College football Week 14 highlights: FSU outlasts Louisville; Alabama upsets Georgia
Week 14 of the 2023 college football season continued Saturday with a handful of huge championship matchups, and now, it’s up to the College Football Playoff selection committee to determine which four teams will play for the chance to win a national championship.
No. 4 Florida State put together a dominant defensive performance and kept its playoff hopes alive by defeating No. 14 Louisville, 16-6, in the ACC title game.
Earlier in the day, No. 8 Alabama upset No. 1 Georgia in the SEC championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, snapping the defending champion’s 29-game winning streak. No. 7 Texas dominated No. 18 Oklahoma State by double digits in the Big 12 championship game.
With Saturday’s results, the Seminoles, Crimson Tide and Longhorns are all likely jockeying for the final two spots in the College Football Playoff. No. 3 Washington defeated No. 5 Oregon on Friday to remain undefeated and win the Pac-12, while No. 2 Michigan got a shutout win in the Big Ten title game, likely securing playoff spots for both.
Elsewhere in Las Vegas, Boise State took down UNLV in the Mountain West title game on FOX.
Here are the top moments!
No. 4 Florida State 16, No. 14 Louisville 6
Brock Glenn starts
The freshman and third-string quarterback got the start after Tate Rodemaker gave it a go in warmups, but ultimately wasn’t healthy enough to get the start.
It’s an offensive struggle
Both Florida State and Louisville struggled offensively in the first half as the two teams combined for 10 first downs and 11 punts.
Florida State kicker Ryan Fitzgerald was responsible for the only points in the first half, making a 45-yard field goal early in the second quarter.
Lawrence on the loose!
Right after Louisville kicked a field goal to tie the game in the early part of the third quarter, Florida State responded by scoring the game’s first touchdown. Lawrence Toafili broke off a 73-yard run on the Seminoles’ first play with the ball back, putting it at the Cardinals’ 2-yard line. On the next play, Toafili broke the plane, rushing for a touchdown to give Florida State a 10-3 lead.
Louisville makes a clutch play
After cutting into Florida State’s lead to make it 10-6 in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter, Louisville’s defense forced a three-and-out. It didn’t end there for the Cardinals, as a couple of members of their punt team were able to get to the Seminoles punter, bringing him down at the 12-yard line.
Louisville loses the ball
The Cardinals weren’t able to take advantage of the great field position. On third-and-9, Jack Plummer‘s pass to the end zone was intercepted by Tatum Bethune, keeping the Seminoles’ lead at 10-6.
He wants that ring!
Braden Fiske came up with two fourth-down sacks in the final minutes of the fourth quarter, pointing to his ring finger after one of them as he helped Florida State secure an ACC title.
No. 8 Alabama 27, No. 1 Georgia 24
Bulldogs out in front
Alabama went three-and-out to begin the game; Georgia fared much differently on its first possession. On the eighth play of the drive, Kendall Milton ran in a 17-yard touchdown for the Bulldogs.
Rolling along
Alabama took the lead early in the second quarter when QB Jalen Milroe hit a wide-open Jam Miller, who rumbled into the end zone for a 28-yard score.
Bama TD!
Two plays after moving the sticks on fourth down, Milroe hit WR Jermaine Burton in the back of the end zone for a 15-yard touchdown, good for a 17-7 lead headed into halftime.
Fumble!
Georgia fumbled the ball behind the line of scrimmage, and linebacker Trezman Marshall gathered the loose ball for Alabama. The Crimson Tide later got a field goal and led 20-10 with 48 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
Bulldogs pounce
Georgia’s Anthony Evans III returned a punt to the Alabama 35-yard line. Three plays later, QB Carson Beck hit WR Ladd McConkey for a 15-yard pickup. Beck executed a quarterback sneak at the goal line for the Georgia touchdown.
Bonding moment
On the ensuing possession, Milroe hooked up with WR Isaiah Bond on four passes that combined for 57 yards. Running back Roydell Williams finished off the drive for Alabama, punching in a goal-line score and giving the Crimson Tide a 27-17 lead with 5:47 remaining in the fourth quarter.
