Dominic DeLuca and Tony Rojas returned interceptions for touchdowns and Penn State toyed with mistake-prone SMU in a 38-10 victory on Saturday within the opening spherical of the School Soccer Playoff.
The sixth-seeded Nittany Lions (12-2) superior to face third-seeded Boise State within the Fiesta Bowl on New Yr’s Eve by hounding Mustangs quarterback Kevin Jennings into three turnovers, together with a pair of ill-thrown floaters within the first half DeLuca and Rojas transformed into pick-sixes that despatched the white-out crowd at wintry Beaver Stadium right into a frenzy and SMU (11-3) right into a funk from which they by no means recovered.
Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen ran for scores for the Nittany Lions. Drew Allar accomplished 13 of twenty-two passes for 127 yards whereas enjoying each significant snap after backup Beau Pribula – who sometimes and successfully spelled Allar all year long – entered the switch portal earlier this week.
Jennings, whose electrifying play fueled SMU’s undefeated regular-season dash via the ACC, completed 20 of 36 for 195 yards with a late landing and three picks. He started the day by lacking a wide-open tight finish Matthew Hibner on the objective line to finish the Mustangs’ promising opening possession, and issues solely acquired worse from there.
No 5 Texas 38, No 12 Clemson 24
Jaydon Blue ran 146 yards and two touchdowns, the final a 77-yard burst within the fourth quarter, and Texas beat Clemson within the first spherical of the expanded School Soccer Playoff.
Blue’s fourth-quarter landing got here after Clemson rallied from down 31-10 to 31-24 on Cade Klubnik’s third landing cross.
Texas (12-2) superior to the 1 January Peach bowl to play Huge 12 champion Arizona State.
Blue additionally scored on 38-yard cut-and-dash burst within the second quarter. On his second, he dove into the road, shook a tackler, after which outraced three extra to the tip zone with simply 11 minutes left.
Quintrevion Wisner added 110 yards speeding and two first-half touchdowns for Texas. Quinn Ewers handed for 202 yards and a landing.
No 8 Ohio State 42, No 9 Tennessee 17
Will Howard threw two landing passes to freshman Jeremiah Smith and Ohio State routed Tennessee n a first-round School Soccer Playoff sport, organising a New Yr’s Day rematch with No 1 Oregon on the Rose Bowl.
Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson rushed for 2 touchdowns apiece because the Buckeyes (11-2) gave their followers an early Christmas current that ought to quiet a few of the outcry following the devastating fourth straight loss to Michigan three weeks in the past.
Howard completed 24 for 29 for 311 yards, his second 300-yard sport of the season. Smith had six catches for 103 yards, the sixth freshman to have over 100 receiving yards in a CFP sport.
Eighth-seeded Ohio State scored on their first three drives whereas forcing three straight Tennessee punts. The ninth-seeded Vols (10-3) lastly acquired on the board with a second-quarter subject objective and landing however couldn’t generate something within the second half till getting a meaningless landing late within the sport.
Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava was 14 for 31 for 104 yards and rushed a career-high 20 instances for 47 extra.
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