HOUSTON (AP) — Michigan’s climb back to the summit of college football ended with its 34-13 win over Washington in the College Football Playoff championship game on Monday night.

Next, the Wolverines and their fans wait and see if Jim Harbaugh stays or goes.

Harbaugh, as he did during the lead-up to the championship, deflected all questions about his future an hour after the game, but decision time is drawing near as NFL franchises begin or consider searching for new coaches.

“I just want to enjoy this. I hope you give me that. Can a guy have that?” Harbaugh said. “Does it always have to be, ‘What’s next, what’s the future?’”

Harbaugh looked into NFL jobs the last two years before deciding to stay at Michigan. It’s possible he won’t this time, especially with the school facing possible NCAA sanctions for recruiting violations and the sign-stealing scandal that hung over the team all season.

There is also the question of what’s left to accomplish at Michigan for the 60-year-old Harbaugh. The “Michigan Man” did what he set out to do when he left the San Francisco 49ers in 2014 to return to Ann Arbor, where his father was an assistant under Bo Schembechler and where he was a star quarterback in the mid-1980s.

Harbaugh took over a proud program humbled under Rich Rodriguez and Brady Hoke and has gone 89-25 over nine years, six with at least 10 wins. His only losing record came during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.

The last three years mark one of the most dominant periods in the history of the only program to win more than 1,000 games. The Wolverines have gone 40-3, won three straight Big Ten championships, made three consecutive playoff appearances and now are national champions. Harbaugh’s father, Jack, and NFL coach brother John watched his moment of triumph inside NRG Stadium.

Harbaugh did divulge one of his future plans after the game. He said he would make good on his promise to get a tattoo saying “15-0” if the Wolverines had a perfect season.

“I’m going to put it on my shoulder — I don’t know if it’s my left or right yet,” he said. “I’m a right-handed quarterback. I’ll probably get it on my right. And then an ‘M’ that’s a maize and blue ‘M.’ Also that signifies a thousand in Roman numerals. Can’t tell you what that means to us, too, that we reached 1,000 wins this year.”

The Wolverines’ 28 wins over the last two years are the most over back-to-back seasons in program history.

Michigan has said it wants to retain Harbaugh, but the coach put off contract talks, perhaps a sign he wants to entertain NFL offers.

As great a season as it was, the road to 15-0 was bumpy. Harbaugh served a school-imposed, three-game suspension to start the season for the alleged recruiting violations during the pandemic. He also was suspended for the last three regular-season games for violating the Big Ten sportsmanship policy in connection to the sign-stealing scheme blamed on a staffer who resigned during the season.

Harbaugh said the championship victory was glorious.

“We stood strong and tall because we knew we were innocent,” Harbaugh said. “It went exactly how we wanted it to go. It went exactly how we wanted it to go.”

Michigan fourth-year defensive end Braiden McGregor said Harbaugh is always helpful and happy for players who decide to pursue an NFL career.

“So I think that’s the same way we should feel about him,” McGregor said before the game. “If that is his decision at the end of the day or he does get a job, happy for him, hopefully he can go win a Super Bowl. But if he comes back, happy that he comes back, let’s try to win another natty.”

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HOUSTON (AP) — Jim Harbaugh raised the championship trophy as gold and white confetti sprayed over his team and “We Are the Champions” blared.

Nine years after he took over at Michigan, Harbaugh delivered on the lofty expectations he brought with him to his beloved alma mater.

Blake Corum ran for 134 yards and two fourth-quarter touchdowns as Harbaugh and the top-ranked Wolverines — undeterred by suspensions and a sign-stealing case that shadowed the program — completed a three-year surge to a national title by beating No. 2 Washington 34-13 Monday night in the College Football Playoff.

“We’re innocent and we stood strong and tall because we knew we were innocent. And I’d like to point that out,” Harbaugh said when asked about off-field issues, jumping in to answer a question posed to his players. “And these guys are innocent. And overcome that? It wasn’t that hard because we knew we were innocent.

“(The season) went exactly how we wanted it to go. It went exactly how we wanted it to go.”

The Wolverines (15-0) sealed their first national title since 1997 when Corum, who scored the winning touchdown in overtime against Alabama in the Rose Bowl, blasted in from the 1-yard line with 3:37 left to put Michigan up by 21 and set off another rousing rendition of “The Victors” from the band.

After a third consecutive playoff appearance, Harbaugh won the championship so many expected when he took over a struggling powerhouse in 2015 — despite missing six regular-season games this season while serving two suspensions.

“That man, he’s the reason we’re here today,” Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy said of his coach.

And Harbaugh did it with a team his old coach, Bo Schembechler, would have adored. The Wolverines ran for 303 yards against Washington (14-1), and their rugged defense held Michael Penix Jr. and the Huskies’ prolific passing game to just one touchdown while intercepting the Heisman Trophy runner-up twice.

