DETROIT – Robert Spillane intercepted a pass with 51 seconds remaining, and No. 13 Western Michigan remained undefeated, holding off Ohio 29-23 on Friday night to win its first Mid-American Conference title since 1988.

The Broncos (13-0, No. 17 CFP) led 23-7 at halftime, but Ohio rallied and had the ball in WMU territory in the final minute when Spillane intercepted Greg Windham's pass over the middle. Spillane immediately took a knee at his own 30, then was mobbed by his teammates as a Ford Field crowd full of Broncos fans roared.

Ohio (9-4) never led and didn't do much on offense until the final quarter, but the Bobcats still came achingly close to their first MAC championship since 1968.

Instead, WMU became the first undefeated team to win the MAC title game since Marshall in 1999. The question is whether the Broncos have done enough to make it to the Cotton Bowl. WMU is trying to earn the Group of Five bid to a New Year's Six bowl.

Western Michigan's Corey Davis had eight catches for 144 yards, including a 70-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter. Butch Hampton kicked five field goals, the last a 34-yarder that gave the Broncos a 29-23 lead with 1:24 remaining.

The crowd of 45,615 was easily a record for a MAC title game.

Ohio: The Bobcats can hold their heads high after giving WMU by far its toughest game against a MAC opponent all season. Ohio's defense held firm early, when a couple fumbles by the Bobcats gave WMU a chance to break it open.

WMU: The Broncos may end up sweating out the bowl announcements Sunday – Navy is putting up quite a fight for that Group of Five spot – but WMU can celebrate a truly special season no matter what happens. The Broncos nearly let it slip away in the second half, but their first conference title in nearly three decades was an accomplishment to savor.

Ohio: The Bobcats' MAC title drought continues, but Ohio is bowl eligible for the eighth straight season.

WMU: Navy plays Temple for the American Athletic Conference title Saturday, and WMU will obviously be rooting for the Owls in that one. Navy was two spots behind the Broncos in the most recent playoff rankings. </s> DETROIT -- With a conference championship finally in tow and his team's unbeaten record still intact, P.J. Fleck stopped holding back.

Before he was even asked about it, the Western Michigan coach made it clear where he thought his team should be headed next.

"We deserve to be in the gosh darn Cotton Bowl," he said. "Period. Write it down."

The 13th-ranked Broncos might indeed end up there, but only after holding on for a dramatic 29-23 victory over Ohio on Friday night in the Mid-American Conference title game. WMU wrapped up its first MAC championship since 1988 when Robert Spillane intercepted a pass with 51 seconds remaining.

The Broncos (13-0, No. 17 CFP) led 23-7 at halftime, but Ohio rallied and had the ball in WMU territory in the final minute when Spillane intercepted Greg Windham's pass over the middle. Spillane immediately took a knee at his own 30, then was mobbed by teammates as a Ford Field crowd full of Broncos fans roared.

Ohio (8-5) never led and didn't do much on offense until the final quarter, but the Bobcats still came achingly close to their first MAC championship since 1968.

Instead, WMU became the first undefeated team to win the MAC title game since Marshall in 1999. The question is whether the Broncos have done enough to make it to the Cotton Bowl. WMU is trying to earn the Group of Five bid to a New Year's Six bowl.

When asked previously about the playoff committee and its perception of his team, Fleck had been diplomatic, refusing to do too much lobbying. That changed after Friday's win, especially when he was asked about whether he'd be paying attention to Navy this weekend.

The Midshipmen, two spots behind WMU in the most recent playoff rankings, are another contender for the Cotton Bowl, and they play Temple for the American Athletic Conference title Saturday.

"I don't think there's anybody to pay attention to," Fleck said, becoming animated. "Who are we paying attention to? Why are we paying attention to anyone? We are 13-0. We're the best Group of Five team in the country. We didn't lose a game. Whoever they put on our schedule, we beat. There's two undefeated teams in the country -- us and Alabama. There is no argument. My TV will be off. We will be recruiting (Saturday). I'm not going to watch anybody, period.

