Could there be a more memorable, competitive first six games of the tournament? Of the six contests, three one-point wins, a two-point victory, and an average margin of 4.5 points.
FIRST ROUND KANSAS CITY: #9 Clemson 22, #7 Kansas State 20
Both First Round games were played at 30 degree weather, but not all 30 degree days are created equally. Whereas Provo was sunny and windless, Kansas City's high winds made it feel like the lower 20's. But both teams knew a southern California Rose Bowl awaited the winner.
Early on, Kansas State was in control, Will Howard passes and Deuce Vaughn runs drove the ball to the Clemson 39, but Howard's intercepted pass gave the ball to Clemson. A punt returned the ball to the Wildcats, and their possession posted a score on Ty Zentner's 41 yard field goal. Another punt gave the ball to K-State, and they scored on the perfect drive for today's KC weather: a one play drive with a Deuce Vaughn touchdown run for 88 yards. Certainly Kansas State was in control.
But Clemson's quarterback Cade Klubnik, a true freshman in his first ever collegiate start, was undeterred with solid play and a bit of poise. Clemson added a B.T. Potter 31 yard field goal in the first frame to narrow the gap to 10-3. Then to end the first half, Klubnik threw a TD to Adam Randall from 13 yards out. Potter, struggling with the high winds, missed the extra point kick, and Kansas State held the 10-9 halftime lead.
But the momentum completely went to Clemson during Kansas State's first third quarter set of downs, when on 3rd & 8 from the KSU 14, Howard's pass was intercepted and returned for 2 yards to the Kansas State 17 yard line. Will Shipley eventually ran it in from 3 yards out, and after another missed PAT, Clemson had its first lead, at 15-10. Kansas State's offense stalled, and there was no more scoring in the third quarter.
In the fourth, Kansas State narrowed the margin to 15-13 on Zentner's 28 yard field goal, but Clemson responded with ten minutes to go with a Klubnik touchdown run of four yards, even adding a PAT, to extend the lead to 22-13. With three minutes to go, Kansas State scored on Jordan Schippers 1 yard touchdown run, cutting the lead to two. But the Wildcats never regained possession, and Clemson and their first time starter QB Klubnik set their sails for a Rose Bowl match-up with #2 Big Ten champion Michigan.
FIRST ROUND PROVO: #8 Utah 47, #10 Tulane 46
Like Kansas City, Provo had 30 degree temperature at kickoff, but unlike KC, a warm sun brightened the snow covered peaks and still winds made the playing field feel much warmer. Utah was back in Provo for a First Round game a year after winning an overtime game against Oklahoma State. Last season, winning provided the Utes a Sugar Bowl match-up with SEC champion #1 Alabama. This year, the winner of Provo's Utah-Tulane game was an Orange Bowl with SEC champion #1 Georgia.
Utah was in solid control in the first quarter, scoring first on a Jordan Noyes 23 yard field goal, and adding two more field goals. Tulane was contained to short drives and punts, and Utah was cruising to a 9-0 lead at the end of frame one. Utah's Ja'Quinden Jackson ran it in from five yards out early in the second, to extend the lead to 16-0.
But Tulane responded with a 8 play, 75 yard, 3:03 minute drive, including a 40 yard run by QB Michael Pratt to the Utah 33. The drive was capped with a Tyjae Spears run for 3 yards for a TD. Utah responded with QB Cameron Rising's 6 yard touchdown run, followed by a Tulane two play drive ending with a Pratt pass complete to Jackson for 87 yards for a TD. The swinging pendulum continued with a Utah TD Rising 9 yard run before halftime, and at half, the Utes led 30-14.
But Tulane was not raising the white flag in the snow covered mountains. The Green Wave started the second half with a three minute, 76 yard touchdown drive. The drive started with a Spears run for 47 yards, and ended with a 7 yard Spears run. Tulane held Utah, and responded with a drive including QB Pratt's run for 23 yds to the Utah 39, culminating with a field goal by Valentino Ambrosio (the most romantic kicker's name) from 42 yards out, and the Green Wave drew within 30-24.
Utah responded with a touchdown drive completed by Micah Bernard's 12 yard run, only to be answered by a three play easy-peasy Tulane drive: Spears run for 62 yards to the Utah 3, and incomplete pass, and a Spears 3 yard TD run (no PAT). End of the third, Utah clung a to 37-30 advantage.
