South Florida: 2019 College Basketball Invitational Champions

CHICAGO -- David Collins had 19 points and eight rebounds, and South Florida beat DePaul 77-65 on Friday in the College Basketball Invitational championship.

USF made three 3-pointers in a four-minute span to take the first double-digit lead of the second half at 57-47 and extended it to a 14-point advantage after an 8-0 run. The Bulls led by double figures for five-plus minutes until Max Strus made three free throws at 1:06 to pull to 71-64. Xavier Castaneda sealed it with two free throws with 40.4 seconds to play.

Justin Brown had 12 points for South Florida (24-14), which was picked to finish last in the preseason American Athletic Conference coaches' poll. LaQuincy Rideau added 10 points. Antun Maricevic had seven rebounds for the visitors.

South Florida led 37-20 with 6:15 remaining in the first half but didn't score again until Rideau beat the halftime buzzer with a layup for a 39-34 lead. DePaul went on a 14-0 run during USF's drought to get within three points with 25.7 seconds left.

Devin Gage had 19 points for the Blue Demons (19-17), who never led in the game. Strus added 16 points. Femi Olujobi had 14 points and 10 rebounds.

Fairleigh Dickinson: 2018-19 Northeast Men's Basketball Champions

LORETTO, Pennsylvania -- Darnell Edge scored 21 points, Kaleb Bishop and Jahlil Jenkins added 20 points apiece, and Fairleigh Dickinson earned its second trip to the NCAA tournament in four years with an 85-76 victory over St. Francis (Pa.) in the Northeastern Conference Tournament championship on Tuesday night.

The second-seeded Knights (20-13) shot 64 percent (30 of 47) from the field and beat the top-seeded Red Flash (18-14) on the road for the second time this season. All five starters for the Knights scored in double figures. Elyjah Williams and Mike Holloway Jr. scored 12 points each for Fairleigh Dickinson, which used a 17-8 run to close the first half to take control and never let St. Francis get closer than three in the second half.

Bishop made 8 of his 10 shots for the Knights, including all three of his 3-point attempts, and added a team-high 10 rebounds.

The Red Flash were searching for their first NCAA appearance since 1991 and just the second in school history but couldn't slow the Knights down when it mattered.

Jamaal King led St. Francis with 21 points and eight assists. Isaiah Blackmon finished with 13 points, but the Red Flash made just 4 of 17 free throws while Fairleigh Dickinson converted 18 of 20 at the line.

UP NEXT

Fairleigh Dickinson: A likely No. 16 seed in the NCAA Tournament

St. Francis: A spot in the National Invitational Tournament as a reward for winning the NEC's regular season title.

Clemson: 2018 NCAA Division I FBS National Champions

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- With stunning ease -- and a freshman quarterback -- Clemson toppled college football's greatest dynasty again to become the first perfect playoff champion.

Trevor Lawrence passed for 347 yards and three touchdowns and the second-ranked Tigers beat No. 1 Alabama 44-16 on Monday night in the College Football Playoff national championship game.

In the fourth consecutive playoff meeting between the Tigers and Tide, Clemson evened the series and beat `Bama for the national championship for the second time in three seasons. Clemson is the first team in the AP poll era, dating back to 1936, to finish 15-0.

"We're gonna enjoy this one. We've got a nice spot to put it in our facility, right next to that other one," Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. "We've got twins!"

Alabama coach Nick Saban and the Tide (14-1) were looking for a sixth national championship in 10 years, trying to add to an already unprecedented run in the sport. Instead, Clemson crushed Alabama, becoming the first opponent to beat the Tide by more than 14 points since Saban became coach in 2007.

Swinney's Tigers sealed their status as a superpower, no longer just 1A to Alabama's 1.

"We're 15-0, we beat the best team ever, nobody's taking that away from us," Clemson All-America defensive tackle Christian Wilkins said.

Two seasons ago it was Deshaun Watson dethroning the Tide with a last-second touchdown pass. Clemson's new star quarterback didn't need the late-game heroics. The long-haired Lawrence cut though Alabama's defense with the help of another fabulous freshman. Justyn Ross made a juggling grab, a one-handed snare and broke a 74-yard touchdown about midway through the third quarter that made it 37-16 and had Swinney high-stepping down the sidelines.

Ross, who scored two touchdowns in the semifinal rout of Notre Dame, had six catches for 153 yards against his home-state team.

Swinney takes a different approach than Saban, running a more fun-loving program than Alabama's all-business organization. But the results have been every bit as good. And on Monday night at Levi's Stadium, in a championship game played more than 2,000 miles away from Clemson's South Carolina campus, the Tigers were way too much for an Alabama team that had spent the season mauling its opposition by an average of 31 points per game.

Alabama's Tua Tagovailoa threw two crucial interceptions in the first half, the first returned 44 yards for a touchdown by A.J. Terrell to put Clemson up 7-0. The Tide came in scoring 48 points per game, but were shut out over the final 44 minutes by an opportunistic Clemson defense that stiffened in key spots.

Tagovailoa, the sophomore who came off the bench to win the championship game last year for the Tide, went 22 for 34 for 295 yards and two touchdowns.

"Good is not good enough," Tagovailoa said.

The Heisman runner-up was also the second-best quarterback on the field in the championship game. Lawrence finished 20 for 32, but went 18 for 25 for 277 yards over the final three quarters.

The teenager who took over as the starter four games into the season raised the Tigers' play, giving them an explosive offense to match a suffocating defense that was led by a star-studded line with All-Americans Clelin Ferrell and Wilkins.

"It's been an awesome journey," Lawrence said. "It's really unbelievable."

Clemson: 2018 Cotton Bowl Champions

ARLINGTON, Texas -- When Clemson's Dabo Swinney entrusted a team with championship aspirations to freshman quarterback Trevor Lawrence in September, this is what the Tigers' coach had in mind.

