Saturday, it seems clear, but now who knows where the Cavaliers will end up when the brackets come out Sunday?

Paige only scored four in the first half but he took over at the beginning of the second for UNC, continuing the resurgence he began in Friday's semifinal. So much for his supposed slump. The lithe guard scored nine of 10 points for the Tar Heels in one stretch, including a steal and end-to-end drive for a layup, a jumper as he curled around a screen and a pull-up floater.

Then Berry got going on offense, while the entire Tar Heels squad displayed the sort of defensive toughness and will that Williams has been begging to see consistently.

After Anthony Gill put Virginia ahead 44-40 with a little under 10 minutes left in regulation, the Cavaliers missed their next 12 shots, part of a larger 2-for-20 rut. That allowed UNC to go on a 15-2 run capped by Brice Johnson's putback layup for a 55-46 lead with under 2 minutes to go -- the largest margin for either team.

Virginia would cut it to two in the closing moments, but UNC held on.

It was a similar defensive shutdown to the one North Carolina used to fuel a 24-point run that put away Notre Dame in the semifinals Friday.

These were the top two seeds in the conference tourney -- UNC finished atop the standings, UVA was No. 2 -- and both teams are capable of playing shutdown defense.

Virginia, best known for that aspect of its game, ranks second nationally in opponents' scoring average at a hair under 60 points, while UNC only allowed one foe to shoot better than 50 percent all season and held semifinal opponent Notre Dame scoreless for 9 1/2 minutes.

So not surprisingly, they were quite good at forcing the other into problems on offense right from the outset Saturday.

North Carolina turned the ball over eight times in the first 12 1/2 minutes. Virginia missed its first four shots and started 4 for 13 on field-goal attempts.

All in all, it was evenly matched, high-level basketball. For a half-plus, anyway.

The teams were tied at 28 at halftime, and were each other's equal in various other ways to that point. Each had 14 rebounds. Each had 16 points in the paint. Each held the other under 30 percent on 3-point tries.

Very clean, too: Only six combined fouls were whistled in the opening half, providing the sort of continuity that's a rarity these days in college basketball.

BEEN A WHILE

The previous four ACC titles had been won by a school from outside of the North Carolina center of power: FSU in 2012, Miami in 2013, Virginia in 2014, Notre Dame in 2015. That drought was the longest for that state in league history.

TIP-INS

North Carolina: Now only one behind Duke's ACC record of 19 titles. ... This was the Tar Heels' 34th appearance in an ACC final, most in conference history. ... Over the past 13 years, UNC has appeared in seven ACC finals -- against seven different schools.

Virginia: This was the Cavaliers' eighth ACC final; they beat UNC in 1976 and Duke in 2014. ... Beat North Carolina 79-74 on Feb. 27.

UP NEXT

North Carolina: NCAA tournament.

Virginia: NCAA tournament.

South Dakota State Jackrabbits: 2015-16 Summit League Men's Basketball Champions

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -- Freshman forward Mike Daum scored 18 points and grabbed nine rebounds Tuesday night to lead South Dakota State to a 67-59 win over North Dakota State to capture the Summit League championship and an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament.

Deondre Parks added 14 points for the Jackrabbits (26-7), who advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the third time in the past five years.

Carlin Dupree led North Dakota State (20-13) with 19 points, and Khy Kabellis added 17 for the Bison.

Much of the early matchups inside the paint centered on a couple of freshman forwards -- the 6-foot-9, 230-pound Daum for the Jackrabbits and the Bison's big guy, 6-foot-6, 240 pound Dexter Werner. Werner scored nine points for the Bison.

TIP-INS

Tuesday night's Summit League title game highlighted two of the best defensive teams in the conference. North Dakota State has been holding opponents to an average of 64.4 points per game this season, best in the Summit League. South Dakota State has held its foes to a 41.5 shooting rate this season, best in the conference.

UP NEXT

The Jackrabbits will learn their NCAA Tournament opponent on Sunday.

The Bison will have to wait and see if they'll get an invitation to a postseason tournament.

North Dakota State: 2015 NCAA Division I FCS Champions

FRISCO, Texas -- Carson Wentz got one more game as North Dakota State's quarterback before the NFL draft -- and another FCS title.