“There are more than 100 Michigan men who are on this team,” Harbaugh said. “What they’ve done is amazing. They will forever be known as national champions.”

Penix’s remarkable six-year college career ended with maybe his worst performance of the season. Usually unfazed by pressure, Penix was not nearly as precise against a Michigan defense that took away his signature deep throws.

“That was a spectacular game by our defense,” Harbaugh said.

The Indiana transfer who came back from two knee surgeries and two shoulder injuries was roughed up by the Wolverines, limping at times, stepped on another time.

Asked how he was feeling, Penix said, still undaunted: “Better than I was three years ago.”

Penix finished 27 for 51 for 255 yards and a touchdown as the Huskies had their 21-game winning streak snapped.

“They’ve given me everything they possible can,” coach Kalen DeBoer said of a group of players who went 4-8 just two seasons ago and 25-3 since he took over in 2022.

McCarthy had a modest game, throwing for 140 yards and running for 31. But it was enough for him to improve to 27-1 as a starter for the Wolverines.

Michigan gave Washington a taste of life in the Big Ten, where the Pac-12 champions are heading next season, and the Huskies were up for the grind for a while.

Two long touchdown runs by Donovan Edwards and 229 yards rushing in the first quarter put the Wolverines up 17-3 early in the second and conjured up memories of last year’s historic Georgia blowout of TCU.

Washington stabilized and didn’t allow the Wolverines another point in the first half. After the Huskies stopped Michigan on a fourth-and-2 from the UW 38 with 4:46 left in the second quarter, Penix went to work.

He found Jalen McMillan on a fourth-and-goal with 42 seconds left for a 3-yard touchdown. After being on the verge of getting buried by the Wolverines, the Huskies fans sang along to “Who Let the Dogs Out,” happily down only 17-10 at half.

Will Johnson’s interception of Penix on the first play of the second half gave Michigan another opportunity to open up a two-touchdown lead, but the Huskies forced a field goal by James Turner to make it 20-10.

“Today was a complete, complete team effort,” Corum said.

Michigan nursed a touchdown lead until halfway through the fourth quarter, when it put together a 71-yard drive, capped by Corum’s tackle-breaking 12-yard touchdown that finally gave the Wolverines some room with a 27-13 lead and 7:09 left.

Corum, the engine of the ground-and-pound offense and heart and soul of a team loaded with fourth-, fifth- and even sixth-year players, missed the CFP last year with a knee injury. He was named offensive player of the final national title game in before the College Football Playoff expands from four teams to 12 next season.

“Michigan, this is for you,” Corum told the Wolverines fans.

Michigan seemed to be steaming toward a third consecutive Big Ten championship when in October it was revealed the NCAA was investigating the program for potentially breaking rules that prohibit in-person scouting of opponents and using video equipment to attempt to decode opponents’ play signals.

The scandal turned Connor Stalions, the low-level Michigan recruiting staffer accused of orchestrating the scheme, into a household name and threatened to derail the Wolverines’ season.

The NCAA process will linger well into 2024 and it is unknown what penalties Michigan could face. The Big Ten, though, decided to act quickly and punished Michigan by suspending Harbaugh for the final three games of the regular season, including matchups with Penn State and rival Ohio State.

With offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore taking Harbaugh’s place, it became Michigan vs. Everybody and nobody could stop the Wolverines.

Harbaugh returned for the postseason, completed the mission and got to celebrate with his 84-year-old father, Jack — himself a former college football coach — as he accepted the trophy.

Michigan became the first college football program to record 1,000 victories when it beat Maryland in November and won its third national title in January.

“Who has it better than us?” Jack Harbaugh asked the fans during the trophy ceremony. They replied with a boisterous: “Nobody!”

Now the question is whether Harbaugh has coached the team he once quarterbacked for the last time, with the NFL seemingly beckoning again.

Harbaugh said it felt good to no longer be the only coach in the family without a national championship. His father won a Division I-AA title with Western Kentucky and brother John won a Super Bowl with the Baltimore Ravens by beating Jim’s San Francisco 49ers 11 years ago.

“I can now sit at the big person’s table in the family,” Harbaugh said.

As for what’s next?

“I just want to enjoy this,” he said. “I hope you give me that. Can I have that? Does it always have to be what’s next, what’s the future?”

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Willie Simmons, former head football coach at Florida A&M University, accepted the offer to become the running backs coach at Duke University, joining head coach Manny Diaz’s staff. Simmons was head coach at FAMU for five seasons and finished with a 43-13 record. The FAMU athletic director, Tiffany Dawn-Sykes, announced Assistant Head Coach, James Colzie III will serve as interim during the search for a new one.

