Mimms helps Sooners win another Big 12 Championship
Oklahoma wide receiver Marvin Mimms’ outstanding debut in the the Big 12 Championship Game helped the Sooners down the Iowa State Cyclones 27-21 on Saturday and win the school’s sixth consecutive conference title.
Mimms had seven reception for 101 yards and a touchdown to help Oklahoma (8-2) avenge a loss to Iowa State (8-3) in the regular season. The Sooners finished sixth in the final College Football Playoff Rankings and eighth in the latest Associated Press College Football Poll while the Cyclones finished 10th and 12th, respectively.
The former Frisco Lone Star standout caught a 16-yard reception on the final play of the first quarter then added a 45-yard touchdown reception on the first play of the second quarter to extend the Sooners lead to 14-0.
Mimms broke Texas High School Football records by posting 5,485 career receiving yards, including 2,629 yards as a senior.
Oklahoma will continue its unofficial residency at AT&T Stadium in Arlington by playing Florida (8-3) in the Cotton Bowl at 7 p.m., Dec. 30 on ESPN.
Trask gives ‘Bama biggest challenge of season
Florida senior quarterback Kyle Trask did what no other quarterback has done this season, make Alabama Crimson Tide fans a little nervous in a 52-46 loss in the Southeastern Conference Championship Game.
Trask threw for 408 yards and three touchdowns on 26 of 40 pass attempts as Florida (8-3) finished seventh in the final College Football Playoff Rankings and 10th in the latest Associated Press College Football Poll. Alabama (11-0) finished first in both rankings.
The Manvel alum had a one-yard touchdown run in the second quarter and capped the scoring with a 22-yard passing touchdown to Kyle Pitts with 2 minutes, 7 seconds remaining.
Trask helped Manvel to an 11-3 record as a senior and a berth in the Class 6A, Division II Area Quarterfinals.
Trask and the Gators take on Oklahoma (8-2) in the Cotton Bowl at 7 p.m., Dec. 30 on ESPN.
Joseph stand out in Big 10 Title Game
Redshirt freshman Brandon Joseph led Northwestern’s defensive effort in a 22-10 loss to Ohio State in the Big 10 Championship Game on Saturday.
Joseph hauled in his national-best sixth interception of the year for Northwestern (6-2). Ohio State (6-0) not only won the Big 10, but clinched a spot as the No. 3 seed in the College Football Playoff and is also ranked third in the latest Associated Press College Football Poll.
The former College Station standout intercepted a Buckeye pass late in the second half in the end zone to help the Wildcats take possible points of the board. Northwestern were the first team to keep Ohio State out of the end zone in the first half.
Joseph finished with five total tackles, a pass breakup and a quarterback hurry.
He posted 95 tackles, 10 pass breakups and five interceptions as a senior at College Station.
Northwestern will play Auburn (6-4) in the Citrus Bowl on Jan. 1.
Starkel helps Spartans to historic win
Graduate transfer quarterback Nick Starkel led the San Jose State Spartans to their first conference title in 29 years after beating the Boise State Broncos 34-20 in the Mountain West Championship Game.
The former Argyle Liberty Christian star earned Offensive Most Valuable Player honors after throwing for 453 yards and a touchdown on 32 of 52 pass attempts. His one-yard touchdown toss iced the game with 3 minutes, 48 seconds remaining.
San Jose State (7-0) finished the regulars season ranked 22nd in the latest College Football Playoff rankings and 19th in the latest Associated Press College Football Poll after beating Boise State (5-2).
Starkel played for Texas A&M from 2016-18, transferred to Arkansas for thee2019 season and then came to San Jose. He passed for 4,745 yards and 48 touchdowns in three varsity season at Liberty Christian.
San Jose State will play Ball State (6-1), out of the Mid-American Conference, in the Arizona Bowl at 11 a.m. on Dec. 31 on CBS.
McKinley III helps Ducks win back-to-back Pac 12 titles
Oregon may have been a Pac 12 Championship Game fill-in, but the Ducks ended up filling up their trophy thanks in part to an outstanding defensive effort by sophomore safety Verona McKinley III.
McKinley helped Oregon beat USC 31-24 on Friday to clinch its second straight conference title.
Oregon (4-2) took the spot vacated by Washington after the Huskies could not play because of COVID-19. The Ducks are ranked 25th in both the final College Football Playoff Rankings and the latest Associated Press College Football Poll after beating USC (5-1).
The Trojans finished 17th and 21st in those rankings, respectively.
The former Carrollton Hebron star finished with a team-best nine tackles against USC.
McKinley was a two-time District 5-6A first-team selection and had five interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns and 50 tackles as a senior.
Oregon will play Iowa State (8-3) in the Fiesta Bowl at 1 p.m., Jan. 2 on ESPN.