Lawrence threw for 327 yards and three touchdowns and No. 2 Clemson beat No. 3 Notre Dame 30-3 on Saturday in the Cotton Bowl to reach the College Football Playoff title game. The Tigers (14-0) will play No. 1 Alabama -- a 45-34 winner over No. 4 Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl -- for a fourth straight season in the playoff on Jan. 7 in Santa Clara, California.

"He's just so poised. He just sees it. And he's got a gift of an arm," Swinney said. "But I just love his humility and how consistent he is with his preparation, day in and day out. Easy, easy guy to coach. Easy guy to get behind and support. His teammates love him."

Clemson's overpowering and experienced defensive line, led by ends Clelin Ferrell and Austin Bryant, smothered Ian Book and the Fighting Irish (12-1), holding them to 248 yards.

On offense, freshmen led the way. Lawrence, making his 10th career start, was 27 for 39 and did not throw an interception against a Notre Dame defense that had been one of the best on the country. Freshman receiver Justyn Ross had six catches for 148 yards and two long touchdowns.

"It makes it a lot easier on me when you just have guys all around you who are such great players and take that load off of you. There's not much pressure when you have guys this good playing around you," Lawrence said.

The Irish hung around for a quarter, with the teams exchanging field goals. But in the first quarter, Notre Dame All-America cornerback Julian Love went out with what coach Brian Kelly said after the game was a head injury and Lawrence started taking apart the Irish.

Lawrence hooked up with Ross deep down the sideline and the big receiver beat Love's backup, Donte Vaughn, for a tackle-breaking, 52-yard score early in the second quarter. The Irish looked as if they might keep it close to halftime, but they couldn't keep Clemson out of their backfield -- even without suspended star tackle Dexter Lawrence.

In the final 2 minutes, Trevor Lawrence connected with Ross on a 42-yard score and with Tee Higgins for a one-handed, 19-yard touchdown reception -- again over Vaughn -- with 2 seconds left in the second quarter. Lawrence was 13 for 15 for 229 yards in the quarter.

"I wanted to help our team," said Love, who passed concussion protocol at halftime and returned to the game. "And in a sense, I let them down in that regard."

That made it 23-3 at half and once again the Fighting Irish looked outclassed against the best of the best. Not so different from the 42-14 loss to Alabama in the 2012 BCS championship game or the 44-28 loss to Ohio State in the 2016 Fiesta Bowl. In fact, Notre Dame is 0-8 in BCS and New Year's Six games since winning the Cotton Bowl in 1993.

Receiver Miles Boykin insisted this Notre Dame team was different.

"I thought we played just as athletic as them and just as fast as them and it came down to execution and we didn't execute today," he said.

Though to be fair, Clemson has been doing this to everyone since Lawrence settled in. The Tigers haven't had an opponent stay within 20 points since a close call against Syracuse on Sept. 29.

That was Lawrence's first game as a starter, one he didn't finish because of a head injury, and Clemson's first after quarterback Kelly Bryant left the team.

Bryant, a senior, led the Tigers to the playoff last season and a semifinal loss to Alabama. He was pivotal in an early victory this season at Texas A&M. But Lawrence is a rare talent, a potential first overall NFL draft pick. When Lawrence took over, the ceiling on Clemson's potential rose. Now it is being realized.

"I felt like he gave us the best chance to win and play at an explosive level," Swinney said.

With his flowing blond hair, Lawrence is positioned to become one of college football's biggest and most recognizable stars. It will help to have receivers such as Ross, Higgins and Amari Rogers, all underclassmen. And a runner like sophomore Travis Etienne, who broke a 62-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.

But Lawrence is the leader. In his 11th start, he will try to become the first true freshman quarterback to lead his team to a national championship since Oklahoma's Jamelle Holieway in 1985.

"He doesn't just have a talented arm. That's just what you guys see," Clemson All-America defensive tackle Christian Wilkins said. "He's a cool customer. He's never rattled."

THE TAKEAWAY

Notre Dame: As 12-point underdogs, the Irish needed to play their best and catch a couple breaks. Neither happened. They nearly had a takeaway deep in Clemson territory in the first quarter, but a loose ball was ruled barely out of bounds by replay review. Love's injury left them exposed at corner. And an offensive line, which had been up and down and shifting around much of the season, was no match for Clemson.

Clemson: Dexter Lawrence, sidelined by a failed NCAA test for performance-enhancing drugs, was hardly missed. The 340-pound junior was on the sideline, wearing on an orange sweat shirt with a white tiger paw logo. Clemson is working on an appeal for Lawrence and two other players, but it is unlikely the Tigers will have them back for the national title game.

Morningside: 2018 NAIA Football National Champions

DAYTONA, Fla. — Trent Solsma threw four touchdown passes, including an 16-yard scoring strike to Connor Niles with less than 90 seconds to play, to help Sioux City’s Morningside College beat Benedictine 35-28 on Saturday night at Daytona Stadium for its first NAIA championship.

Solsma, the NAIA player of the year, was 19-of-36 passing for 292 yards with two interceptions. Niles, whose 25-yard scoring catch gave the Mustangs a 34-28 win over Saint Francis in the semifinals, finished with seven receptions for 164 yards and three touchdowns. Arnijae Ponder had 134 yards rushing and a score on 30 carries for top-ranked Morningside (15-0).

Jacob Boyd broke up a pass by Solsma on fourth-and-14 to set up a 10-play, 62-yard drive capped by Frank Trent’s 1-yard touchdown run and Shaefer Schuetz hit Alex Blake for the 2-point conversion to make it 28-all with 5:49 to play. The Mustangs went three-and-out on their next possession but the defense held on Benedictine’s ensuing drive. Punter Jacob Young couldn’t handle a low snap, and Morningside’s Alex Paulson covered a short punt at the 18. Three plays later, Solsma hit Niles for the winner.

Marquis Stewart had 27 carries for 168 yards and a score for No. 7 Benedictine (13-2).

Your 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship Matchup.