A potential first-round pick, Carson threw for a touchdown and ran for two more scores in his first game since breaking his right wrist in mid-October, and the Bison won their unprecedented fifth consecutive FCS championship with a 37-10 victory Saturday over top-seeded Jacksonville State.

"I felt good. I felt good for the last couple weeks now. That kind of showed a little today," said Wentz, a two-time champion after Brock Jensen won three in a row for the Bison. "The rust people might have wanted to talk about it, that didn't show."

Five days after a CT scan showed his wrist was completely healed, Wentz was 16-of-29 for 197 yards with two interceptions. He accounted for two touchdowns in an 86-second span early in the second quarter.

"So happy for Carson to come in and play the way he did," coach Chris Klieman said. "A lot of people may have questioned if he was going to be rusty. I didn't question it at all. I know what kind of competitor he is. I know what kind of player he is."

The Bison (13-2) won their 20th consecutive playoff game, including all five times they have made the trip from Fargo to Frisco for the title game at a professional soccer stadium. Fans clad in green and gold made up a majority of the stadium-record crowd of 21,836 -- and stormed the field to celebrate once again.

Jacksonville State (13-2) was playing in the title game for the first time. It had won 12 games in a row since an overtime loss Sept. 12 at Auburn, one of the two SEC teams from its home state of Alabama. The other, the Crimson Tide, plays No. 1 Clemson on Monday night in the College Football Playoff championship game.

The Gamecocks were held to a season-low 204 total yards, 325 below their average and 181 under their previous season low. North Dakota State held all four of its playoff opponents well below their season averages, but this was the most dominant.

"It was not our best day, of course," JSU coach John Grass said. "But take my hat off to North Dakota State. They played a great game. We just didn't give them a good game today."

Eli Jenkins, the dual-threat quarterback for the Gamecocks, finished 7-of-20 passing for 57 yards with two interceptions, and ran 15 times for 88 yards and their only touchdown.

"We needed to hop up him early and try to get him off schedule and stop the run game. So, that was huge," said middle linebacker Nick DeLuca, who had nine tackles, an interception and a forced fumble.

Cam Pedersen had field goals of 29, 31 and 38 yards for North Dakota State after making only one of seven attempts the first three playoff games.

There were seven turnovers in the game, including three consecutive plays early in the fourth quarter that ended any chance of a Jacksonville State rally.

Jenkins fumbled at the end of a run before Easton Stick, a redshirt freshman who had won all eight games starting in place of Wentz, threw an interception on his first play in the game. But Jacksonville State gave it right back when Jenkins threw an interception, leading to a 1-yard TD keeper by Wentz for a 34-10 lead.

Northwest Missouri State last month won its fifth NCAA Division II championship, matching the record number of titles North Dakota State won at that level before moving up to Division I in 2004. But the Bearcats' titles have come since 1998, and only once have they won consecutive championships -- 1998 and 1999.

Mount Union this season won its NCAA-best 12th title in Division III since 1993, but its longest streak was three in a row. The most consecutive titles at that level were four by Augustana from Illinois (1983-86).

But none can match the Bison's streak of five in a row.

"I can't put it into words. It's remarkable what these guys have done," Klieman said. "We meet every January and talk about staying hungry."

Pedersen's 29-yard kick ended a game-opening 15-play drive. It was 17-0 early in the second quarter after Wentz threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to tight end Andrew Bonnet and then after an interception by DeLuca ran for an 11-yard score, shaking off a defender and getting to the sideline before planting his foot near the 3 and diving into the end zone.

"I was fired up all day to be out there," Wentz said. "It was just a lot of fun."

Ohio State Buckeyes: 2016 Fiesta Bowl Champions

GLENDALE, Ariz.—Ezekiel Elliott ran for 149 yards and matched a Fiesta Bowl record with four touchdowns, sparking Ohio State’s prolific offense ast he No. 7 Buckeyes downed eighth-ranked Notre Dame 44–28 in the BCS bowl game Friday afternoon.

The Buckeyes (12–1) were left out of the College Football Playoff thanks to an inopportune loss. They may leave the desert wondering what could have been after blowing past another playoff contender.

Ohio State rolled past the Fighting Irish (10-3), quick-hitting its way to one scoring drive after another and 496 total yards.

Elliott was Ohio State’s drive capper in the first half, scoring on three short runs. He turned into the show stopper in the second, leaving Notre Dame defenders flailing as he raced for a 47-yard score.