Simmons guided FAMU during their transition from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) to the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) during his five years in Tallahassee. Additionally, Simmons transformed FAMU into a powerhouse not only in recruiting but a top destination for athletes departing Power Five schools via the transfer portal. 

Florida A&M Rattlers All-Americans Isaiah Land (linebacker), Xavier Smith (wide receiver), and Markquese Bell (safety) were on NFL rosters at the start of the 2023 season. Bell currently plays for the Dallas Cowboys. Land currently plays for the Indianapolis Colts and Smith signed with the Los Angeles Rams as an undrafted free agent.

Here is the statement issued from Florida A&M President, Dr. Larry Robinson:

“I want to thank Coach Willie Simmons for his leadership of our football program over the last six years. He has proven himself to be a champion for our players in the classroom, the community, and on the gridiron. The highlight of his tenure was the 2023 Celebration Bowl victory over Howard University and the HBCU National Championship. 2023 was one of the best years in the history of FAMU, and our athletic program, with football leading the way, contributing to an outstanding year of accomplishments. We wish Coach Simmons and his family well as they move on.

VP/AD Tiffani Sykes has identified James Colzie, III, as the interim head coach and declared that the search for FAMU’s next football coach will begin immediately. I want to thank all of the FAMUly, including the FAMU National Alumni Association, the Rattler Boosters, the National Rattler F Club, Alpha Xi Gives, First Strike, the FAMU Foundation, and several individuals who contributed to helping us match or exceed the salary offer that was extended to Coach Simmons.”

Simmons and Diaz have a longstanding relationship. The two men coached over a decade ago at Middle Tennessee State from 2007 to 2009. Diaz was the defensive coordinator and Simmons was the running backs coach.

According to Steven Gaither at HBCU GameDay, Florida A&M made a counteroffer to Simmons, and the FAMU Alumni Association raised more than $138K in funds to support the assistant coaches.

Upon his departure, Simmons released a statement via social media. It reads in part:

“I would like to start off by wishing everyone a Happy New Year from my wife Shaia and me. 2023 was a year for the ages for Florida A&M University and the Rattlers Football Team. Bringing a SWAC Championship and an undisputed HBCU National Championship and Celebration Bowl trophy back to the Highest of Seven Hills has truly been one of the highlights of my 18-year collegiate coaching career. 

I came to FAMU in 2018 with the goal of returning Florida A&M Football to its rightful place at the top of HBCU and FCS football, and together as a FAMULY, we have done that.”

James Colzie has been involved in football for 23 years and has been part of three National Championships. He has won six conference titles and twenty Bowl games. Colzie was a starting cornerback on Florida State’s first national championship team in 1993.

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NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Michael Penix Jr. passed for 430 yards and two touchdowns, and Washington held off Texas 37-31 in the Sugar Bowl on Monday night to advance to the College Football Playoff championship game, earning both the sixth-year quarterback with two surgically repaired knees and the beleaguered Pac-12 one more game this season.

The second-ranked Huskies (14-0) will face No. 1 Michigan next Monday night in Houston, looking for their first national championship since 1991 and the Pac-12’s first since Southern California in 2004. Washington is one of 10 schools fleeing the Pac-12 for other Power Five conferences next year, with the Huskies headed to join Michigan in the Big Ten.

But first, the final season of the four-team playoff before expansion to 12 in 2024 comes down to a Pac-12-Big Ten matchup, just like the first when Ohio State beat Oregon.

“Huskie Nation stand up,” Penix told the UW crowd in the postgame trophy ceremony. “We goin’ to the natty!”

No. 3 Texas (12-2) had four shots at the end zone after getting to the UW 12 with 15 seconds left, but Quinn Ewers missed on the last three. The final throw was a fade to Adonai Mitchell that was well-covered by Elijah Jackson.

“Those guys are the most resilient guys I have ever been around,” Washington coach Kalen DeBoer said.

In Texas’ first CFP appearance and final football game as a member of the Big 12 before it goes to the Southeastern Conference, Ewers passed for 318 yards and a touchdown. But it wasn’t enough against Penix and his array of talented receivers.

“They were a second away from playing for a national championship,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said. “They should be proud of themselves. Penix got hot and (Washington) made some big plays down the field.”

Penix spent his first four college seasons at Indiana, suffering three season-ending injuries. When his former offensive coordinator at Indiana, DeBoer, took over at Washington, Penix didn’t think twice before moving to Seattle.

The left-hander stayed healthy and blossomed into a star, the Heisman Trophy runner-up this year, and now has a chance to win a national championship after another brilliant performance.

“It was the tough times. I feel like everything I’ve been through prepared me for this,” Penix said.