SCHEDULED: @AlabamaFTBL 0-0 @FootballUGA #CFBPlayoff #NationalChampionship #saimoe #sao #kon #asunayuuki #yuihirasawa

Alabama: 2018 Sugar Bowl Champions

NEW ORLEANS -- Nick Saban is back in his comfort zone.

Let others run up the points. He'll take a defensive slugfest every time.

Especially when it gives Alabama another shot at a national title.

In a game where every yard was a struggle, the Crimson Tide defenders took matters into their own hands. They accounted for a pair of touchdowns just 13 seconds apart in the third quarter to turn an offensive slog into a 24-6 rout of defending national champion Clemson in the Sugar Bowl semifinal game Monday night.

"This game was about our identity as a team," Saban said. "I don't think anybody would doubt our relentless attitude out there. We had a warrior-like mentality."

He was clearly pleased.

Sure, it was quite a contrast to the first two meetings in the Alabama-Clemson trilogy, both high-scoring classics with the national title on the line , not to mention the Rose Bowl semifinal that preceded it. Georgia knocked off Oklahoma 54-48 in a double-overtime thriller that wasn't decided until the Alabama was on its second possession in the Big Easy.

There would be no drama in the nightcap. With Deshaun Watson off to the NFL, top-ranked Clemson (12-2) simply had no answer for the Tide's latest group of defensive standouts, setting up an all-Southeastern Conference showdown for the national title -- with Saban matched against his former defensive coordinator, Georgia coach Kirby Smart.

"I'm proud of the job he's done," Saban said. "I'm sure it will be a great football game."

Leading only 10-6 after a turnover to start the second half handed Clemson a field goal, the fourth-ranked Tide (12-1) quickly snuffed out any thoughts of a repeat title for the Tigers.

It began with 308-pound defensive tackle Da'Ron Payne picking off a wobbly pass after besieged Clemson quarterback Kelly Bryant was hit as he threw. Payne rumbled 21 yards on the return, shedding one would-be tackler with a deft open-field move and drawing a 15-yard personal foul penalty when he was finally dragged down with a horse collar tackle.

After Alabama drove to a first down at the Clemson 1, Payne re-entered the game -- presumably to add another big body for blocking purposes. Instead, he slipped open near the right pylon on a play fake and hauled in a touchdown pass, even managing to get both feet down before the celebration commenced beyond the sideline.

"I've got gold hands," quipped Payne, who was picked as the game's defensive MVP.

A bit shell-shocked by that turn of events, Clemson was thoroughly demoralized after its next offensive play. Bryant's pass deflected off the hands of Deon Cain and was intercepted by linebacker Mack Wilson, who returned it 18 yards for another TD.

They could've called it right then.

"Just incredibly disappointed in our performance," Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. "But congratulations to Alabama. They were the better team today. No doubt about it."

The Tide, which began the season in Atlanta beating Florida State , will return to Mercedes-Benz Stadium next Monday night to face No. 3 Georgia and give Saban a shot at his sixth title, which would match Bear Bryant.

Saban has four championships in the last eight years at Alabama, along with a BCS title at LSU during the 2003 season.

This is eerily reminiscent of Alabama's run to the 2011 championship, another season when the Tide didn't even win its own division or play for the SEC title. That year, Saban's team lost at home to LSU during the regular season but got a second chance against the top-ranked Tigers with the biggest prize on the line -- in the Sugar Bowl, no less.

On that night in the Big Easy, Alabama defense didn't allow LSU to cross midfield until the closing minutes of a suffocating 21-0 victory. This defensive performance was nearly as impressive.

Clemson was held to 188 yards -- 260 yards below its season average -- and never reached the end zone. Bryant was sacked five times and the Tigers were held to 64 yards on the ground.

Alabama played it tough right to the end, denying Clemson on a fourth-down pass into the end zone with just over a minute remaining.

Clearly, the Tide was still ticked off about the way last season ended, giving up a TD pass with 1 second remaining to hand Clemson the national title.

"This," Saban said, "was a little bit personal for us."

SILENT RENFROW

Clemson receiver Hunter Renfrow was known as the Tide Killer.

Not this time.

After hauling in four TD passes in the last two national championship games -- including, of course, the title winner a year ago -- Renfrow was held to just 31 yards on five receptions. All of his catches came in fourth quarter with Alabama comfortably ahead.

"From the opening kickoff, they hit us in the mouth," Renfrow said.

THE TAKEAWAY


Alabama: The Tide's defense against Georgia's offense will be an especially intriguing matchup given the way the semifinal games played out. One thing to keep an eye on: Anfernee Jennings was helped off with a sprained knee late in the game after recording a sack and three tackles for losses, another potential blow to the Tide's already beleaguered linebacker corps.

Clemson: The Tigers looked at this game as a chance to show they had surpassed Alabama as college football's most dominant program. Sorry, the Tide is still king.

"We'll be back," Swinney vowed.

UP NEXT

Alabama: A national championship game to end the season for the third year in a row and sixth time in the last nine seasons.

Clemson: Opens the 2018 season Sept. 1 by hosting FCS school Furman.

Old Dominion: 2016 Bahamas Bowl Champions

NASSAU, Bahamas -- David Washington threw three touchdowns passes, Ray Lawry ran for 133 yards and Old Dominion beat Eastern Michigan 24-20 on Friday in the Bahamas Bowl.

Old Dominion (10-3) won in its first bowl appearance in school history. The Monarchs didn't play football for 69 years before restarting the program in 2009. They made the transition to the Football Bowl Subdivision in 2013.

Eastern Michigan (7-6) lost in its first bowl appearance since 1987. The Eagles were led by Brogan Roback, who completed 26 of 46 passes for 300 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.

Roback threw for at least 300 yards in six of his final seven games.

Old Dominion had a 10-0 halftime lead, but Eastern Michigan rallied to tie the game at 17 late in the third quarter when Paul Fricano made a 24-yard field goal.

