More NCAA FOOTBALL

More NCAA FOOTBALL

Western Kentucky 45, Southern Miss 28

BOWLING GREEN, KY.

Brandon Doughty threw for 410 yards with three touchdown passes and Western Kentucky came from behind to defeat Southern Mississippi in the Conference USA Championship Game. Doughty finished with 34 completions in 52 attempts, shaking off a first-half interception that helped put the East Division champion Hilltoppers in a 14-point first-half hole. The Hilltoppers (11-2, 8-0) trailed 21-7 at the 9:46 mark of the first half and 28-21 early in the third quarter before scoring 24 unanswered points to put the game away and claim their first C-USA championship. Western Kentucky scored on its first possession of the game on Doughty’s 5-yard touchdown pass to Antwane Grant, but the Golden Eagles (9-4, 7-1) scored 21 straight points to take a two-score lead in the second quarter.

Texas 23, No. 12 Baylor 17

WACO, TEXAS

Tyrone Swoopes threw for 151 yards with a touchdown and ran for a score in his first Texas start since the opener, and the Longhorns held on for a victory that knocked No. 12 Baylor out of Sugar Bowl contention. What was a picture-perfect day in their stadium on the banks of the Brazos was marred for the Bears (9-3, 6-3 Big 12) with their third loss in four games and an early bench-clearing scuffle with Texas (4-7, 4-5). Baylor was in line to be the Big 12’s representative in the Sugar Bowl, with the expectation that league champ Oklahoma (11-1) will get into the College Football Playoff.

Johnny Jefferson ran for 158 yards for Baylor and had enough yards to convert a fourth-and-4 with 2:31 left before he fumbled.

No. 17 Houston 24, No. 20 Temple 13

HOUSTON

Greg Ward, Jr. ran for 148 yards and two touchdowns and No. 17 Houston came through with a win over 20th-ranked Temple in the inaugural American Athletic Conference Championship game. The victory makes Houston the Group of Five representative, earning the Cougars a trip to either the Peach Bowl or Fiesta Bowl. Houston (12-1) jumped to a 17-0 lead with the help of two turnovers by Temple, one capped by a 47-yard touchdown run by Ward. Temple (10-3) had a chance to get within a touchdown early in the fourth quarter, but Jeremy Winchester knocked down a pass in the end zone and the Owls settled for a field goal that made it 24-13. They had two more chances to cut the deficit after that, but were stopped on fourth down both times.

Grambling State 49, Alcorn State 21

HOUSTON

For the second-straight year Alcorn State lifted the Southwestern Athletic Conference Football Championship Trophy at NRG Stadium after beating Grambling State. The Braves (9-3) become the first team since 2002 to repeat as SWAC champions and joined Grambling State as the only program to accomplish the feat. It marks the 11th league title for Alcorn State. Alcorn State leaned on its rushing attack as Darryan Ragsdale rushed for a championship game record 191 yards on 16 carries. The loss marked just the second time Grambling State (9-3) has fallen in the title game. Tigers quarterback Johnathan Williams did all he could to keep Grambling State in striking distance going 18-for-36 for 207 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions.

San Diego St. 27, Air Force 24

SAN DIEGO

Donny Hageman kicked a 46-yard field goal with 5:10 to go and San Diego State beat Air Force 27-24 to win the Mountain West Conference championship, the Aztecs’ first outright title since 1986. Redshirt freshman Christian Chapman threw for 203 yards and one touchdown in his first start for the Aztecs (10-3), who won their ninth straight game. SDSU could be headed for the Hawaii Bowl on Christmas Eve in Honolulu. This is their first outright title since winning the Western Athletic Conference crown in 1986. They shared the 2012 MWC championship with Boise State and Fresno State.

Associated Press