Penix went 29 for 38 with no turnovers. He completed 12 straight at one point, the longest on-target streak in the CFP’s 10-year history.

And he did it attacking down field as usual. He completed six passes of at least 20 yards, connecting with Rome Odunze six times for 125 yards and Ja’Lynn Polk five times for 122.

It was in some ways a perfect CFP semifinal for the last season before massive changes in college football: two teams switching conferences next season, led by star quarterbacks who transferred in.

A wild first half included a 77-yard connection with Polk on Penix’s second pass of the game, defensive tackle Byron Murphy II plunging into the end zone for a 1-yard TD run for Texas, a Penix-to-Polk TD pass where the receiver tipped the ball to himself and the Longhorns capping the second quarter with a long touchdown drive to tie it at 21-all at the intermission.

There was a fourth-and-1 stop by Texas of Washington deep in Longhorns territory, which didn’t deter DeBoer from going for a fourth-and-1 at his own UW 33, and converting.

Penix had 255 yards and five completions of over 20 yards in the first half alone, and then kept it rolling on the first drive of the second half, throwing a dart down the middle to Jalen McMillen for a 19-yard score.

Washington added two field goals by Grady Gross to take a 34-21 lead early in the fourth quarter. Holding the Huskies to field goals kept Texas in the game, and when Ewers found Adonai Mitchell, the Georgia transfer with two national titles, for a 1-yard score with 7:23 left, it was a one-possession game.

The Superdome sounded like Darrell K. Royal Stadium east, with Texas fans easily outnumbering the visitors from the Pacific Northwest.

Penix calmly went back to work, hitting Odunze over the shoulder for 32 yards down the sideline to set up a first-and-goal that led to the third field goal of the day for Gross, a former walk-on who was put on scholarship after hitting a walk-off winner in the Apple Cup.

That put Washington up 37-28 with 2:40 left, and had its purple clad fans doing its best to drown out the Longhorns with a “Let’s go Huskies!” chant.

Texas kicked a field goal with 1:09 left cut the lead to six. Washington recovered an onside kick, but couldn’t kill the clock. Texas flew down the field and had an improbable comeback in sight.

But as Washington has done all season, it came through in the clutch. The Huskies’ last nine victories have all been decided by 10 points of fewer.

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PASADENA, Calif. (AP) — Blake Corum rushed for a 17-yard touchdown on the second snap of overtime, and top-seeded Michigan advanced to its first College Football Playoff championship game with a 27-20 victory over fourth-seeded Alabama in the Rose Bowl on Monday.

Michigan’s defense ended only the second overtime game in the 110 editions of the Rose Bowl when Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe was emphatically stopped as he attempted to sneak up the middle on fourth down from the Michigan 3.

Coach Jim Harbaugh’s Wolverines (14-0) will play for their school’s first national title since 1997 against Washington or Texas on Jan. 8 in Houston, but only after a late comeback and a hair-raising finish to the Granddaddy of Them All.

Corum then needed only two snaps to score in the first overtime period, breaking tackles and spinning wildly on his second carry into the end zone.

Milroe connected with Jermaine Burton at the Michigan 3 on third-and-goal in overtime, and Alabama leaned on its quarterback’s athleticism on the final play call — but Milroe ran straight into a Michigan defense that was waiting for him. He was stopped 2 yards short of the goal line.

Jase McClellan rushed for 87 yards and two touchdowns for Alabama (12-2), which fell heartbreakingly short of the chance to play for Nick Saban’s seventh national title at the school. The Tide led 20-13 on Will Reichard’s 52-yard field goal with 4:41 to play, but their defense couldn’t preserve the lead.

The Alabama defense also couldn’t step up at key moments to stop Corum, who caught an early TD pass and then rushed for 83 yards, capped by his overtime heroics. Corum has been at Michigan for three straight appearances in the CFP, but he barely played two years ago when the Wolverines were routed by Georgia, and he was injured when they were upset by TCU last year.

McCarthy passed for 221 yards and three touchdowns for Michigan, earning the Offensive Player of the Game award. Milroe passed for 116 yards and rushed for 63 for the Tide, whose 11-game winning streak ended.

The Wolverines also survived a handful of potentially disastrous mistakes that undercut their long stretches of superiority in this matchup — including a muffed punt by Jake Thaw, who was tackled at the Michigan 1 with 43 seconds left in regulation and barely avoided what would have been one of the most spectacular safeties in football history.

Michigan is the sixth straight No. 1 seed to win its semifinal game in the CFP’s 10 years of existence — but not many have been tested the way Alabama tested the Wolverines.

Michigan is one win away from reaching the primary goal set by Harbaugh when he returned to his alma mater in 2015 after his meteoric coaching career flamed out with the 49ers. The former Wolverines quarterback was determined to restore his school to national prominence and dominance, but he won no Big Ten titles in his first six seasons amid frustration from a fan base that expected things to happen sooner.