UGA gets it back
Georgia put together a 10-play drive as Milton punched in a goal-line rushing touchdown on fourth down.
Milroe ends it
Milroe pulled off a 30-yard rush and then added a 9-yard run to move the chains and ultimately end the game for Alabama.
Charge!
Boise State QB Taylen Green finished off the Broncos’ opening possession with a strong 8-yard rushing touchdown.
Rebels answer
UNLV answered with a touchdown drive of its own, as Vincent Davis Jr. notched his sixth rushing touchdown of the season with a 5-yard score to knot things up at 7-all with 6:45 left in the first quarter.
Run it in!
On the next drive, Green hooked up with WR Billy Bowens for a 43-yard gain, and RB Ashton Jeanty, the Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year, finished the drive with a 5-yard score to give Boise State a 14-7 lead headed into the second quarter.
Pick-6!
UNLV went three-and-out on its following drive, but it evened up the score at 14-all when linebacker Fred Thompkins intercepted Green and ran the ball back 47 yards to the house.
Bolting downfield
Boise State WR Austin Bolt broke free on the Broncos’ following possession, grabbing a 57-yard score on a flea flicker.
Going, going, gone!
One play after Boise State recovered a crucial fumble, Green took off for a first down and got through the crowd of defenders, roaring downfield for a 70-yard score to extend the Broncos’ lead, 28-14.
The two teams later traded field goals, and Boise State led 31-17 at halftime.
Broncos strike
Green hit TE Matthew Lauter for a 16-yard touchdown late in the third quarter, giving Boise State a 21-point lead. It tacked on a field goal in the fourth quarter to seal the win, 44-20.
No. 7 Texas 49, No. 18 Oklahoma State 21
Texas strikes first
Just four plays after forcing Oklahoma State to go three-and-out on its opening possession, Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers hit star wide receiver Adonai Mitchell for a 10-yard touchdown to put the Longhorns ahead, 7-0.
Off he goes!
On the first play of the Longhorns’ following possession, Ewers flicked a pass to wideout Xavier Worthy, who evaded multiple Cowboys defenders and thundered downfield for a monster 54-yard gain.
Trick play!
Then, Ewers found a wide-open Ja’Tavion Sanders for a 24-yard touchdown to finish out the drive and grab a 14-0 lead.
Tight window
Oklahoma State got on the board on the ensuing possession when QB Alan Bowman threw a 5-yard touchdown strike to wide receiver Brennan Presley on third-and-goal.
BIG-MAN TD ALERT!
Texas proceeded to come right back down the field and add to its lead when Ewers connected with defensive lineman T’Vondre Sweat for a 2-yard score that brought Longhorns fans to their feet. That was good for a 21-7 first-quarter lead.
On the move
Shortly after Texas defensive back Kitan Crawford intercepted Bowman, Ewers found an open Mitchell downfield, and the latter took off for a 62-yard gain.
Mean running
Two plays later, Longhorns RB CJ Baxter refused to go down, cashing in for a 10-yard score to put Texas ahead 28-7.
Boom!
Oklahoma State linebacker Nickolas Martin intercepted Ewers and ran the pick back to the Texas 3-yard line. Two plays later — and after a false start — Bowman hit WR Rashod Owens for a 7-yard touchdown to close the gap slightly, 28-14.
Blue skies ahead
Texas RB Jaydon Blue got open, and Ewers hit the speedster for an 8-yard score to extend the Longhorns’ lead, 35-14, at halftime.
With that score, Ewers tied the record for the most touchdown passes (four) in Big 12 title game history (Oklahoma‘s Baker Mayfield, 2017, and Oklahoma’s Eli Roberson, 2003). He’s the first player with four passing scores in a half in Big 12 championship game history. What’s more, Texas made history as the only Power 5 team to record 400 yards and 35 points in a single half of a conference title game over the last 20 seasons.
Running away
Texas RB Keilan Robinson avoided a pair of defenders and kept his feet in bounds, taking off for a 57-yard touchdown. The long scoring run gave the Longhorns a commanding 42-14 lead late in the third quarter.
Walk it in
Robinson ran in another touchdown early in the fourth quarter. This one was an 11-yard score to seal the win.
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