The Fighting Irish had some good offensive moments behind DeShone Kizer, but couldn’t keep up with the Buckeyes. Kizer threw for 284 yards and two touchdowns on 22-of-37 passing, but had an interception and lost a fumble.

Ohio State star defensive end Joey Bosa was ejected for targeting in the first quarter.

Notre Dame top linebacker Jaylon Smith, the Butkus Award winner as the nation’s best linebacker, had to be helped off four minutes in after suffering an apparent leg injury and did not return.

Will Fuller caught an 81-yard touchdown reception for the Fighting Irish.

Michigan Wolverines: 2016 Citrus Bowl Champions

Orlando, Fla. — Mark Schlissel, the University of Michigan president, didn’t see it coming.

As he stood on a portable stage inside the Orlando Citrus Bowl Stadium, with some 25,000 Michigan fans cheering in the stands and a victorious football team celebrating all around, there was an explosion behind him. And, quite naturally, he flinched.

“This is the first time I’ve been hit in the back of the head by a confetti cannon,” he explained later, laughing as he shook the last of the debris from his hair. “You know, if I was a real pro, I would know to stand a bit more to the right. I was a rookie.”

Understandably so, this being his first bowl trip as the university president. But exactly 18 months after assuming that post, and a year after the hiring of Jim Harbaugh as football coach was announced, Schlissel was beaming Friday after Michigan throttled Florida, 41-7, in the Citrus Bowl to cap a successful season.

“It’s exciting,” said Schlissel, who shared a hug and a few words with Harbaugh as he left the stage. “The kids worked so hard. The community cared so intensely. The alumni continued to support the team in good times and bad. And this is a great culmination of a fantastic year. A 10-win season. First year for the coach. More than anybody expected.”

And more than anything, Friday’s victory helped validate much of what we’ve seen in Harbaugh’s first year at his alma mater, from the tough, physical play on the field to the renewed energy in the stands.

The Wolverines certainly did exceed expectations, coming off a 5-7 season and the firing of Brady Hoke last fall. Friday’s bowl victory was Michigan’s first since the end of the 2011 season, and the third since 2002. And with the 10-3 finish, Harbaugh became the third coach in school history to win 10 games his first season.

That alone doesn’t mean much. (The other two — Hoke and Fielding Yost — don’t have a lot in common.) And Michigan needs no reminders it lost to its chief rivals again this season, dropping a heartbreaker on the final play to eventual Big Ten champ Michigan State and then getting drop-kicked again at home by Ohio State.

“We’re not saying this is the greatest year in the history of Michigan football,” Harbaugh said, doing his best to put it all in perspective. “But this team acquitted itself very well.”

Rudock’s best year

It was Harbaugh himself who had declared on New Year’s Eve this would be the “best year I’ve had in football” if the Wolverines could finish it off with a Jan. 1 victory over the Gators.

Friday, he wasn’t hedging one bit with that resolution.

“I thought long and hard before making that statement,” said Harbaugh, whose extended family was all on the field celebrating after the game. “And I told the team the same thing.”

At the postgame news conference, as Harbaugh was explaining all the reasons, he also turned to his quarterback, Jake Rudock, voted the game’s MVP after a “darn near flawless” performance, and asked him the same thing, “Jake, is this your best year in football?”

Rudock laughed, and replied, “Yeah, it’s hard to argue that.”

Indeed, it was, as Rudock, after losing his starting job at Iowa last January, opted to transfer for his fifth year as a graduate student, landing at Michigan in the spring and winning the No. 1 job in the fall.

By November, Harbaugh was calling him a “godsend” — citing his poise and his meticulous preparation — as the 22-year-old Florida native started rewriting the school record books. And after Friday’s 273-yard, three-touchdown day, Rudock, who says he’ll put off medical school to give the NFL a shot, sits No. 2 on the Wolverines' single-season list with 3,017 passing yards.

“The standard is just to play good, efficient football, and to do things right,” said Jedd Fisch, Michigan’s quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator. “And that’s what he does so well. He does things right, all of the time. It matters to him.”

This game mattered to all of them, though. That was obvious in the run-up, with spirited practices in the 80-degree Florida heat and a businesslike approach to the bowl, in spite of the Disney World surroundings.

And it showed Friday, as Michigan produced what Harbaugh called the team’s “most complete game of the season.”