The Monarchs bounced back with Washington's third touchdown pass, which went for five yards to Jonathan Duhart and put Old Dominion up 24-17.

ODU controlled the game in the first half and an impressive 47-yard touchdown throw from Washington to Zach Pascal gave the Monarchs their 10-0 halftime advantage.

Washington -- who was a receiver earlier in his collegiate career -- evaded multiple Eastern Michigan defenders on the play, before stepping up and throwing to Pascal in the end zone.

ANOTHER GOOD GAME

The Bahamas Bowl has now featured three interesting games in its three-year history. Western Kentucky won the inaugural game in 2014 against Central Michigan 49-48, barely holding on after giving up 34 fourth-quarter points. Last year, Western Michigan and Middle Tennessee were tied at 24 going into the fourth quarter before Western Michigan pulled away for a 45-31 win.

UP NEXT

Eastern Michigan: The Eagles took a huge step forward this season after winning just one game last year, but taking another step will be a challenge in 2017. EMU must replace a lot of talent on both the offensive and defensive lines, including star defensive end Pat O'Connor.

Old Dominion: The Monarchs must find someone to replace Washington, who was steady all season. Old Dominion will have a few more holes to fill -- particularly at linebacker -- but returns quite a bit of talent on both sides of the ball.

Wait A Minute, This Isn't Azusa Community College!

Back in the day, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and the University of California at Davis flew the flag for college football in California at the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II level. Cal Poly did win a national championship at that level, back in 1980, so they have reached the pinnacle before. UC Davis came close, finishing runners-up with Ken O'Brien leading the way and in their last few years under Bob Biggs, they made the semifinals only to lose to Bloomsburg.

Nowadays, there are just two teams representing the great football-rich state of California at the Division II level. There's the old standby, the Lumberjacks of Humboldt State, the pride of Northern California. And then...there's Azusa Pacific University, the Cougars, under the tutelage of a former Hawaii Rainbow Warrior in Victor Santa Cruz, soon to be the winningest head coach at the school and the longest-tenured coach at the school, an inter-denominational Christian institution.

Before APU went D2, they were dominating the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, the NAIA. They, along with now fellow-D2 side Simon Fraser, were the most complete athletics program at that level and they currently have the most Director's Cup at eight. That is a mark that will not be eclipsed for quite some time. The success of Azusa Pacific at the NAIA level meant that they needed to move up to be competitive and bring in better quality recruits. It was Santa Cruz that led the Cougar football program to Division II. Prior to Santa Cruz's arrival, Azusa Pacific won a national championship in 1998.

In the NAIA, due to their location, the Cougars punched above their weight for years, facing teams from the NCAA and NAIA and inflicting some impressive victories over powerhouse teams. Recently, they have stabilized in form as an affiliate emmber of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference, or GNAC, winning conference titles in 2013 and 2014.

Azusa Pacific also won the NCCAA National Championship in 2013, called the Victory Bowl. The NCCAA stands for National Christian College Athletic Association. During that time, APU was ineligible to qualify for the postseason in spite of winning their conference due to their transition process. 2013 was the last year of APU's three-year transition period and they were completely out of place in that game because they were too good for the Panthers. It was men against boys. (As of this writing, Greenville are 2-6 this season.)

That goes back to my addressing of the talent level of this Azusa Pacific team. It's comparable to any solid junior college side. Think Mount San Antonio, but at a four-year level. Indeed, some transfer on this team are from nearby Mt. SAC, who slammed my Long Beach City College Vikings a few days ago, so there are some good programs in the Foothill Valley. Most players are from California, with a few good ones coming out of state.

And one reason why Azusa Pacific is great at football is their home stadium. Citrus College is next door, in the city of Glendora. Citrus Stadium is a 10,000 seat venue used by the Citrus Owls, who are a junior college side, and Azusa Pacific jointly. So scheduling games has to be agreed on by both institutions. Thus, if Citrus is playing at the stadium, Azusa in on the road, and vice versa. But there are some cases where both teams play at the same stadium on the same day. For example, on the weekend of Oct. 15, Citrus played during the day and Azusa Pacific played during the night. The Owls lost to Antelope Valley, the Cougars thrashed Humboldt State. It's, literally, a match made in heaven...relatively speaking.

And they have a solid assistant coach in Jackie Slater. A Hall of Famer, Matthew's dad, the father of a New England Patriot who's been a Pro Bowler like his Dad, an LA Ram to the core...his presence is worth the price of admission...which is $12. Combined with a Metro Day Pass and municipal bus fare, that's about $21 for transportation and admission and with pregame meal...$30. So it's a good deal.

And another thing: Azusa Pacific's record, currently 7-1 with a 6-0 conference record, is miles better than USC, or UCLA, or a whole lot of other local colleges in the area. Compare that to the big schools. USC, 4-3, cheapest tickets at $45. UCLA, 3-5, cheapest tickets, $33. Why should anyone pay more to see a below-average major college football team that won't play in the Rose Bowl and might not even go bowling, when they can instead that the Gold Line to APU/Citrus College Station, walk through APU's East Campus, the expansive Citrus College parking lot, and watch decent quality football from a side that know how to maintain good form and could be making the playoffs?

Remember, this is essentially Mt. SAC as a Division II team, based on the quality of players, based on the makeup, the coaching staff, and the desire to embrace the overall experience that one can get at Azusa Pacific. That is a good deal. A bargain. The best deal in town. Their logo might look similar to Air Force's block logo, but block logo identities these days seem to hold their own. Just ask Notre Dame.

One day, APU will get so good, and earn so much in the payout and donations and money flowing in from their support networks, that they will be competing with an old football rival in the University of San Diego in sports other than football in the West Coast Conference. I mean, that's the logical choice, because most of the member schools are from California and are Christian schools. Plus, there is the romantic oppotunity to face BYU on a constant basis. How about that.