Michigan has been elite since 2021, winning three straight conference titles and advancing to three Playoffs. The Wolverines have finally reached their sport’s biggest stage after their second consecutive unbeaten regular season.

The Wolverines’ pristine record masked a profoundly messy season bookended by two three-game suspensions for Harbaugh — the first issued preemptively by the school amid an investigation of possible recruiting violations, and the second mandated by the Big Ten over allegations of sign-stealing and in-game scouting.

Harbaugh’s players said the turmoil actually made them a better, more cohesive team. They needed every bit of that cohesion against the Tide, who were a couple of defensive stops away from their seventh trip to the Playoff final.

Michigan was the dominant team for long stretches of the first three quarters of the Rose Bowl, yet Alabama hung in impressively with big plays and just enough defensive stops.

McClellan made an untouched 34-yard TD run in the first quarter for the game’s first points. Michigan answered with a statement 75-yard drive capped by Corum’s 8-yard catch for his FBS-leading 25th TD — his first on a reception.

The Wolverines went ahead 3:49 before halftime when Tyler Morris made a catch on a short crossing route and sprinted 38 yards through Alabama’s vaunted secondary for a score — but Michigan botched the extra point snap.

Michigan’s defense recorded five sacks of Milroe and seven tackles for loss in the first half alone, but Alabama trailed just 13-10 at halftime.

McClellan put the Tide ahead 17-13 with a 3-yard TD run on the second snap of the fourth quarter. Michigan’s James Turner missed a 49-yard field goal attempt after Milroe fumbled near midfield on Alabama’s next drive, and the Tide went up by seven on Reichard’s second field goal.

Michigan finally got moving with its season on the line, starting when Corum took a 27-yard reception to midfield with 3:10 left. After Wilson moved the Wolverines to the Alabama 5 with a clutch 29-yard reception, he got wide-open for his 4-yard TD catch with 1:34 to play.

THE TAKEAWAY

Alabama: The Tide will go three straight seasons without a national title for the first time in Saban’s tenure, but there’s no reason to be embarrassed about this well-played game against an elite opponent. Saban’s program remains a gold-standard powerhouse, and it’ll likely stay that way for as long as he wants to keep coaching.

Michigan: The Wolverines have broken through the penultimate barrier in Harbaugh’s tenure with a victory that emphasized the upside of everything their coach teaches. Michigan’s infamous, hard-hitting 9-on-7 drills must have prepared it for the final defensive stand. One more step remains, but the Wolverines will be favored to win it all.

UP NEXT

Alabama: Hosts Western Kentucky on Aug. 31.

Michigan: The College Football Playoff championship game in Houston on Jan. 8.

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ATLANTA (AP) — Lane Kiffin wants Mississippi’s dominant win over Penn State to be seen as just the start of more success to come for his Rebels.

Jaxson Dart passed for 379 yards and three touchdowns, including two to tight end Caden Prieskorn, and ran for a score as No. 11 Ole Miss bullied No. 10 Penn State’s proud defense 38-25 in the Peach Bowl on Saturday.

“I really do believe we’re just getting started,” Kiffin said. “I think that we’re doing something. We’re on our way to something really special.”

Ole Miss (11-2) gained 540 yards against Penn State (10-3), which led the nation with its average of 223 yards allowed. It was the most yards and points allowed by the Nittany Lions this season.

“Too many moving parts, staff and players, to have the type of success that we wanted to have today,” said Penn State coach James Franklin, referring to the combination of players opting out to prepare for the NFL draft and recent changes to his offensive and defensive coordinators.

The victory gave Kiffin’s Rebels their first 11-win season.

Prieskorn had 10 receptions for 136 yards. He added a 2-point conversion catch to his touchdown receptions of 6 and 37 yards.

The dominant performance by Prieskorn was a surprise. Prieskorn had 20 catches, including two for touchdowns, for 313 yards in the regular season.

Dart visited the injury tent following the Rebels’ first possession and had his left ankle taped on the sideline. He remained in the game and added a 2-yard scoring run for a 38-17 lead in the fourth quarter. Ole Miss chanted “S-E-C! S-E-C!” as it celebrated the Southeastern Conference’s win in the matchup against the Big Ten’s Nittany Lions.

Ole Miss defensive tackle Zxavian Harris blocked a 51-yard field goal attempt by Alex Felkins early in the fourth quarter.

Each team used tight ends in prominent roles. Prieskorn’s 6-yard touchdown catch gave Ole Miss a 10-3 lead late in the first quarter. Penn State pulled even on Drew Allar’s 2-yard scoring pass to tight end Theo Johnson on a fourth-down play early in the second.