The Wolverines scored on seven of their first eight possessions, while piling up more points and more yards (503) than the Gators had allowed all season. Michigan outgained Florida, 160-2, in the third quarter, and ended the game by running out the final 5 minutes 11 seconds on the clock.

“They took it to us, beat us up front,” Florida coach Jim McElwain, whose team also won 10 games this season, finished atop the SEC East and came in with the nation’s fourth-ranked defense.

Rushing returns

Yet, a Michigan running game that stalled late in the season looked suddenly rejuvenated, with the line opening holes and the backs — led by De’Veon Smith — exploding through them.

Smith finished with 25 carries for 109 yards, the first 100-yard effort for Michigan since a Sept. 19 romp of BYU, when he topped the century mark but also suffered a high-ankle sprain that nagged him for the next two months.

“De’Veon was a man possessed running the football,” Harbaugh said.

The defense was, too, even without injured star Jabrill Peppers, who sat out with a hand injury. Florida’s offense looked anemic late in the season, thanks to poor quarterback play and a porous line. And it did again Friday after an encouraging start, as Michigan held Florida to 28 yards and one first down after halftime.

In the end, it was simply a punishing performance by the Wolverines, which is exactly what the fans were promised when Harbaugh returned last winter.

“You saw the epitome of what he’s been trying to do since Day 1 when he got here in what was on the field today,” said linebacker Joe Bolden, one of the departing seniors. “It’s what he wants. It’s what you’ll see.”

And now that the Wolverines have found their footing, and know where to stand, joked Schlissel, “We’re thrilled to do this every year.”

john.niyo@detroitnews.com

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Clemson Tigers: 2015 Orange Bowl Champions

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Deshaun Watson turned in another stellar two-way performance, running for one touchdown, passing for another and accounting for 332 yards to lead top-ranked Clemson to a 37-17 victory over Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl national semifinal game Thursday.

Clemson (14-0) dominated the second half and shut down Oklahoma's prolific offense, which averaged 52 points over its previous seven games. The Sooners (11-2) actually came into the game as favorites, but the Tigers showed their perfect record was no fluke.

Watson got off to a slow start passing, but came back to complete 16-of-31 for 187 yards, including a 35-yard touchdown to Hunter Renfrow that gave Clemson some breathing room late in the third quarter. The Heisman finalist also ran for 145 yards on 24 carries, scoring the Tigers' first touchdown on a 5-yard run.

Clemson advances to face either Alabama or Michigan State in the Jan. 11 national championship game.

Oregon: 2015 Rose Bowl Champions

PASADENA, Calif. -- Touchdown. Turnover. Touchdown. Turnover. Touchdown.

And on it went for Oregon.

Marcus Mariota and the Ducks are built for speed, and in a flash they turned the first College Football Playoff semifinal game into a rout.

The Ducks dusted Florida State 59-20 on Thursday, and now it's on to Texas to try to win their first national championship.

"It's incredible. I'm so proud of these guys right here," Mariota said. "We've got one more to take care of."

The second-seeded Ducks (13-1) scored six straight times they touched the ball in the second half, with five of the touchdowns covering at least 21 yards and the last four coming after Florida State turnovers.

In a span of 12:54 on the game clock, the score went from 25-20 to 59-20.

"A lot of fun," Oregon coach Mark Helfrich said of the Ducks' run, "but at the same time, these guys were able to retain a tremendous focus."

In the matchup of Heisman Trophy winners, Jameis Winston matched Mariota's numbers, but the Seminoles were no match for the Ducks in the Rose Bowl Game presented by Northwestern Mutual. The Pac-12 champions will play Allstate Sugar Bowl winner Ohio State on Jan. 12 in Arlington, Texas, for the national title. The Buckeyes beat Alabama on Thursday night, 42-35.

Third-seeded Florida State's winning streak ends at 29. In Winston's first loss as a college starter, and maybe his last game in college, he threw for 348 yards and turned the ball over twice.

"I think what he did as a competitor and what he does with his teammates, he's one of the great players in not only college football, but college football history to me," Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher said. "It was a tough day out there."

Mariota was mostly brilliant again. Directing the Ducks' warp-speed, hurry-up offense -- Oregon averaged 20.2 seconds per play, the fastest Florida State has faced this season, according to ESPN Stats & Information -- the junior passed for 338 yards and two touchdowns. When he sprinted for a 23-yard touchdown with 13:56 left in the fourth quarter, it made the score 52-20 and made the Ducks the first team to reach 50 points in Rose Bowl history. This was game No. 101.

