UNDATED (AP) — Alabama has a chance to repeat, while Georgia will have a chance for revenge in the College Football Playoff national championship on Jan. 10 in Indianapolis.
The Crimson Tide and the Bulldogs rolled to easy semifinal wins over Cincinnati and Michigan to set up a rematch of the Southeastern Conference title game back in early December. Alabama won that one, humbling Georgia 41-24. Still, the last two title games that have been regular-season rematches have seen the team that lost the first game come out on top.
Here’s a recap of the semifinal games:
— Nakobe Dean led an angry Georgia defense, and the third-ranked Bulldogs returned to their dominant ways, beating No. 2 Michigan 34-11 in the Orange Bowl. Stetson Bennett threw two touchdown passes, as Georgia became the first team in the eight-year history of the CFP to score on each of its first five possessions and led 27-3 at halftime. The Wolverines had rolled to their first Big Ten championship since 2004 without trailing by as many as seven points this season.
— Alabama smothered Cincinnati’s offense and beat the Bearcats 27-6 in the Cotton Bowl. Brian Robinson ran for a career-high 204 yards, while Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young threw three touchdowns for the Crimson Tide. The Bearcats had been undefeated and were the first non-Power Five team to make the four-team College Football Playoff.
Hartman leads No. 20 Wake Forest to 38-10 romp in Gator Bowl
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Sam Hartman tossed three touchdown passes, two of them to tight end Brandon Chapman, and No. 20 Wake Forest dominated Rutgers 38-10 in the Gator Bowl.
The Demon Deacons scored on their first three drives and opened up a double-digit lead just before halftime. The game played out about as expected as Rutgers was a late replacement for 23rd-ranked Texas A&M.
In other college bowl action:
— Late replacement Central Michigan pull out a 24-21 victory over Washington State in the Sun Bowl. Lew Nichols III ran for 130 yards and a touchdown to lead the Chippewas, who ended a five-game bowl losing streak.