"I'm going to wear cotton shirts, I'm going to have cotton slippers, I'm going to have cotton earmuffs, I'm going to have a cotton jacket. I'm going to wear everything cotton, from here on out."

THE TAKEAWAY

Ohio: The Bobcats can hold their heads high after giving WMU by far its toughest game against a MAC opponent all season. Ohio's defense held firm early, when a couple of fumbles by the Bobcats gave WMU a chance to break it open.

"They felt they had the talent to be in this game, and so did I," Ohio coach Frank Solich said. "They were pretty driven to get some things done."

WMU: The Broncos may end up sweating out the bowl announcements Sunday, but WMU can celebrate a truly special season no matter what happens. The Broncos nearly let it slip away in the second half, but their first conference title in nearly three decades was an accomplishment to savor.

The crowd of 45,615 -- easily a record for a MAC title game -- was full of WMU fans chanting the team's "row the boat" mantra .

"We just kept our oars in the water," quarterback Zach Terrell said. "That's what this team's all about, and people might think it's a cliche and that it's not real, but that's just how we operate."

HIGHLIGHT

Western Michigan's Corey Davis, the career FBS leader in yards receiving, had eight catches for 144 yards. That included a 70-yard touchdown in the second quarter in which he caught the ball near midfield with safety Javon Hagan right behind him, opened up some distance between himself and Hagan and then outran a couple more defenders down the sideline.

RARE MISTAKES

Terrell, who had thrown one interception all season, was picked off twice in the second half, and Ohio held WMU without a touchdown after halftime.

"Obviously, our defense has been very strong throughout the course of basically the season and so they have that potential and they knew they had to step up, get that done," Solich said. "I was a little worried because Western Michigan in the second half just seems to wear people down and then the score just gets away from a team that's playing them."

That didn't happen Friday. Ohio repeatedly forced the Broncos to settle for field goals, but Butch Hampton made five of them for WMU. The last one was a 34-yarder that gave the Broncos a 29-23 lead with 1:24 remaining.

POLL IMPLICATIONS

WMU: The Broncos moved up one spot in the AP poll after last week's win over Toledo, and they might have a chance to inch up further after winning the MAC. No. 9 Colorado lost Friday night, and No. 11 Oklahoma State plays Saturday.

UP NEXT

Ohio: The Bobcats' MAC title drought continues, but Ohio is bowl eligible for the eighth straight season.

WMU: If Navy (9-2) loses Saturday, the Broncos figure to be a cinch for the Cotton Bowl. If Navy wins, it could end up being a close call between the Midshipmen and WMU.

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More AP college football: www.collegefootball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25.

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Follow Noah Trister at www.Twitter.com/noahtrister </s> The Huskies are conference champs for the first time since 2000. It's kind of a big deal.

The No. 4 Washington Huskies are almost certainly playoff bound. UW left no doubt about that fact after defeating No. 9 Colorado 41-10 to win its first Pac-12 title and first conference title since 2000.

Running backs Myles Gaskin and Lavon Coleman tore up the Levi’s Stadium turf to the tune of 260 rushing yards and a touchdown. Freshman safety Taylor Rapp completed his transformation into an elite defensive back and proved why he earned the Pac-12’s freshman defensive player of the year award, picking off Sefo Liufau twice; Ezekiel Turner snagged another. And, oh, John Ross continued to streak across each football field he steps foot onto, hauling in four passes for 51 yards and a touchdown — one where he leaped and one-handed a throwaway from Jake Browning before rushing 19 yards into the end zone.

The Huskies dominated Colorado, and did so without much contribution from Browning. The sophomore, with an invitation to the Heisman trophy ceremony in New York still possibly awaiting him, completed only nine of his 24 pass attempts for 118 yards. But that dwarfed Liufau’s 3-for-13, 21-yard night.

In all, Washington turned in its most impressive effort since…last week? After beating the Cougars 45-17 in Pullman to win the Apple Cup, Washington traveled some 800 miles south and beat the Pac-12 South champs just as soundly on a neutral field.

