Championship Week 2015

Results of the Championship Games

1.  Big Ten Championship: #5 Michigan State Spartans vs. #4 Iowa Hawkeyes

This game was billed as a defensive struggle and it did not depart from the script.  Neither team scored a touchdown in the first 3 quarters, relying on their field goal kickers to score points.  The Spartans took a 9-6 lead with just under a minute remaining in the 3rd quarter and hoped their defense would hold the Hawkeyes to a field goal at the most.  Iowa quarterback C.J. Beathard and wide receiver Tevaun Smith had other plans.  On the 3rd play of the ensuing Iowa drive, Beathard launched the ball 45 yards downfield where Smith was one step ahead of a trailing Spartan defender.  Smith looked the ball in, secured the catch, and sprinted the rest of the way for an 85 yard touchdown.  Iowa now lead 13-9. 

After the next two possessions resulted in punts, the Spartans got the ball back with 9:31 left on the clock.  Just like Notre Dame did against Stanford, Michigan State began a "textbook" 4th quarter drive, where the offense tries to score a touchdown while simultaneously taking as much time off the clock as possible.  However, Notre Dame's drive cannot stand up to Michigan State's truly awe-inspiring drive.  By the time the Spartans reached the Iowa 13 yard line they had converted 3 critical 3rd downs while using over 6 minutes of the clock on 15 plays! (Mind you, an average drive only lasts about 9 or 10 plays.)  

Michigan State running back L.J. Scott had already run the ball 8 times on the drive but he refused to take a breather on the sideline, knowing his team needed him.  However, the Iowa defense stiffened and soon the Spartans were staring at a 4th and 2 and elimination from playoff consideration.  In an attempt to catch the Iowa defense off-guard, Head Coach Mark Dantonio agreed with his offensive coordinator Jim Bollman to have quarterback Connor Cook run the ball instead of Scott.  Cook caught the shotgun snap, dashed to the left and got tackled just as he got the 1st down at the Iowa 3 yard line.  Most defenses would be unable to stop a running back from scoring a touchdown inside the 5 yard line, but Iowa defenders had the determination to have a chance.  Scott ran up the middle on 1st down and was stopped at the 1 yard line.  He ran to the left on 2nd down and was stopped at the 1.  Spartans fans were on their feet but began to wonder if the Iowa defense would deny them  a playoff bid by defending 36 inches of turf.  On 3rd down, L.J. Scott ran to the right but was stood up by two Iowa linebackers at the 1 yard line.  But Scott refused to go down.  He somehow turned around and reached the ball across the goal line for an extremely hard-fought touchdown.  

After this 22 play drive, the longest drive in the entire season, only 27 seconds remained.  That can be considered a lot of time after what Stanford pulled off against Notre Dame, but Michigan State's defense is a lot less porous than Notre Dame's.  The Spartans forced a fumble and were soon celebrating a huge win and a spot in the College Football Playoffs.

Final Score: Michigan State 16 Iowa 13

2.  American Conference Championship: #22 Temple Owls @ #19 Houston Cougars

The MVP of this game was undoubtedly Houston quarterback Greg Ward Jr.  He torched the best defense in the American conference for 148 yards rushing and 2 touchdowns.  The threat of Ward throwing the ball opened up running lanes for him, especially on a key 47 yard TD run in the 2nd quarter.  Temple quarterback P.J. Walker tried to will his team back into the game in the 4th quarter, but the Houston defense was too strong for the Owls to overcome.  Houston Head Coach Tom Herman was doused by not one but two containers of Gatorade as time expired.  Excessive dousing?  No way! Houston players knew they had just locked up a spot in the Peach Bowl, their first-ever appearance in a top-tier bowl game.  They will face the Florida State Seminoles, a team that outmatches the Cougars in terms of talent.  However, I have to believe that Houston has enough heart to make up for it.

Final Score: Houston 24 Temple 13

3.  ACC Championship: #1 Clemson Tigers vs. #10 North Carolina Tar Heels:

Similar to how Clemson started in their last big game against Florida State, the Tigers got off to a slow start in the 1st half, but then pulled away in the 3rd quarter.  Clemson had a slim 21-16 lead at halftime, but the Tigers would double their score in the next 20 minutes of play due to the passing and rushing talents of Tigers quarterback Deshaun Watson and the speedy feet of running back Wayne Gallman.  

However, the Tar Heels led by senior quarterback Marquise Williams were not done scoring either.  North Carolina scored a touchdown before and after a 4th quarter Clemson field goal.  The Tar Heels scored the 2nd touchdown with only a minute to go to pull within 8.  Since they were within one score, North Carolina Head Coach Larry Fedora called for an onside kick.  The kick was perfect: it bounced off the hands of a Clemson player and was recovered by North Carolina.  The Tar Heels were still alive.  But wait!!  North Carolina was flagged for being offsides, necessitating a re-kick.  Unfortunately for the officials, later replays showed the Tar Heels were clearly NOT offsides.  Clemson would recover the 2nd kick and run out the clock for the win.  I think that Clemson was the better team, but that blown call is inexcusable, especially after the blunder earlier in the year by ACC officials in the Miami-Duke game.  

Final Score: Clemson 45 North Carolina 37