SAN ANTONIO (AP) -The championship dream finally died for No. 1 Missouri.
The No. 9 Sooners rushed for three touchdowns, quarterback Sam Bradford threw for two more and Oklahoma (11-2) coolly captured its fifth Big 12 title since 2000 by upending the upstart Tigers 38-17 Saturday night in the conference championship game in the Alamodome.
Now that the Tigers (11-2) are out of the Bowl Championship Series title game, the question is “Who’s in?”
With No. 1 Missouri and No. 2 West Virginia both losing Saturday, No. 3 Ohio State gets a boost into the Jan. 7 title game in New Orleans. Sunday’s BCS rankings will decide what opponent gets an unexpected chance to play for the national championship.
The Sooners contained the Tigers’ Heisman Trophy hopeful quarterback Chase Daniel, who completed 23 of 39 passes for 219 yards and an interception and three times forced one of the nation’s best offenses to settle for short field goals instead of touchdowns.
Pittsburgh 13, No. 2 West Virginia 9
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) – The curse of No. 2 claimed another victim. In a season defined by upsets, Pittsburgh came up with an enormous one, beating the Mountaineers to throw another curveball at the BCS.
For the seventh time this season, the No. 2 team lost. Six times, it has lost to an unranked team.
West Virginia (10-2), a four-touchdown favorite, couldn’t muster any offense, especially after the Mountaineers lost Heisman Trophy contender Pat White to a dislocated thumb in the second quarter. White tried to play in the fourth quarter, but he couldn’t conjure a comeback.
They squandered two scoring opportunities in the first quarter, missing short field goals and finished with only 183 yards. West Virginia came in averaging 310 yards rushing and 42 points.
LeSean McCoy was the star for Pittsburgh (5-7). The freshman ran for 148 yards on a tough 38 carries.
No. 5 LSU 21, No. 14 Tennessee 14
ATLANTA (AP) – Assured by Les Miles he would stay as LSU’s coach, the Tigers shifted their full attention to Tennessee. The result was a 21-14 victory in the Southeastern Conference championship game – and a fighting chance to play for the national title.
Jonathan Zenon scored on an 18-yard interception return with 9:54 left to put LSU (11-2) ahead, then Darry Beckwith picked off another pass by Erik Ainge deep in Tigers territory to seal it.
Tigers quarterback Ryan Perrilloux was the MVP of the game, though Ainge certainly played an equally significant role with his ill-timed tosses. The win sent LSU home with a spot in the Sugar Bowl at worst.
No. 6 Virginia Tech 30, No. 12 Boston College 16
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) – Virginia Tech ‘s two-quarterback system worked to perfection on one drive, just enough to get the Hokies to the Orange Bowl.
Sean Glennon threw three touchdown passes, Tech’s defense finally stopped Matt Ryan and the sixth-ranked Hokies beat No. 12 Boston College for the Atlantic Coast Conference title.
Taylor gained 31 yards on a quarterback draw, then Glennon capped an 84-yard drive with a 24-yard strike to Eddie Royal with 7:12 remaining.
Vince Hall intercepted Ryan’s fourth-down, desperation pass near the goal line with 2:16 to play. The Eagles (10-3) forced a punt, but Ryan threw another pick. Xavier Adibi returned it 40 yards for a score with 11 seconds to play.
No. 8 USC 24, UCLA 7
LOS ANGELES (AP) – John David Booty passed for 206 yards and one touchdown, USC rushed for another 231 yards, and the Trojans beat the Bruins to assure themselves a spot in the Rose Bowl.
The Trojans (10-2, 7-2 Pac-10) won their final four regular-season games to earn an unprecedented sixth consecutive conference championship. It also gives them their third consecutive Rose Bowl berth and a sixth appearance in a BCS bowl.
USC has a 25-1 record in regular-season games played in November and December since coach Pete Carroll was hired in 2001. The only loss was a 13-9 setback to UCLA last year, snapping the Trojans’ seven-game winning streak against their crosstown rivals.
The Trojans certainly gained a measure of revenge in this game – their fifth straight triumph over UCLA at the Los Angeles Coliseum, where they’ve won 38 of their last 39 games. USC has outscored the Bruins 181-55 in those five games.
No. 13 Arizona State 20, Arizona 17
TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) – Arizona State wanted to go to the Rose Bowl. Now, the Sun Devils would be happy to make the short trip to a different Bowl Championship Series game.
Rudy Carpenter threw for 247 yards and two touchdowns, and Arizona State (10-2, 7-2 Pac-10) kept its Fiesta Bowl hopes alive with a victory over the Wildcats, its third straight Territorial Cup victory.
Arizona quarterback Willie Tuitama turned the ball over three times – twice on interceptions and once on a fumble. He completed 28 of 52 passes for 272 yards and two touchdowns.
Arizona (5-7, 4-5) will sit out the postseason for the ninth straight year, the longest bowl drought in the Pac-10.
Oregon State 38, No. 18 Oregon 31, 2OT
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) – Freshman wide receiver James Rodgers ran 25 yards around end for the go-ahead touchdown, and the Oregon State defense stuffed No. 18 Oregon on fourth down.
The two teams matched field goals in the first extra session before Rodgers broke free on the first play of the second overtime. Oregon (8-4, 5-4 Pac-10) was faced with fourth-and-1 from the 16 when it got a chance to answer, but tailback Jonathan Stewart was stopped for a loss on a run up the middle.
The Beavers (8-4, 6-3) spilled onto the field to celebrate their victory in the 111th Civil War, giving a big lift to their bowl resume with their third straight win. It was the first time a road team had won the rivalry game since 1996.
Oregon cornerback Walter Thurmond blocked a 35-yard field goal attempt by Oregon State’s Alexis Serna with 1:09 left to play, and Ducks kicker Matt Evensen missed from 53 yards with 46 seconds on the clock.
No. 21 Brigham Young 48, San Diego St. 27
SAN DIEGO (AP) – Freshman Harvey Unga ran for 161 yards and scored four touchdowns.
Unga scored on runs of 1, 7 and 3 yards, and caught an 8-yard TD pass from Max Hall as the Cougars (10-2, 8-0 Mountain West) completed the regular season with their ninth straight win.
Winners of 16 consecutive conference games, the Cougars await their bowl fate. It appears likely that they will play in the Las Vegas Bowl, which can select any Mountain West team.
BYU, which clinched the outright conference title last week with win at Utah, rushed for 311 yards in a game that was postponed from Oct. 27 due to wildfires in San Diego. Fui Vakapuna added 97 yards on 14 carries as BYU gained 538 yards in total offense.
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