Utah could not score on the next possession, but Tulane's Spears fumbled on the Utes 28. Noyes connected on a field goal, and certainly Utah was in control, leading 40-30 with about six minutes to go. But Tulane had another brief drive of two plays: Pratt pass complete to Duece Watts for 59 yards to the Utah 4, then Spears run for 4 yds for a touchdown. Utah by 3, 40-37. Utah fumbled the subsequent kickoff and needed to start the drive at their own 1 yard line. Two plays later, the Utes Jackson was tackled in the end zone. Tulane was rolling, getting the ball back down one point. Three minutes later, Utah's QB Pratt three a TD pass complete to Alex Bauman for 6 yards, and the Green Wave was shockingly in front 46-40, with about two minutes to go. Utah took the ball 73 yards to the Tulane 5 yard line. With 25 seconds to go, a short pass lofted to Jaylen Dixon for 5 yds for a TD created a cacophony explosion by Utah throngs. Tulane could not score, and Utah escaped with a 47-46 victory. On their way to play Georgia, Utah earned an Orange Bowl slot.
QUARTERFINAL BOWLS
ORANGE BOWL: #1 Georgia, 34, #8 Utah 21
Georgia was heavily favored as the #1 seed playing in their neighbor state to the south. Certainly, Bulldogs were ready, stopping Utah without a first down before a punt on the first drive. Georgia drove downfield but Jack Podlesny missed a 47 yard field goal attempt. Still, Dawgs received the ball back and drove again, capping a drive on Kenny McIntosh 25 yard pass from QB Stetson Bennett IV.
That was all the scoring for the first quarter. But in the second frame, a touchdown was set up by a Bennett pass complete to Arian Smith for 47 yards to the Utah 11, followed immediately by a Kendall Milton 11 yard touchdown run. Down 14-0, Utah started a 7 minute drive, completed with a Cameron Rising pass complete to Thomas Yassmin for 1 yard touchdown. Utah took the ball back, and used a quick two minute drive, highlighted by Rising's pass complete to Devaughn Vele for 47 yds to the Georgia 28, and capped by Ja'Quinden Jackson's run for 19 yards for a TD. Shockingly, tie game 14-14. Georgia's quick drive and Podlesny's 32 yard field goal provided a 17-14 Bulldog advantage at the break.
In the third quarter, Dawgs kicker Podlesny missed another field goal, but connected on a 32 yard field goal to extend the Georgia lead to 20-14. Ute QB star Rising suffered a leg injury with 8:31 left in the third quarter, and was replaced by backup Bryson Barnes. Barnes finished a third quarter drive with a TD pass to Jaylen Dixon, and Utah grabbed a 21-20 lead going into the fourth quarter.
Though they had the lead, a sense of foreboding existed on the Ute sideline as Barnes struggled against the Bulldog defense. Georgia's offense focused under fourth quarter duress, and a Kenny McIntosh 52 yard run to the Utah led to Bennett's 3 yard touchdown run two plays later, and Dawgs had the lead back. Three play drives too long for you? Georgia's final score was a one play drive, a Arian Smith 76 yard pass reception from Bennett. Utah was scoreless in the fourth, and Georgia emerged with a 34-21 victory. The Bulldogs punched the first ticket for Syracuse and Football's Final Four, awaiting the winner of Alabama/TCU Sugar Bowl.
SUGAR BOWL: #5 Alabama 45, #4 Texas Christian 36
Though higher-seeded with a single loss, TCU was a big underdog to Alabama, who won their way into eleven of the last thirteen Football's Final Fours. But the Horned Frogs were determined to earn respect. While Crimson Tide star QB Bryce Young was distinctly off target, Texas Christian took advantage. In the first frame, TCU scored first on QB Max Duggan's 1 yard run. Soon after Duggan hit Quentin Johnston for 32 yards to the Alabama 19, eventually leading to Taye Barber's 6 yard TD reception from Duggan (PAT kick missed). Still in the first quarter, Griffin Kell's 33 yard field goal gave TCU a 16-0 lead.
As the first was drawing to a close, the Crimson Tide's Young started to show his star power. His pass to Jahmyr Gibbs for 60 yards landed the Alabama on the TCU 9 yard line. Young's pass to Isaiah Bond for a 6 yard TD pass capped Bama's first scoring drive. Early in the second quarter, Young connected on a pass complete to Jermaine Burton for 47 yards to the TCU 2. Two plays later, Young passed to Cameron Latu from one yard out to narrow the lead to 16-14.
Both teams added another touchdown before the half. TCU started a drive with a Duggan pass complete to Quentin Johnston for 46 yards to the Alabama 29, finishing the drive with an Emari Demercado 1 yard TD run. Alabama's last scoring drive before halftime started with 1:01 to go in the second on the Tide 2 yard drive. With 10 seconds to go, Young's 12 yard TD pass to Jermaine Burton narrowed to a 23-21 TCU halftime lead.