Congratulations were in order. As was celebration, speculation and pure, unadulterated tweeting. We’ve compiled the best below.

View the story “Washington defeats Colorado 41-10 to win Pac-12 championship” on Storify </s> It’s the first conference championship since 2000 for the Huskies (12-1), who will almost certainly be rewarded with their first College Football Playoff berth.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — After all that, after all his heroics, they got his name wrong.

Taylor Rapp delivered the emphatic exclamation point to another dominant defensive performance for the Washington Huskies, earning the most valuable player award in a 41-10 victory over Colorado in the Pac-12 championship game Friday night. And for that the trophy presenter called him Tyler Rapp.

The true-freshman safety from Bellingham quickly corrected the guy, and then held his MVP trophy aloft as teammates cheered.

The No. 4 Huskies offered a course correction of their own, sending a message to anyone who might have doubted their credentials.

No way the College Football Playoff committee gets this one wrong.

The Huskies (12-1) won their first conference championship since 2000, doing so in a fashion that should offer no debate about their worthiness for their first bid to the College Football Playoff.

The CFP committee on Sunday will release its final rankings of the season, and the Huskies bolstered their case with a victory over a No. 9 Colorado team that came into the week holding out hope of a playoff berth of its own.

Rapp closed that door on the Buffaloes (10-3) when he returned an interception 35 yards for a touchdown on the first snap of the second half, extending UW’s lead to 21-7.

On Colorado’s next possession, Rapp added his second interception of the game off Colorado’s Sefo Liufau. That set up a UW field goal to push the margin to 17 points, and continued a most impressive week for Rapp, who three days earlier was named the Pac-12’s defensive freshman of the year.

“It felt so good,” said Rapp, standing in the UW end zone with purple and gold confetti at his feet, his MVP trophy in his hands. “I’m still trying to take it all in right now. It’s so surreal. It feels like a dream.”

Safety Ezekiel Turner had UW’s third interception of the second half, and the Huskies held the Buffaloes (10-3) to 163 yards of total offense — and just 50 in the second half.

“This is crazy. I’m speechless right now,” UW left tackle Trey Adams said during the on-field celebration. “This is what we all came here for.”

Washington has won 12 games in a season for just the second time in school history, joining the 12-0 national champions from 1991. The Huskies will now wait for the CFP committee’s announcement Sunday about where they will play their bowl game — the two semifinal games are the Fiesta Bowl in Arizona and the Peach Bowl in Atlanta — and one could make a strong case that the Huskies have earned a No. 2 or No. 3 seed.

Liufau, a graduate of Tacoma’s Bellarmine Prep, went down with an apparent ankle injury on the Buffaloes’ first series. He returned to start the third quarter, but his first pass went off the hands of receiver Jay MacIntyre and into the hands of Rapp, who returned it for the touchdown.

In the past four games, Rapp has four interceptions and a forced fumble.

The Huskies won the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, establishing a tough running game early with Myles Gaskin and Lavon Coleman to eventually wear down a Colorado defense that came into the game ranked No. 1 in the Pac-12 in fewest yards allowed.

Gaskin (159 yards) and Coleman (101 yards) both rushed for 100 yards to help offset an uncharacteristic slow start from star quarterback Jake Browning.

Browning had statistically his worst game of the season against Colorado’s excellent defensive secondary, completing just 9 of 24 passes for 118 yards. He did have two touchdown passes to tie Marcus Mariota for second place on the Pac-12’s single-season list with 42, one shy of Jared Goff’s 2015 record.

Browning’s second touchdown pass was one of the highlights of the season from John Ross III. Browning was hit from behind as he threw the pass to the flat on his right. Ross, with a defender closing in, leapt and reached high to haul in the pass with his right hand, as if casually pulling down a rebound. Ross then scooted untouched along the sideline for a 19-yard touchdown, extending Washington’s lead to 31-7.

Chico McClatcher added an 8-yard touchdown run with 4:32 left in the game to make it 41-10.

