NEW YORK (Sporting Alert, Box Scores) — No. 1 Alabama was one of the teams that secured a victory in the NCAA College Football top 25 Week 13 action on Saturday, November 22.
Blake Sims went 17 of 25 completed passes for 222 yards and threw two touchdowns, while sophomore running back Derrick Henry rushed for 92 yards and two touchdowns and scored another off a pass from Sims and Alabama recovered from a slow start to earned a 48-14 win over Western Carolina.
Western Carolina scored first and then lingered around until 6:44 was left in the first half when the Crimson Tide (10-1) took over the contest.
“We didn’t have much energy in the beginning of the game,” Alabama coach Nick Saban told reporters after his team’s victory.
“We didn’t have much energy and enthusiasm as we came out in pregame. But as the game wore on, I thought our guys started playing better.”
Troy Mitchell completed 23 of 39 passes for 221 yards and two touchdowns for Western Carolina, with running back Spearman Robinson ending with five catches for 45 yards and two scores and Karnorris Benson caught the ball nine times for 118 yards in the defeat.
MARIOTA, OREGON DUCKS DOMINATED
No. 2 Oregon (10-1) kept their push for a College Football Playoff place alive with a convincing 44-10 win over Colorado, as Marcus Mariota threw for three touchdowns and rushed for another score for the winners.
The quarterback went 24 of 32 in pass completion for 323 yards, while Royce Freeman carried the ball for 105 yards and two scores for the Ducks.
He didn’t have much to cheer about after the final result, but Colorado coach Mike MacIntyre took the time to offer praises to Mariota, who he believes is the best quarterback in the league at the moment.
Alabama is ranked No. 1 in the country at the moment, but MacIntyre believes Oregon should be at the top instead, adding that he hopes the Ducks go on a will the national title.
“I think they’re the best football team [in the country],” MacIntyre told reporters. “I don’t care what anybody says, because Mariota’s the best quarterback in the nation.
“When you have the best quarterback with the talent they’ve got and the defense, they’ve got a chance to be really, really, really good. I hope they go win it all.”
No. 3 and defending champions Florida State (11-0), despite not playing their best football on the day, found a way to win again, following a 20-17 win over Boston College, and they stayed perfect on the season.
Both teams were tied 17-17 until Roberto Aguayo put away a 26 yard field goal with 3 seconds left and the Seminoles collected a school record 26 consecutive games.
Florida State struggled to shake-off a Boston College side they should be beating easily, but coach Jimbo Fisher isn’t concerned about how they start — just as long as his team continues to find a way to finish.
“Our team has never not finished. The game is 60 minutes. This team hasn’t lost in over two years,” Fisher was quoted as saying on ESPN.com.
“Everybody says ‘game control.’ That’s something made up. As a coach, you talk about one thing: Finish. Get it done. This team wins in every way, shape and form you can win.
“Everybody else has failed at least once, no matter what you look at, and some of those teams have lost when they were over 20-point favorites.
“What I’m proud of is how they finished.. That’s what this team does. What people think of us is none of my business. That’s not our concern. We just play.”
Quarterback Jameis Winston finished with 281 passing yards and a touchdown in the win for FSU.
Elsewhere on Saturday, No. 4 Mississippi State (10-1) battered Vanderbilt 51-0; Ohio State (10-1), beat Indiana 42-27 to clinched the Big Ten East Division title; No. 7 Baylor (9-1) earned a 49-28 victory over Oklahoma State, but No. 8 Ole Miss (8-3) were stunned 30-0 by Arkansas (6-5).
NCAA College Football Top 25 Scores and Box Scores on Nov. 22
Box Scores
(1) Alabama 48 (10-1), Western Carolina 14 (7-5)
(2) Oregon 44 (10-1), Colorado 10 (2-9)
(3) Florida State 20 (11-0), Boston College 17 (6-5)
(4) Mississippi State 51 (10-1), Vanderbilt 0 (3-8)
(6) Ohio State 42 (10-1), Indiana 27 (3-8)
(7) Baylor 49 (9-1), Oklahoma State 28 (5-6)
Arkansas 30 (6-5), (8) Ole Miss 0 (8-3)
(9) UCLA 38 (9-2), (19) USC 20 (7-4)
(10) Georgia 55 (9-2), Charleston Southern 9 (8-4)
(11) Michigan State 45 (9-2), Rutgers 3 (6-5)
(13) Arizona State 52 (9-2), Washington State 31 (3-8)
(14) Auburn 31 (8-3), Samford 7 (7-4)
(15) Arizona 42 (9-2), (17) Utah 10 (7-4)
(16) Wisconsin 26 (9-2), Iowa 24 (7-4)
(20) Missouri 29 (9-2), Tennessee 21 (5-6)
(21) Oklahoma 44 (7-3), Kansas 7 (3-7)
(22) Clemson 28 (8-3), Georgia State 0 (1-10)
(24) Louisville 31 (8-3), Notre Dame 28 (7-4)
(25) Minnesota 28 (8-3), (23) Nebraska 24 (8-3)