Alabama's one minute touchdown drive in the waning seconds of the first half was one-fourth of a tidal Crimson Tide wave that threw the Horned Frogs into troubled waters. Alabama started the second half with recovery on their onside kick, and three plays later, Young's pass was complete to Ja'Corey Brooks for 32 yards for a touchdown, a 1:06 minute drive. Forty-six seconds later, TCU QB Duggan threw a pass intercepted by Alabama's Brian Branch, returned to the Texas Christian 17. The next play, eight seconds later, the Tide's Jase McClellan run for 17 yds scored another Bama TD. In the span of four minutes, a TCU 23-14 lead was transformed into a 35-23 Alabama advantage.
But Texas Christian was here for respect and came back fighting. Still in the third quarter, Demercado's run of 69 yards fell 1-yard short of the goal line. Duggan punched it in from 1 yard out to narrow the lead, and another Kell field goal brought the score to 35-33 in favor of Alabama. However on the final play of the third quarter, the Tide's Kobe Prentice 47 yard TD pass from Bryce Young increased the lead to 9.
The fourth quarter scoring consisted of a Alabama's Will Reichard's 49 yard field goal and a third TCU field goal, and an classic match-up ended with Alabama returning to Football's Final Four for the twelve time in fourteen seasons, with a 45-36 victory. TCU played as well as Alabama, however three turnovers (two interceptions, one fumble lost) for the Horned Frogs compared to none for the Tide, and 85 penalty yards compared to 45 for Bama in the end was the difference.
ROSE BOWL: #2 Michigan 15, #9 Clemson 14
The college football world dreams of playing at the picturesque Rose Bowl. But over the past two seasons, it has become a nightmare for Michigan fans, who might start calling it Pick Six Park. On the other side of the ball, Clemson might call it the Land of Misfit Tiger Offense, which can move the ball freely midfield, stalls in the red zone, and cannot kick a field goal.
Michigan was trying to overcome the memories of being #2 seed last season but being upset by #7 Baylor in the Rose Bowl, which featured a key Baylor pick six that turned the tide. Certainly things looked promising on the Wolverine's first play, as Donovan Edwards ran for 54 yards to the Clemson 21 yard line. But in a game where Michigan seemed to play things too cute or overthink situations or both, when it was fourth and goal on the two, Jim Harbaugh faced plenty of criticism for electing to use a “Philly Special” play call. Armed with the best offensive line in college football, the Wolverines decided a trick-play pass was the call, and not a field goal, or a running play. Result? Colston Loveland sacked for a loss of 8 yards to the Tiger 10. Later in the game, Michigan seemed too cute again, when on the goal line after a 50-yard completion from J.J. McCarthy to Roman Wilson, the Wolverines handed the ball to recently converted linebacker Kalel Mullings, who fumbled away the scoring opportunity.
Clemson also pulled out some unsuccessful gadget plays, but perhaps mainly to take pressure off of Clemson's true freshman quarterback Cade Klubnik. Klubnik's first drive had some good gains, including a pass to Cole Turner for 33 yds to the Michigan 49, and a pass complete to Joseph Ngata for 14 yds to the Wolverine 33. But the drive stalled, and rather than taking the field goal from the 27, a trick play failed om fourth down and Drew Swinney was tackled two yards short. Later in the half, first and ten from the Michigan 22, Clemson tried a pass from tight end Davis Allen into the end zone that was woefully incomplete.
These plays may have been chosen to ease pressure on Klubnik on this huge stage, as he often found himself running away from the Michigan rush. His reaction to run towards his own goal line often turned third and long plays to third and infinity and beyond heaves. And the Tiger offense's red zone issues were not helped with three missed field goals by B.T. Potter.
Yet, Clemson took the lead on Michigan's second possession's first play, as Tiger safety R.J.
Mickens picked off a McCarthy pass and ran in the 41 yard interception return touchdown. Not until the second quarter could Michigan score, on a Jake Moody 42 yard field goal, and the game remained 7-3 Tigers at halftime.
A light drizzle fell during the second half, but Moody's 21 yard field goal narrowed Clemson's lead to 7-6. Early in the fourth, Michigan took the lead on another Moody field goal, for the 9-7 Wolverine lead. However, pick six drama returned, as linebacker Barrett Carter picked off McCarthy and ran the interception return 29 yards for a touchdown. Clemson back on top 14-9.
But for Michigan, finally a gimmicky gadget gamble paid off. McCarthy ran a flea-flicker with a little help from running back Donovan Edwards, and found Ronnie Bell wide open for a 34-yard touchdown with 3:18 left, for a 15-14 Michigan lead. The Wolverines missed the two-point conversion but were never threatened, and Michigan moves on to Syracuse to play the winner of the Ohio State/Tennessee Orange Bowl.
