Saturday's best

Updated Dec. 20, 2020 12:46 a.m. ET

Associated Press

STARS

—Trey Sermon, Ohio State, ran for a school-record 331 yards and two second-half TDs, helping the No. 3 Buckeyes rally for a 22-10 victory over Northwestern for a fourth consecutive Big Ten championship.

—Najee Harris, Alabama, scored five TDs and the No. 1 Crimson Tide advanced to the College Football Playoff with a perfect record, holding off No. 11 Florida in a 52-46 shootout for the Southeastern Conference championship.

—Trevor Lawrence, Clemson, had 412 yards of offense and three TDs, and the No. 4 Tigers dominated No. 2 Notre Dame 34-10 to win their sixth straight Atlantic Coast Conference championship.

—Nick Starkel, San Jose State, threw for 453 yards and three TDs to lead the No. 25 Spartans to their first Mountain West Conference championship, 34-20 over Boise State.

—Kayshon Boutte, LSU, caught 14 passes for a school-record 308 yards receiving, and his third touchdown of the game on a 45-yard catch-and-run with 1:30 remaining lifted the Tigers to a 53-48 victory over Mississippi.

— Davis Mills, Stanford, threw for 428 yards and three TDs, including a 14-yard score to Simi Fehoko in the second overtime, as the Cardinal defeated UCLA 48-47.

—Alec Pierce, Cincinnati, had a career-high 146 yards receiving on five catches in the No. 6 Bearcats' 27-24 win over No. 20 Tulsa.

—Will Rogers, Mississippi State, threw for 295 yards and three TDs to lead the Bulldogs to a 51-32 victory over Missouri.

— Ty Jordan, Utah, ran for 154 yards and three TDs to rally the Utes to a 45-28 victory over Washington State.

_Kellen Mond, Texas A&M, accounted for 340 yards and two TDs, helping the Aggies close their case for inclusion in the College Football Playoff with a 34-13 victory over Tennessee.

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BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIP

Ohio State running back Trey Sermon got the message in the Big Ten championship.

He’d heard coach Ryan Day preach about everything the Buckeyes overcame to reach this season’s Big Ten championship game. He also heard Day urging players to overcome more obstacles in the second half.

So Sermon delivered — with a record-breaking performance.

He ran for 331 yards and scored two second-half touchdowns, helping No. 3 Ohio State rally past No. 15 Northwestern 22-10 for its fourth straight conference crown and a likely spot in the College Football Playoff.

Sermon used the combination of vision and speed to average 11.4 yards on 29 carries against one of the nation’s top defenses, breaking Eddie George’s single-game school record and the Big Ten championship game mark.

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ACC CHAMPIONSHIP

Trevor Lawrence threw an early interception in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game.

It was one of the few mistakes Clemson's quarterback made in another sterling performance.

Lawrence had 412 yards of offense and three touchdowns, Travis Etienne ran for 124 yards and a score and No. 4 Clemson dominated No. 2 Notre Dame 34-10 to win its sixth straight ACC championship.

Lawrence threw long scoring passes to Amari Rodgers and E.J Williams in the first half to help the Tigers avenge a 47-40 double-overtime loss at Norte Dame — with Lawrence sidelined because of the coronavirus — to lock up a spot in the College Football Playoff for the sixth straight season.

Lawrence, the game MVP and presumptive No. 1 pick in the NFL draft, overcame an early interception on a tipped ball to complete 25 of 36 passes for 322 yards. He ran 14 times for 90 yards, with a 34-yard touchdown scamper.

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PERFECT TIDE

Alabama will enter the College Football Playoff with a perfect record.

Najee Harris scored five touchdowns and No. 1 Alabama advanced to the CFP, holding off No. 11 Florida in a 52-46 shootout for the Southeastern Conference championship.

The Crimson Tide got its toughest test in a season of blowouts, but Harris’ record-setting performance will send coach Nick Saban to the playoff in search of his seventh national title with one of his best teams yet.

After falling behind 35-17 by halftime, Florida made a game of it with a pair of third-quarter scores. And the Gators fought to the bitter end, adding two more TDS in the fourth period before finally running out of time.

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BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP

Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley remembered two specific moments right after the No. 12 Sooners won their sixth consecutive Big 12 championship.

There was the uncertainty of what was next when players were sent home after one spring practice in March at the start of the coronavirus pandemic. And then the feeling in the locker room after a loss at Iowa State that had Oklahoma 0-2 in league play for the first time since 1998.

The Sooners got a bit of revenge by winning another Big 12 title game, with Spencer Rattler throwing a 45-yard touchdown to fellow freshman Marvin Mims and running for another score in a 27-21 victory over the No. 8 Cyclones.

The Sooners aren't likely to get back in the College Football Playoff for the fourth year in a row, even when paired with their seven-game winning streak since that 37-30 loss in Ames, Iowa on Oct. 3.

Oklahoma still has its 14th Big 12 title overall in the league’s 25-season history, and the 50th conference championship in school history.

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