Of course, this might mean that Citrus Stadium will have to be renovated and revamped to be up to NCAA Division I FCS standards, and it might be a cost-prohibitive move. But with all of their athletic successes and their brand being promoted on the up and up, I can't see why APU can't get big enough to play football in the Pioneer Football League with San Diego while play in the West Coast Conference in other sports. That rivalry is going to become an annual game and it should be a highly touted match with a lot of postseason implications, local pride and so on.

For the time being, Azusa Pacific University should enjoy settling down in NCAA Division II and shouldn't rush moving up to Division I. Stability and consistency in terms of winning form must take priority first. I am confident that when I head to the campus on Nov. 5 (contingent on tickets being available on Nov. 4, the day my card recharges), I will be enlightened by the quality of football from Azusa Pacific. By this point, unless the Wildcats of Central Washington (who also won a national title as an NAIA school back in 1995) have something to say about is this weekend, the Cougars are preparing for the playoffs as conference champions and I will enjoy the Wolves of Western Oregon receiving a heartfellt lesson in how to play proper football by the book.

I was in Azusa months ago, riding the Metro Gold Line to the city via the then-new Foothill Extension for the very first time, filming the entire ride from Downtown Los Angeles to APU/Citrus College both ways, uploaded it to YouTube, following it up with a first-time ride to Santa Monica on the Expo Line, soon to be the western portion of the revamped Gold Line. Now, I get to ride this same Gold Line, soon to be the north extension of the Blue Line to Long Beach for real, this time with a purpose. It may be one bus and three trains now, but in a few years, it will only be one bus and one train to get to an Azusa Pacific Cougars football game. (They're better than the other similarly-colored Cougar football team too, as of this writing. Slightly.)

But, yep, as much as I like to tout junior college football in the Golden State...this is NOT Azusa Community College.

Alabama Crimson Tide: 2016 NCAA Division I FBS National Champions

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- What a game. Alabama and Clemson gave fans an entertaining back-and-forth show before the Crimson Tide eventually claimed a 45-40 victory over the Tigers in the College Football Playoff National Championship Presented by AT&T on Monday at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Tide are back atop the college football world. Let's review how it all unfolded.

What the win means for Alabama: It’s the Crimson Tide’s fourth national championship in seven seasons (the others came in 2009, 2011 and 2012) and their 16th overall in school history. It’s the fifth national title for head coach Nick Saban, further cementing his status in college football history. He trails only the late Paul “Bear” Bryant in national titles since 1936 (Bryant has six). It’s Alabama’s fourth consecutive win over a No.1-ranked team in the Associated Press poll, a streak that dates back to 2011. For running back Derrick Henry, he becomes only the fifth running back in Heisman Trophy history to add a national title to the honor in the same season. And the SEC is back on top for the first time since 2012. It’s the league’s eighth national title since 2006 (the SEC won seven straight from 2006-12). The Tide won while overcoming a brilliant performance by Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson, who finished 30-of-47 passing for 405 yards and four touchdowns while also rushing for 73 yards.

What the loss means for Clemson: The Tigers were seeking their second overall national title and their first since 1981 but came up short. The loss breaks up a school-record 17-game winning streak, which is tied for the second-longest such streak in ACC history. They become the second team since major classification began in 1937 to start 14-0 and not win a national title (Boise State was the other, who went 14-0 in 2009). The Tigers are now 3-13 all-time against Alabama. It’s a disappointing end Dabo Swinney's team, one that accomplished a lot this season by putting together an impressive campaign to win the ACC title and be the last undefeated team standing before Monday.

The game turned when…: Saban had the guts to call for an onside kick with the game tied at 24 and the Crimson Tide recovered with 10:34 on the clock. Two plays later, tight end O.J. Howard was a wide open for a 51-yard touchdown catch from Jake Coker and it gave Alabama a lead it wouldn’t relinquish. It’s a call you wouldn’t necessarily expect from the typically risk-averse Saban, but it paid off by shifting the momentum in Alabama’s favor.

Player of the game: Throughout his career, Howard has sometimes been a forgotten man in the game plan, but not on Monday. The 6-foot-6, 242-pound junior found himself wide open several times -- sometimes on Clemson coverage busts -- and scored two critical touchdowns on two of those occasions. His 53-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter gave Alabama a 21-14 lead at the 12:53 mark and his biggest play of the night came on the 51-yard scoring reception after the onside kick in the fourth. For the night, Howard finished with five catches for 208 yards and averaged a whopping 41.6 yards per reception. He had 210 receiving yards in nine SEC games.

Top play: After Clemson trimmed Alabama’s seven-point fourth-quarter lead to four with a field goal, Crimson Tide running back Kenyan Drake delivered the knockout blow with a 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. It was the third kick return touchdown in a national championship game (Florida State’s Kermit Whitfield had one in 2013, Ted Ginn had one in 2006 for Ohio State) and it gave Alabama a 38-27 lead, too much to overcome for the Tigers in the final 7:31.

Stats of the game:The 85 combined points by the Tigers and Crimson Tide are the most combined points in a national championship game, surpassing the 65 scored by Auburn and Florida State in the 2013 BCS national championship game…The Drake touchdown return was Alabama’s sixth special teams touchdown this season, tied with Tennessee for most in the FBS….Henry finished with 36 carries giving him 395 for the season, surpassing Herschel Walker's SEC record (385).

Georgia Bulldogs: 2016 TaxSlayer Bowl Champions

Much of Saturday’s TaxSlayer Bowl in Jacksonville, Fla., had the feel of a bowl game college football could’ve done without. A post-New Year’s Day Bowl with two underwhelming teams “playing for nothing” in the minds of many college football fans, the game saw Georgia steadily build a lead on a Penn State team that lost quarterback Christian Hackenberg to an injury in the second quarter.

Yet a combination of diminishing production from Georgia’s offense and the ability of Penn State to steadily creep back in the second half kept the game closer than it seemed on pace to be. Georgia ultimately held on for a 24–17 win, but Penn State turning a 24–3 deficit after three quarters into a one-touchdown loss marks a solid silver lining for James Franklin’s Nittany Lions, and it gave the late bowl slate a jolt of energy.