"The longer you go, the stronger you get," said Ducks safety Erick Dargan, who forced a fumble and intercepted a pass. "We went longer and we stayed stronger. Everyone kept demanding more out of each other."

The Ducks' fans spent much of the final quarter mockingly doing the Seminoles' chant and tomahawk chop. After it was over, the players sported T-shirts that read "WON NOT DONE."

The first playoff game at college football's highest level, the type of postseason game fans have longed for, looked like it would be a classic for about two and a half quarters.

Under a cloudless sky, on a chilly day in Pasadena, the Rose Bowl featured the third matchup of Heisman Trophy winners and a couple of quarterbacks who could be vying to be the first overall pick in April's NFL draft.

On the same field where Florida State erased an 18-point deficit against Auburn to win the national title last year, the Seminoles trailed at halftime for the sixth time this season.

And then the hole got deeper.

Seminoles freshman Dalvin Cook was stripped byDerrick Malone Jr. with Florida State in Oregon territory. The Ducks quickly flipped the field, andRoyce Freeman scored his second touchdown of the day from 3 yards out to make it 25-13.

Helfrich had called the Seminoles "unflappable" during the week leading up to the Rose Bowl -- and they showed it on the next drive.

Winston threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to freshman Travis Rudolph to make it 25-20 Oregon with 8:07 left in the third.

Then the Ducks took off.

Mariota zipped a pass to Darren Carrington for a 56-yard touchdown pass.

Then another fumble by Cook, and the wave of big plays and points the Ducks do better than any other team in the country started rumbling.

Mariota hit Carrington for a 30-yard touchdown, and the Rose Bowl, filled mostly with green and yellow, was rumbling, too.

With the sun just about set behind the San Gabriel mountains, the Ducks put the Noles away.

On fourth-and-5 in Oregon territory, Winston had lots of time but couldn't find a receiver. He was flushed from the pocket, and as he loaded to throw, his foot slipped and the ball popped out of his hands.

"It kind of looked like he slipped on a banana, like in cartoons," Oregon linebacker Torrodney Prevot said.

The fumble bounced into Tony Washington's arms, and the defensive end went 58 yards for a score.

"It was just a crazy play," Winston said.

The wave had washed over Florida State.

Florida State had not lost since Nov. 24, 2012, to Florida. Winston had never lost a college start in 26 tries.

Turnovers were a problem all season for the Seminoles, who came into the game 84th in the nation in turnover margin (minus-3), and in the playoff, that was ultimately what doomed them.

"We beat ourselves," Winston said. "We were never stopped at all."

Winston, whose two years at Florida State have been filled with spectacular play on the field and controversy off, still has two years of eligibility left.

Mariota and the Ducks are moving on, with a chance to add the biggest prize of all -- the only significant one missing -- to their trophy case.

Every Breaking Wave

Every breaking wave on the shore
Tells the next one "there'll be one more"
Every gambler knows that to lose
Is what you're really there for

Summer I was fearless
Now I speak into an answerphone
Like every fallen leaf on the breeze
Winter wouldn't leave it alone, alone

If you go
If you go your way and I go mine
Are we so
Are we so helpless against the tide?
Baby, every dog on the street
Knows that we're in love with defeat
Are we ready to be swept off our feet
And stop chasing every breaking wave?

Every sailor knows that the sea
Is a friend made enemy
Every shipwrecked soul knows what it is
To live without intimacy

I thought I heard the captain's voice
But it's hard to listen while you preach
Like every broken wave on the shore
This is as far as I could reach

If you go
If you go your way and I go mine
Are we so
Are we so helpless against the tide?
Baby, every dog on the street
Knows that we're in love with defeat
Are we ready to be swept off our feet
And stop chasing every breaking wave?

The sea knows where all the rocks
Are drowning is an ocean
You know where my heart is
The same place that yours has been
We know that we fear the wind
And it's all we have before we begin
Before we begin

If you go
If you go your way and I go mine
Are we so
Are we so helpless against the tide?
Baby, every dog on the street
Knows that we're in love with defeat
Are we ready to be swept off our feet
And stop chasing every breaking wave?