The loss ends a charmed season for Colorado (10-3), which had the greatest one-year turnaround in conference history to win the Pac-12 South. </s> “We’re trying to get this program back to how it used to be and give the fans the type of football they’re used to seeing,” UW senior cornerback Kevin King says.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — As unlikely as the pairing is for Friday’s Pac-12 Conference championship game, one person apparently expected Washington and Colorado to be here all along.

Colorado offensive-line coach Klayton Adams played at Boise State and has remained close with UW’s Chris Petersen and UW offensive-line coach Chris Strausser. In July, Adams sent Petersen a memorable text message: “Good luck,” it read. “See you in Santa Clara in a couple months.”

Petersen, relaying the message this week, recalled chuckling at the notion in the summer.

“Sure enough,” he said, “here we are.”

That the No. 4 Huskies arrived at this point isn’t a total surprise. By July, this had already been built up as Washington’s most anticipated season since 2000, and it has played out up to this point about as well as anyone around UW could have reasonably hoped.

Few outside of the Colorado football offices could have projected this kind of breakthrough for the No. 9 Buffaloes, who are not only in the midst of their first winning season in a decade but playing for, at worst, their first Rose Bowl berth.

Kickoff at Levi’s Stadium is set for 6 p.m. Friday for a Fox (Channel 13) broadcast.

This has been a long time coming for both programs. The Huskies (11-1) are seeking their first Pac-12 championship since 2000. The Buffaloes (10-2) are seeking their first conference title since 2001, when they were in the Big 12.

“It’s really exciting for us,” UW senior offensive lineman Jake Eldrenkamp said. “Not a lot of us remember when the Dawgs were up on top. I think it’s fun for Husky Nation and it’s fun for all of us to be back on top.”

The Huskies enter Friday’s championship game ranked No. 4 by the College Football Playoff committee, and a victory over Colorado would seem to secure UW’s first national playoff berth. The committee will release its final rankings and bowl pairings on Sunday morning, after all the conference-championships games are played over the next two days.

If the Huskies win Friday, most national media outlets project they would hold on to their No. 4 ranking and play No. 1 Alabama in the Peach Bowl on New Year’s Eve. The other national-semifinal game is at the Fiesta Bowl in Arizona; to get there, the Huskies probably need to win and have No. 3 Clemson lose to Virginia Tech in the ACC championship game Saturday night.

Petersen was asked Monday how confident he was that the committee would place the Huskies in a national semifinal if his team wins the Pac-12 title.

“I feel pretty good. Pretty confident,” he said. “I’ve always said that. We take care of business, everywhere I’ve been, those people usually do the right thing. Our whole focus is on Colorado. We’ve got a big hurdle there, and if we can get over that hurdle, yeah.”

The Buffaloes offer a formidable challenge, particularly with a defense ranked No. 1 in the Pac-12 in yards allowed. The Huskies boast the conference’s No. 1 scoring defense, meaning points could be at a premium for both sides.

“We’re not going to just be going up and down the field and scoring 60, 70 points. I don’t see that coming,” UW offensive coordinator Jonathan Smith said. “So being able to stick and grind through it. But when there are plays to be made we have to make them. You’re going to get maybe half a dozen (chances at big) plays in this game against a good defense. We have to make those.”

The most intriguing matchup pits UW sophomore quarterback Jake Browning against Colorado’s veteran secondary that rarely gives up big plays. Browning, three touchdowns shy of matching the Pac-12’s season record of 43 TD passes, will need a big game to earn an invitation to the Heisman Trophy ceremony next week in New York.

When UW and Colorado played in September 1990, they were both ranked in the top 20. The Buffaloes won that game 20-14 in Boulder and went on to win the national championship. UW went on to win the Rose Bowl that season and won a share of the national championship in ’91.

They are now among the nation’s elite again, and the stakes are greater than ever.

“We’re trying to get this program back to how it used to be and give the fans the type of football they’re used to seeing,” UW senior cornerback Kevin King said.

