COLLEGE FOOTBALL CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS

It was the second time around for Oklahoma and Clemson, and both responded with conference championships Saturday after the streaking 10th-ranked Sooners avenged the early-season loss at 6th-ranked Iowa State, and the 3rd-ranked Tigers did the same by handily turning back the 2nd-ranked, unbeaten Notre Dame this time.

The 27-21 win was the 6th consecutive Big12 Conference championship for Oklahoma and the seventh straight win after back-to-back early defeats to Iowa State and Kansas State. For Clemson, it had its All-America quarterback Trevor Lawrence back after he missed the previous contest at Notre Dame, and he showed the way through the air and on the ground in the 34-10 shellacking applied to the Fighting Irish that brought the Atlantic Coast Conference title

Now there it’s down to five teams that remain undefeated after the weekend of surprises in the nine conference championships decided.

On Friday night, down went previouslyunbeatens Southern California and Buffalo. On the Saturday menu that began at noonand wound down with top-ranked, undefeated Alabama holding off the challenge of 9th-ranked Florida  52-46, for the Southeastern Conference title, and 8th-ranked, and unbeaten Cincinnati having a tough test before disposing of 23th-ranked Tulsa, 27-24, in the clash for the American Athletic Conference title.

It was noon kickoffs for Oklahoma and Ohio State, but while the Wildcats hung tough before a late Buckeye run, it was the Soonersscoring on their first possession, going up 21-7 at halftime, and then holding off a late surge by the Cyclones by coming up with their third interception and then taking the knee twice before celebrating.

True Oklahoma freshman quarterback Spencer Rattler continued to be calm and cool by passing for 272 yards and a TD, while carrying the ball seven times for 63 yards and a touchdown. And no interceptions, that belonged to Cyclones QB Brad Purty, who was picked off three times.

Rattler, the fourth different Sooner quarterback to win the Big12 championship in the same number of years, was 22-for-34 through the air. Purty 27-for-40 and 322 yards. Iowa State running back Breece Hall carried 23 times for 79 yards and two touchdowns, while Oklahoma back running back Rhamondre Stevenson picked up 97 yards on 18 tugs

Top receiver for Oklahoma was freshman Marvin Mims with 101 yards on seven receptions, and for Iowa State, Xavier Hutchinson reeled in 10 throws for 114 yards. For the Sooners, Tre Brown was also key with a pair of long kickoff returns and the final interception.

Both the Sooners (8-2) and Buckeyes (6-0) were favored, as was Boise State, which lost to undefeated, 23rd-ranked San Jose State, 34-20, which won its first-ever conference title by hoisting the Mountain West trophy (or any other) conference since the year 1925, and that totals 95 years.

In the Clemson-Notre Dame rematch, the Tigers, with Lawrence back, handily avenged that earlier setback by disposing of Notre Dame behind a fast start for their ninth win in 10 outings for 3rd-ranked Clemson, its sixth ACC title, and Lawrence showed the way through the air and along the ground. He threw for a pair of touchdowns and ran in one himself.

And so, those still with unblemished records are the Alabama Crimson Tide, the Ohio State Buckeyes, the Cincinnati Bearcats, the San Jose Spartans, and the Coast Carolina Chanticleers, which had its scheduled Saturday Sun Belt Conference championship versus Louisiana-Lafayette at homecancelled because of COVID-19 issues. The Ragin‘ Cajuns, ranked 21st, were disappointed because the only game they lost came against the visiting Chanticleers, 33-30, in the second game of the season.

Now comes the updated rankings. Bama no doubt remains No.1, Notre Dame could fall from No. 2 to 4 or 5, No. 3 Clemson will probably become No. 2, Ohio State still No. 4, Cincinnati from 9th to maybe 7th, Florida from 9th to perhaps 10th, Oklahoma passing No. 6 Iowa State could move down from No. 10 to No. 6, and Texas A & M holding on to No. 5 after turning back Tennessee, on Saturday. With Buffalo losing, San Jose State might crack the top 20.

But after the College Football Playoffs Final Four was announced Sunday afternoon, it’s officially now Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State and Notre Dame, with the semifinals matching the Crimson Tide with the Fighting Irish and the Buckeyes paired with the Tigers. Except that the Rose Bowl played in Los Angeles won’t be there this time, having relocated to AT & T Stadium in Arlington, Tex., because of California not allowing fans in the stands at the Rose Bowl, with the emphasis on the parents, and the other semis at the Sugar Bowl played at the New OrleansSuperdome.

Behind these four and ranked No. 5 is Texas A & M, with Oklahoma 6th, Cincinnati 7th, Coastal Carolina 8th, Florida 9th and Georgia 10th. Iowa State went from 6th-ranked to 11th, San Jose State advanced from 23rd to 18th, Southern Cal dropped from 13th to 22nd, Marshall tumbled from 19th to 25th, Buffalo dropped from the rankings, and Oregon slipped in as No. 20.

Friday, 13th-ranked USC was only favored by 3 points as unranked Oregon (4-2) took the place of PAC12 North Division winner Washington, which scratched with COVID-19 issues, and the Ducks made it worth the while via the 31-24 win at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. In two other surprises, Marshall lost at its Huntington, W. Va., field as University of Alabama Birmingham carted off a 31-17 success to win the Conference USA title. Then there was Buffalo falling to Ball State, 38-28, for the Mid-Atlantic Conference championship at Ford Field in Detroit.

All three winners were underdogs, Oregon by 3, USC also by 3, and UAB by 4 and a half points. Hopefully, the remaining bowl games will be played after 11 have already beencancelled due to the Coronavirus Pandemic.