COTTON BOWL: #6 Tennessee 41, #3 Ohio State 40
On quarterback Joe Milton III's high school signing day, dreams of beating Ohio State in big games was probably part of his mental landscape of his football future. But for the transfer from Michigan, that it would be as the QB of the Tennessee Volunteers playing the Buckeyes in the Cotton Bowl would have been an unexpected detour on his college journey.
This Texas sized battle of two at-large teams matched all expectations. Though both the Bucks and the Vols were on the sidelines on championship Saturday both worked in their favor. TCU's loss moved Ohio State to third seed, and though Utah's win over USC threatened to burst the Tennessee tourney bubble if the Trojans took the final at-large spot, in fact the Vols remained in the tourney and moved up to the top six seeds.
The Buckeyes were ready from the start. Quarterback CJ Stroud rolled right to avoid Tennessee pressure, and still conducted his receiver like a maestro, gesturing Marvin Harrison Jr. to all head stage right. From 31 yards out, Ohio State found the scoreboard first with a pristine pass from Stroud to Harrison Jr. about 5 yards deep in the end zone, and the Buckeyes grabbed the lead with about 5 minutes left in the first frame.
Perhaps to slowly give their QB confidence in only his second start of the year, initially Milton only threw quick passes for short gains, and the Volunteers seemed averse to letting him feel pressure, and took their share of offensive holding penalties as the Buckeye pressure infiltrated the Tennessee backfield. But the Vols were determined to hang around, and Chase McGrath's 32 yard field goal with 3:15 left in the first closed the score to 7-3.
But Ohio State seemed determined to advance. With 10:56 to go until halftime, Miyan Williams fought to get in the end zone with some help from a teammate from 2 yards out, Ohio State extended the lead to 14-3. But with 9:03 to go in the second, Milton finally threw long, and his pass zipped past a sea of OSU hands, hitting Bru McCoy in the back line of the end zone, for a 16 yard TD completion to reduce the lead again, 14-10. This started a back and forth scoring second quarter duel. As Stroud amazingly avoided Tennessee pressure, he rolled right hitting Harrison as he hauled in his second touchdown grab of the night on a great pass from Stroud. Trying to capitalize on their offensive momentum, the Buckeyes went for two but were stopped, as the OSU lead remained 20-10. Tennessee responded on a big pass from Milton to a wide open, diving Squirrel White for 50 yards to the Ohio State 2 yard line. Jabari Small followed a Tennessee surge into the end zone for a 2 yard TD run. Back came the Bucks. as receiver Xavier Johnson makes his defender look silly with a nasty spin move on his way to a touchdown from 37 yard TD pass from Stroud. Finally as the first half ended, White waddled in an end zone celebration after Joe Milton stayed tough in the pocket for a TD pass to White for 14 yards. Buckeyes were strong, but Vols kept hanging around, trailing 27-24 at the half.
Scoring slowed in the second half, although the Buckeyes started quickly, as Emeka Egbuka's 10 yard TD pass reception from Stroud extended the OSU lead to 34-24 with 10:37 left in the third. Later in the quarter, Milton dropped a 46-yard dime to a wide open Ramel Keyton, as he sauntered in for a 46 yard TD reception. Was SEC opponent fatigue starting to creep up on Ohio State? The Buckeyes offense did respond, with Noah Ruggles 25 yard field goal in the final minute of the third quarter, and OSU ended the quarter ahead 37-31.
With 10:01 to go in the game, a Ruggles 48 yard field goal extended the Ohio State lead to 40-31. Two minutes later, Vol kicker McGrath hit a 27 yard field goal, narrowing the gap to 40-34. Both teams battled scoreless until 54 seconds to go in the game, when Tennessee's Jaylen Wright ran in a dramatic 50 yard run. After 59 minutes and 6 seconds of action, the Volunteers took their first lead of the game 41-40. Down but not done, Stroud's running and passing lead to a 50 yard field goal attempt. However, Ruggles’ 50-yard field goal attempt with three seconds remaining sailed wide left, setting off a celebration on the Tennessee sideline.
“That probably was the most fun game I’ve ever played in my life,” said Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud. “It just sucks it comes down like that."
“If we’re going to win these games we can’t give up those big, explosive plays,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said.
On the other sideline, “All the adversity this group’s faced during their careers, what they’ve done the last 23 months, I couldn’t be prouder of a group of individuals,” said Tennessee coach Josh Heupel.
“I trust myself, I trust my coaching and I just let it happen," Milton said.
“It’s been a fun climb," Heupel said. “The best is yet to come.” Yes, Joe Milton will see familiar faces, as Tennessee faces the QB's former team Michigan in Syracuse's Football's Final Four.
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