Prieskorn’s second scoring catch, a 37-yarder, gave Ole Miss a 20-10 lead. The Penn State defense bought in on Dart’s fake pitch to Judkins, leaving Prieskorn open on the right sideline.

2 TURNOVERS FOR ALLAR

Allar shared time at quarterback with Beau Pribula, who threw a 48-yard touchdown pass to Nicholas Singleton late in the first half.

Allar threw an interception in the second quarter and lost a fumble when sacked in the fourth. He completed 19 of 39 passes for 295 yards and two touchdowns.

PRIESKORN’S PROMISE

Kiffin said he had to check after the game to make sure some of his players including Prieskorn, who have promised to return next season, would stick with their pledge after their success in the bowl game.

Kiffin joked that Prieskorn agreed to return for his final year of eligibility in 2024 only if he would be featured in the Peach Bowl.

“He said ‘Coach, I’ll come back, but you’ve got to make sure I’ve got 10 catches in the Peach Bowl,’” Kiffin said with a smile.

THIRD-QUARTER DOMINANCE

The Rebels led 20-17 at halftime and then scored the first 18 points after halftime. Ole Miss running back Quinshon Judkins provided balance to the offense in the second half.

Judkins had 34 carries for 106 yards and added a 14-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter.

Before the bowl game, the Nittany Lions had outscored opponents 115-3 in the third quarter.

MISSING STARTERS

Each team had top defensive ends, Cedric Johnson for Ole Miss and Chop Robinson for Penn State, opt out to prepare for the draft. The Nittany Lions also were missing their usual starting cornerbacks, Johnny Dixon and Kalen King.

“When you watch their game plan, they went after some guys that had not played a lot for us this year,” Franklin said.

Said Kiffin: “They pay us a lot of money as coaches, so I would think we wouldn’t be really good coaches if we didn’t realize that and obviously go in and attack where they’re missing guys.”

THE TAKEAWAY

Ole Miss: The Rebels, who were beaten up front in their losses to Alabama and Georgia in the regular season, appeared to have similar problems with Penn State’s offensive line early in the game. The Ole Miss defense gave up 85 rushing yards in the first quarter before gaining strength. DT J.J. Pegues gained 8 yards on a fourth-and-1 run on a direct snap from the Ole Miss 36 late in the third quarter.

Penn State: The Nittany Lions gave up more than their average of 223 yards allowed by the midpoint of the second quarter. Ole Miss had 340 yards by halftime as Penn State struggled to defend Prieskorn and wide receiver Tre Harris, who had seven catches for 134 yards. Linebacker Abdul Carter left the game with an apparent right ankle injury and appeared limited when he returned in the second half.

UP NEXT

Ole Miss: The Rebels, bolstered by a top-ranked transfer portal class, open their 2024 season at home against Furman on Aug. 31.

Penn State: The Nittany Lions open their 2024 season at West Virginia on Aug. 31.

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The Clark Atlanta Panthers and Morehouse College Maroon Tigers will begin the new year on the road. Both programs will play a pair of games in Kentucky and Ohio to begin the second half of the 2023-24 season.

On Thursday, Jan. 4 Morehouse (7-4 overall) will take its undefeated conference record (5-0) to Central State University, while Clark Atlanta (7-3 overall, 1-3 conference) will look to move closer to .500 in conference play at Kentucky State University. 

On Saturday, Jan. 6 the Atlanta teams will switch opponents. Morehouse will play at Kentucky State while rival Clark Atlanta will play at Central State. 

The Panthers (2-2 on the road) lost their past two road games at Spring Hill College and Tuskegee in early December. Morehouse is 2-1 on the road this season. 

The Panthers are led in scoring and assists by graduate student Chris Martin, who is averaging 24.4 points and 2.7 assists per game. Sophomore forward Shemani Fuller (12.9 points per game) leads the team with a 6.6 rebounds per game average. Graduate student guard Andrew Stewart averages 11.3 points per game off the bench and leads the team in three-point percentage at .426%.

The Maroon Tigers largely get its scoring from a transfer, Keshawh Pegues. A transfer from Talladega College, Pegues, who has started nine of the team’s 11 games this season, is averaging 12.8 points and a team-high 6.3 rebounds per game. Freshman guard Damion Mitchell (10 points per game), is leading the team with a total of 32 assists. 

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ATLANTA (AP) — The Peach Bowl matchup of No. 10 Penn State and No. 11 Mississippi would be a good pairing in the 2024 debut of a 12-team playoff.

For now, the goal is building momentum for a run at next year’s national championship. And even without playoff drama, the showdown between the Nittany Lions’ top-ranked defense and the up-tempo Rebels offense led by quarterback Jaxson Dart help make Saturday’s game an attractive sellout.