Penn State’s chances seemed ruined when Hackenberg left in the second quarter after sustaining an apparent shoulder injury on a short run early in the Nittany Lions’ fifth drive of the game. His right shoulder appeared to be jammed into the ground on the tackle, but he briefly remained in the game and completed a 51-yard pass to Chris Godwin. Two plays later, he was pulled after continuing to favor the shoulder. Trace McSorley, a sophomore, entered in relief and PSU settled for a field goal on the drive.

McSorley did all he could, but he faced an unenviable task from the start in going against Georgia, which entered the bowl game with the nation’s top-ranked passing defense at just over 146 yards allowed per game. After the field goal, Penn State’s subsequent drives ended on a four-play turnover on downs, a punt, time expiring before halftime, another punt and another turnover on downs.

McSorley did throw a pair of impressive touchdown passes, first on a 17-yard bullet to Geno Lewis in the corner of the end zone on fourth down on the first play of the fourth quarter, and later on a 20-yard connection with DaeSean Hamilton with 6:14 remaining in the game. Penn State’s disappointing final drive of the game consisted largely of checkdowns and short passes over the middle of the field, although it’s hard to fault McSorley too much for being thrown into the fire. He finished 14 of 27 for 142 yards and the pair of touchdowns.

As for Hackenberg, he declared for the NFL draft after the game, ending his career at Penn State after three seasons. Long considered a top NFL prospect, an up-and-down season for both him and Penn State’s offense might have taken some steam out of his draft stock. The extent of his injury was also not immediately disclosed, outside of Penn State ruling him out for the game at the beginning of the second half.

Georgia is happy to get a bowl win despite the significant turnover on its coaching staff. After Mark Richt was fired and quickly hired by Miami, he elected not to coach in the bowl game. His successor, former Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart, is remaining with the Crimson Tide during their College Football Playoff run. The Bulldogs also lost offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer and defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt, leaving wide receivers coach/associate head coach Bryan McClendon to coach the TaxSlayer Bowl.

A big-name program playing in a supposedly “meaningless” bowl game following a disappointing season and coaching transition can be a recipe for disaster, but credit McClendon for getting Georgia ready to play. Running back Sony Michel led all players with 20 carries for 85 yards with one touchdown, while Keith Marshall also rushed 14 times for 62 yards. Wide receiver Terry Godwin caught four passes for 62 yards and one touchdown, and also threw a 44-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter after lining up as a Wildcat quarterback.

The win moves Georgia to 10–3, and at least the Bulldogs can begin the Smart era coming off two consecutive 10-win seasons. A narrow win in the TaxSlayer Bowl won’t afford Smart too much leniency from Bulldogs fans, however, so he’ll need to start fast in 2016 to engender some early support.

Alabama Crimson Tide: 2015 Cotton Bowl Champions

ARLINGTON, Texas — Breaking down No. 2 Alabama's 38-0 victory over No. 3 Michigan State in the Cotton Bowl.

THE BIG PICTURE: Well, here they are again. After a two-year drought that produced questions about whether Alabama had slipped a notch from its dynasty days, Nick Saban has the Crimson Tide back in the national title game trying to win his fourth championship at Alabama and fifth overall. It was accomplished in pretty dominant fashion on Thursday, as Alabama held Michigan State to 239 yards of offense, got the lead in the second quarter and administered a death grip that has become all too familiar for SEC opponents. If you can't put scoreboard pressure on Alabama and force them to do things they're not comfortable doing, their natural advantages will eventually turn into an avalanche of points.

Ever since the Crimson Tide lost to Ole Miss back on Sept. 19, they've only had one close call — a 19-14 victory over Tennessee on Oct. 24 — and look to be focused and fresh heading to Arizona for a date with No. 1-ranked and undefeated Clemson. Alabama will be favored by Las Vegas oddsmakers. On the other hand, this was a disappointing end to Michigan State's incredible season and the Connor Cook era, which included a pair of Big Ten titles. . This was simply a bad matchup for the Spartans, who try to play the same style as Alabama only with less size and talent. That doesn't work out very well for SEC teams who try it, and it didn't here. Michigan State's best hope was to keep it close into the fourth quarter and maybe catch a break, but Alabama wouldn't allow it.

INDIANAPOLIS STAR

Clemson rushes past Oklahoma to College Football Playoff final

WHAT WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT: Michigan State's plan was clear. The Spartans wanted to take away the run and make Alabama quarterback Jake Coker beat them. And that's exactly what he did. Coker, who came into the game ranked 42nd nationally in passing efficiency, played his best game of the season and picked apart Michigan State despite operating under heavy pressure. It seemed like every time Coker got hit he was able to release the ball just in time to find an open receiver, finishing 25-of-30 for 286 yards and two touchdowns. Though a few of those completions were incredible catches by the receivers and some were simple screens, Coker still delivered a handful of good downfield throws and played a solid, mistake-free game. To step up and play this well on a big stage was both a credit to Coker and offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin, who has made a habit of developing quarterbacks out of guys who previously struggled.

THE DECIDING PLAY: Michigan State had an opportunity to go into halftime down 10-7 and perhaps get some momentum, putting together its best drive of the game in a two-minute offense. With 25 seconds left in the half, the Spartans had a first down at the Alabama 12-yard line after an 18-yard throw to Aaron Burbridge. At minimum, Michigan State should have gotten a field goal. But on the next play, Cook tried a fade to Burbridge in the end zone but didn't get any air under it, allowing cornerback Cyrus Jones to make a break on the ball for an interception. Given that the first half was generally pretty even aside from one big passing play, it was a pretty crushing development for Michigan State. Alabama came out in the third quarter and immediately marched down the field to make it 17-0, and that was pretty much the end for Michigan State.