Ole Miss (10-2) hopes to complete the first 11-win season in school history.

“It will never be forgotten, getting that 11th win, something that has never been done in program history,” said Rebels wide receiver Jordan Watkins. “It’s been a great motivating factor for us, and I think it will take a lot of momentum going into next season.”

Penn State (10-2) is making its first Peach Bowl appearance, and coach James Franklin is motivated to complete the program’s collection of New Year’s Six bowl victories.

COORDINATING MYSTERY

Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin said changes on the Penn State staff have created new worries for his plans. Former Penn State defensive coordinator Manny Diaz was hired as Duke’s head coach. Assistants Anthony Poindexter and Robb Smith are co-coordinators for the bowl game while Franklin’s hire as the 2024 coordinator, former Indiana coach Tom Allen, observes.

Andy Kotelnicki has been hired as Penn State’s new offensive coordinator, but assistants Ja’Quan Seider and Ty Howle will work in their third game as co-coordinators.

“We don’t have any idea what they’re going to do,” Kiffin said Tuesday.

OPT-OUTS

The decisions by Penn State defensive end Chop Robinson and Ole Miss defensive end Cedric Johnson to skip the game and prepare for the NFL draft were announced before the teams traveled to Atlanta. Franklin confirmed on Friday that senior cornerback Johnny Dixon is not with the team.

Franklin worked out agreements with others, including cornerback Kalen King and defensive end Adisa Isaac, who have announced draft plans or are expected to enter the draft, to stay with the team through the bowl.

REBELS WITH A PAUSE

Dart and running back Quinshon Judkins on Thursday wouldn’t commit to playing for Ole Miss in 2024.

Dart, a junior, could still enter the NFL draft. Judkins, a sophomore, could entertain interest in the transfer portal. Either decision could have a big impact on the Rebels’ outlook.

When asked Thursday if he’d made a decision about his future, Dart said “Honestly, not too worried about it right now. Just focused on the bowl game and focused on my preparation and doing my job to help put my team in the best situation to win and help make history here.”

Judkins said he is “just focused on this bowl game, just going out with my guys.”

HALL OF FAMER

A visit to the College Football Hall of Fame near Mercedes-Benz Stadium gave Penn State players a chance to appreciate the college career of Poindexter, who was inducted in 2020 for his exploits as a safety at Virginia in the late 1990s.

“It was special because I got to go with our team,” Poindexter said. “I don’t know if they really thought I could play or not. I really don’t tell them. So maybe now they’ll think I can play a little bit.”

SEC COUNTRY

Franklin, the former Vanderbilt coach, has played up the opportunity for his Big Ten team against a Southeastern Conference team.

“We’re excited we’re in SEC territory,” said Penn State running back Nicholas Singleton. “Coach Franklin always preaches about that. But we’re ready.”

The post Peach Bowl boasts playoff-caliber matchup between No. 10 Penn State and No. 11 Ole Miss appeared first on The Atlanta Voice.

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Haynes King threw a touchdown pass and ran for another score and Georgia Tech overcame a 14-point deficit to beat UCF 30-17 in the Gasparilla Bowl on Friday night.

King, who went 7 for 13 for 87 yards and ran for 89 yards on 12 carries, said the team gathered as a group after falling behind 14-0 in the first quarter.

“It was pretty much everybody,” King said. “We all came up in that huddle and we looked at each other. It was like we’ve been here before. We’re not going to press. Stick to the game plan. Trust each other. Everything else is going to take care of itself,.”

Jamal Haynes had 128 yards on 18 rushes to help Georgia Tech (7-6) to its first winning season since 2018. He became the Yellow Jackets’ first 1,000-yard runner since 2017.

Haynes, the game MVP, was moved from wide receiver to running back this year.

UCF’s John Rhys Plumlee completed 16 of 29 passes for 198 and two touchdowns. Timmy McClain replaced Plumlee, who was playing in his last collegiate game, with 4 minutes to play.

Plumlee missed three games because a leg injury and said he “felt something uncomfortable there” on a running play.

RJ Harvey picked up 120 yards on 15 carries as the Knights finished their first season in the Big 12 at 6-7.

“We didn’t play good enough to win, really the bottom line,” UCF coach Gus Malzahn said. “It was a tough night.”

Aidan Birr’s 29-yard field goal gave Georgia Tech its first lead, at 20-17, on the second-half’s first drive. Dontae Smith scored from the 1 on fourth down to make it 27-17 with 13:37 left in the fourth.

King’s five-yard TD run and 41-yard scoring toss to Malik Rutherford during the final 4 1/2 minutes of the first half tied it at 17.

UCF took a 7-0 lead just 1:23 into the game when Plumlee connected on a 23-yard touchdown pass to Jarrad Baker. He had a 17-yard TD strike to Kobe Hudson that made it 14-0 midway through the first quarter.

Baker had nine receptions for 173 yards.

TAKEAWAYS

Georgia Tech: King, a red-shirt sophomore, and LSU Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Jayden Daniels were the only players with at least 2,700 yards passing, 600 yards rushing, 25 touchdown passes and five TD runs this season.

UCF: Has to replace Plumlee but got good news with Harvey deciding to return for his fifth season next year. This was Harvey’s seventh 100-yard game of the season.

FLIPPING

Referee Cravonne Barrett mistakenly called the coin toss tails before correcting himself,

FUTURE PLANS

Plumlee, a two-sport standout, said he will make a decision on whether he will play baseball with UCF this upcoming season in a couple weeks.

The post King, Haynes help Georgia Tech overcome 14-point deficit to beat UCF 30-17 in Gasparilla Bowl appeared first on The Atlanta Voice.

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — The Georgia Bulldogs are getting ready for a bowl game, which is standard routine at this time of year.

Yet it feels so different.

After winning back-to-back national championships and holding down the No. 1 spot in the rankings for nearly the entire season, Georgia’s first loss in nearly two years cost it a spot in the College Football Playoff.

So, instead of preparing for a semifinal game in New Orleans or Pasadena and the chance to go for a third straight title, the Bulldogs (12-1) are left to settle for an Orange Bowl matchup with unbeaten Florida State that carries little significance beyond pride.

“It’s definitely not the ideal situation,” offensive tackle Earnest Greene III conceded.

But the Bulldogs insist they’re not phoning it in.

They point to an outgoing senior class that could become the winningest in school history with one more victory. They point to the chance to get a head start on another stellar campaign in 2024. And, of course, they point to a desire to get the bad taste out of their mouths from a loss to Alabama in the Southeastern Conference championship game.

That defeat knocked the Bulldogs out of the top four in the College Football Playoff rankings, costing them a chance to become the first program in the bowl era to pull off a national championship threepeat.

“The leadership on this team has been absolutely incredible because what I hear from other coaches about these type games, it’s been a nightmare for them,” coach Kirby Smart said. “It has not been a nightmare for us. We have dudes out there practicing. This is their last go-around.”

Atlantic Coast Conference champion Florida State, which was snubbed by the playoff committee despite a 13-0 record, has had several stars opt out of the Orange Bowl rather than risk an injury ahead of the NFL draft.

So far, no one from Georgia has publicly announced they are sitting out — other that those who entered the transfer portal — though it seems highly unlikely that a projected first-round pick such as tight end Brock Bowers will actually take the field in South Florida, especially after an injury-plagued season.

Still, the commitment from a number of high-profile players to suit up one more time in the red and black has not gone unnoticed by the underclassmen.

“When I look at guys like (fourth- and fifth-year players) Sedrick Van Pran, Xavier Truss or Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint, just knowing that we could send them off as the winningest class in Georgia history, that sparks a fire in everybody on this team,” said Greene, a freshman. “Just playing for that will give us a purpose.”

The mood around Athens perked up even more when the Bulldogs landed another stellar recruiting class on Thursday — offsetting at least 18 players who have entered the transfer portal, including star linebacker Jamon Dumas-Johnson and backup quarterback Brock Vandagriff, who both are headed to SEC rival Kentucky.

Smart said he’s got no problem with those who decided to move on, and he doesn’t think it reflects poorly on his program. If anything, the departures point to how tough it is to earn playing time with the Bulldogs.

“The portal is a good thing. Let’s don’t make it a negative,” Smart said. “If you’ve been in a program for three years and you’re not playing, and you don’t feel like you’re going to play or you don’t feel like you’re being developed, it doesn’t look great, you might need to look somewhere else. It’s an OK thing.”

The Bulldogs also lost their most prominent recruiter when secondary coach Fran Brown took the head coaching job at Syracuse. Smart moved quickly to fill the opening, hiring Southern Cal secondary coach Donte Williams.

On the flip side, Georgia received a big boost for 2024 when quarterback Carson Beck decided to return for one more season.

After waiting three years for his chance, Beck put up stellar numbers in his first season as the starter. He’s eager to further his development — and boost his draft stock — with one more season between the hedges.

“It’s huge,” tight end Oscar Delp said. “With a year under his belt, I can’t even describe how good he’s going to be next year. It’s exciting to have him stay.”

The Bulldogs insist they’re pumped to get a chance to play one more game this season, even if it doesn’t come with a shot at another national title.

“We’re approaching it the same way as any other week,” senior defensive back Tykee Smith said. “We have an opportunity to finish the year out right.”

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