KEY STAT: Alabama led the nation by a pretty wide margin this season, allowing a mere 74 rushing yards per game (Boston College was second at 82.8). So it's no surprise Michigan State also struggled to run the ball against a front seven that has frequently been called one of the best in recent memory. But the level of demolition Alabama wreaked on the Spartans' offensive line was even more massive than expected. Michigan State ran for a mere 29 yards on 26 carries. Even removing sacks, the Spartans finished with just 53 rushing yards.

Auburn Tigers: 2015 Birmingham Bowl Champions

BIRMINGHAM – Memphis safety Reggis Ball has been removed from the football team following a post-game incident that involved the Auburn equipment staff.

According to multiple local reports, Ball attempted to steal a football from the Auburn equipment staff following Auburn’s 31-10 victory in the Birmingham Bowl Wednesday. Ball was reportedly stopped by multiple Auburn equipment employees and a physical altercation took place.

   “I want to personally apologize to Jay Jacobs, Gus Malzahn, the Auburn Football team, its fans and the Birmingham Bowl for the highly-inappropriate actions of one of my student-athletes regarding a game ball at the end of Wednesday’s game,” Memphis athletics director Tom Bowen said in a university statement. “This player’s actions are totally unacceptable. He has been immediately removed from the team and we will continue to move swiftly in addressing what occurred."

Ball had a 53-yard interception return for a touchdown to tie the score at 10 with 3:06 left in the second quarter. Ball had two interceptions and one tackle for a loss Wednesday.

After Ball escaped with the football, the redshirt senior reportedly flipped his middle finger to the crowd and Auburn players as he left the field. Even though Ball’s college career is over at the Birmingham Bowl, his removal from the football program restricts him from using the athletic facilities at all and makes him ineligible to participate in the school’s Pro Day in the future months.

“We’re embarrassed about the actions that occurred after the game and that is definitely not the standards or expectations the Memphis football program stands for,” Memphis new head coach Mike Norvell said. “Even though Mr. Ball’s football career has ended, he will no longer be a part of the Memphis program because of these actions.”

In the post-game media conference, Memphis interim head coach Darrell Dickey said he was still gathering the facts about the situation but hours later Memphis officials informed the media of Ball’s dismissal.

“I consulted with University of Memphis President M. David Rudd and have spoken to both incoming head coach Mike Norvell and interim head coach Darrell Dickey and they completely support my decision,” Bowen said.

Albany: 2014-15 America East Men's Basketball Champions

ALBANY, N.Y. -- When the final buzzer sounded, Albany's Peter Hooley was mobbed on his home court, fans and teammates reacting in disbelief after his winning 3-pointer.

Just six weeks after his mother had died of colon cancer, the junior star from Australia hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 1.6 seconds left, giving the Great Danes a stunning 51-50 victory over Stony Brook on Saturday and the America East tournament title for the third straight year.

"When you've got angels watching, you can do anything," said Hooley of the only 3 Albany made all game.

The Great Danes (24-8) improved to 5-0 in the title game, including a 69-60 win on the road last year over the Seawolves (23-11), who remained winless in four tries in the championship game.

"There are nine teams in our league. Eight are miserable, one is happy. Nobody feels sorry for you when you lose," Stony Brook coach Steve Pikiell said. "It comes down to the last five seconds -- that's how hard it is to get to an NCAA Tournament."

Hooley missed eight games in the middle of the regular season to return to his native Australia to be with his dying mother. The team has worn "SH" patches on their left shoulders in honor of Sue Hooley, who died at 52 in late January.

Trailing 50-48 after Stony Brook's Carson Puriefoy missed a free throw with 16.9 seconds left, Albany's Ray Sanders missed a layup with 4 seconds left. But as Stony Brook's Jameel Warneyand Albany's Sam Rowley fought for the rebound, the ball was tipped out from the baseline to Hooley, who was all alone and swished the winning shot.

"You couldn't write this stuff," said Sam Rowley, who led Albany with 14 points. "It's just beyond words. This was just a perfect moment."

Hooley, named the tournament's most outstanding player, returned to the lineup a month ago and was coming off a season-high 21-point performance against New Hampshire in the semifinals.

Hooley averaged 15.5 points in nearly 35 minutes before leaving the team in mid-January. The Great Danes responded by winning every game he missed, including an emotional victory over the Seawolves in the first game without their co-captain.

Albany trailed the entire second half before Hooley's incredible shot, the only 3 made in 10 attempts. Evan Singletary had 11 points before fouling out late and Hooley finished with 10.

Puriefoy paced Stony Brook with 23 points, and Warney had 20 points and 14 rebounds.

Stony Brook leaned hard on Warney to get them going. He delivered 12 points with an assortment of hooks in the paint and along the baseline to give the Seawolves to a 20-16 halftime lead.

The Seawolves finished the half 8 of 25 (32 percent) to Albany's 6-for-29 (20.7 percent) performance as leading scorer Sam Rowley missed all seven shots he attempted and had just two points, and third-leading scorer Evan Singletary failed to score.

Guarded closely by 6-foot-11, 275-pound Richard Peters, Warney shrugged off some serious bumping early in the second half and hit two straight baskets as the Seawolves maintained a 28-22 lead. But he failed to hit another shot in the final 16 minutes, attempting only three in the period as Albany switched to a zone defense to deny him the ball.

The Great Danes rallied late when Puriefoy turned from hero to vanquished loser.

After Puriefoy's third 3-pointer in the closing minutes gave Stony Brook a 47-40 lead with 2:38 left, Singletary responded with a runner in the lane and Sam Rowley hit a pretty hook high off the glass against Warney to move the Great Danes within 49-46 with 61 seconds left.

Two free throws by Mike Rowley narrowed the gap to a single point with 21.7 seconds to go as Puriefoy committed costly turnovers, losing the ball out of bounds twice in the final minute. His final missed free throw proved the costliest mistake of all as the Seawolves missed 3 of their final 4 from the line.

"We played 39 great minutes and then the last minute we just lost," Puriefoy said. "It's definitely tough."

Albany, which started the season 2-6, finished America East play at 15-1 to earn the top seed, its only conference loss coming at home to Stony Brook. The Great Danes had won the previous two meetings between the teams in the postseason.

The teams split the season series and both won on the road, Albany 64-47 and Stony Brook 59-56 a month ago, which snapped Albany's 13-game winning streak, all but one coming conference play.

The Seawolves, the third seed, entered the game on an eight-game winning streak, and their chances of making it nine fell squarely on the shoulders of the 6-foot-8, 255-pound Warney. He leads the country with 23 double-doubles and is the only player in the nation to lead his conference in points (16.4), rebounds (11.6) and blocks (51).

TIP-INS

Stony Brook: Since losing 57-48 to the Vermont Catamounts in early February, Stony Brook had won eight straight, outscoring their opponents by 11.5 points per game. ... Warney is the third player in America East history to win player of the year and defensive player of the year in the same season.

Albany: The Great Danes held New Hampshire to 29 percent shooting in the second half of last Sunday's semifinals to escape with a 60-58 victory. ... In the previous five games, Hooley was shooting 54.5 percent (24 of 44) from the floor and 47.8 percent (11 of 23) from beyond the arc. ... Albany improved to 1-5 when scoring between 50 and 59 points.

UP NEXT

Stony Brook: Awaiting postseason selections.

Albany: NCAA Tournament.

Oklahoma State: 2015 Cactus Bowl Champions

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Oklahoma State went through its most difficult season under coach Mike Gundy, losing five straight games before squeaking into a bowl game.

Once the Cowboys got to the Cactus Bowl, they rode a freshman quarterback and an offensively gifted defensive tackle to a spirit-lifting victory.

Mason Rudolph threw for 299 yards and two touchdowns, and 300-pound tackle James Castleman showed off his versatility with two big offensive plays lead Oklahoma State to a 30-22 victory over Washington in the TicketCity Cactus Bowl Friday night.

"Our offense was resilient," Gundy said. "I thought we blocked well, our running back ran hard, we made big catches and we turned James Castleman into a wide receiver."

Oklahoma State (7-6) needed a late rally over rival Oklahoma in the season finale to become bowl eligible and played the TicketCity Cactus Bowl without its most dynamic offensive player.

The Cowboys closed out the season with a flourish behind Rudolph, with some help from Castleman.

A freshman making his third start, Rudolph kept his composure against Washington's vaunted front seven, overcoming three turnovers to hit 17 of 26 passes.

Desmond Roland kept the Huskies off-balance by tearing off big runs up the middle, finishing with 123 yards on 32 carries.

Then there was Castleman.

Though he had never played offense before, the beefy defensive tackle lined up in the shotgun to score on a 1-yard run in the first half, helping Oklahoma State build a 17-point halftime lead.

Washington rallied to within a touchdown in the second half, but Castleman wreaked havoc again, catching a pass out of the backfield and rumbling down the sideline for a 48-yard catch that all but killed the Huskies' hopes.

"Honestly, I'm like, `Why hasn't somebody hit me yet?" Castleman said of his reception. "Next thing, I look up to the screen, I see someone coming and I try jabbing inside trying to get him to miss. Once he hit me, the check engine light came on."

Washington (8-6) stumbled out of the gate on both sides of the ball in the first half in the first half before finding a rhythm on offense in the second.

The hole proved to be too deep, ending coach Chris Petersen's first season with a loss.

John Ross scored on a 96-yard kickoff return and Cyler Miles threw for 268 yards and a touchdown, but had an interception on Washington's last-ditch drive.

"If we would have come out ready, it would have been a different outcome," said Huskies receiver Jaydon Mickens, who scored two touchdowns.

The Cowboys pulled off a last-minute comeback to earn a spot in the Cactus Bowl, scoring two touchdowns in the final 8 minutes to knock off Oklahoma in overtime.

Tyreek Hill had the big play in that game, scoring on a 92-yard punt return with 45 seconds left, but he was dismissed from the team last month after being arrested on charges of choking and punching his pregnant girlfriend.

That left Oklahoma State without its most dangerous threat against a Washington defense that has three first-team All-Americans.

The Cowboys didn't seem to mind.

They had no trouble against Washington's ferocious front seven on their opening drive, confidently converting a midfield fourth-and-1 to set up Castleman's 1-yard dive off left tackle.

Rudolph turned it over on the next two drives, losing a fumble when he was sacked, then on a one-handed interception by Budda Baker.

The freshman kept his poise, though. He caught a pass from receiver Brandon Sheperd on a trick play to set up a 28-yard touchdown pass to James Washington, who one-upped Baker with a one-handed catch in the end zone.

The Sheperd-Rudolph connection worked again just before the half, this time in reverse: Rudolph on the throw, Sheperd on the catch for a 47-yard touchdown that put the Cowboys up 24-0.

Washington had just as much trouble on offense, finishing with 113 total yards in the half.

"The first half was, obviously, on offense, still in practice mode," Petersen said.

The Huskies finally showed signs of life on their opening drive of the third quarter, cutting into Oklahoma State's lead on Mickens' 31-yard reverse.

Washington got a bad break when a punt hit one of its players and Oklahoma State recovered, but held the Cowboys to Ben Grogan's 27-yard field goal. Ross took the ensuing kickoff up the middle, made a couple of jukes and raced off to a 96-yard touchdown that cut the Cowboys' lead to 27-14.

Miles followed with a 16-yard touchdown pass to Mickens, trimming the lead to 30-2 with 3 1-2 minutes left.

The Cowboys then turned to Castleman again and he played the receiver role well, killing off precious seconds that helped the Cowboys finish a difficult season on a positive note.

"This was a great finish for this team," Gundy said.

They can thank their freshman quarterback and new -- and big -- offensive weapon.