Since the conference expanded to 12 teams in 2001, the North has won all five championship games — Stanford in 2012, ’13 and ’15, and Oregon in ’11 and ’14.

In Boulder, the Buffs have been billed as a “team of destiny.” How unexpected is their march here? Consider that they’re just the third team in college football history to end a run of 10 consecutive losing seasons with a 10-win season.

A remarkable turnaround to set up an unlikely showdown Friday night.

“Seasons like this,” King said, “don’t happen by accident. They happen through that hard work and preparation. … We don’t want to put it to waste.” </s> It took 13 minutes of TBS's annoying "Price Is Right"-style selection show to "unveil" the 68-team NCAA tournament field Sunday night, during which several messages became clear. First, mid-majors need not bother playing difficult schedules early in the season because if you are from a so-called one-bid conference, a tough schedule and a first-place regular-season finish will get you nothing more than a home game in the NIT unless you win your conference tournament. Second, even though the West Coast Conference produced a team that played for the national title last season, the selection committee still considers it a one-bid league - unless Gonzaga fails to win the conference tournament. St. Mary's won 28 games and won at Gonzaga - and is headed to the NIT. Third, if there is any way at all to get Syracuse into the tournament, the committee will find it. Few fan bases travel better. Orange fans will even go to Dayton, Ohio. And fourth, the notion that losing a star player for a large chunk of the season but getting him back is taken into account is a myth. Ask Notre Dame, Mike Brey and Bonzie Colson. Then, finally, they got to the brackets. There will be plenty of enjoyable games here, but the last snip of net will end up in Tony Bennett's hands. This is Virginia's year — finally — to go back to the Final Four for the first time since 1984, the year after Ralph Sampson graduated. The Cavaliers teased a lot of teams during the regular season because their style will allow a good team to stay close. But you have to play a full 40 minutes; not even 39:59 will do, as Louisville can tell you in detail as it prepares for the NIT. The Cavaliers will open Friday in Charlotte against UMBC, one of the best stories in the tournament. The Retrievers are coached by Ryan Odom, who spent much of his boyhood in Charlottesville where his dad, Dave, was a Virginia assistant during the Sampson era. Odom took over at UMBC before last season, after the Retrievers had won 41 games in seven seasons combined. They have now won 45 in the past two, including Saturday's stunning upset of Vermont in the America East final. Jairus Lyles can score from anywhere, and 5-foot-6 point guard K.J. Maura is an absolute pest. If the Retrievers can make three-pointers, they can hang with the Cavaliers — just not for 40 minutes. The Cavaliers will get the Creighton-Kansas State winner, and that game won't be close. Sorry, Bluejays. At least you'll win a round. The matchups in Boise, Idaho, are fascinating. Kentucky may blow out Davidson or, if Peyton Aldridge and mates can somehow control the pace, they could make John Calipari's future NBA draft picks nervous. The winner almost certainly gets Arizona, although Buffalo's Nate Oats is a terrific coach. The selection committee was in wildcat mode when it put four in the same region: Kentucky, Davidson, Arizona, Kansas State. Cincinnati opens against Georgia State in Nashville and no doubt will pull for Nevada to beat Texas there. A Shaka Smart team in March can be very dangerous. Ask Kansas circa 2011. If there's one team Virginia might not want to play coming from the bottom of the bracket, it is Tennessee. The Volunteers are as athletic as Kentucky, and Rick Barnes has been an underrated coach for most of 30 years. It's sheer coincidence that the Vols are in the same region with Texas, where Barnes coached for 17 years. Miami against Loyola is a terrific first-round matchup and will be a popular upset pick. The Ramblers are in the tournament for the first time in 33 years, but it's tough to pick against Jim Larranaga facing a lower-seeded team with several days to prepare. Either team is capable of upsetting Tennessee after the Vols take care of Wright State. Who goes to Atlanta? Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Texas. Kentucky's speed and size against Virginia's discipline will be fascinating to watch - so would Arizona vs. Virginia if those Wildcats advance - and the winner of that game will go to San Antonio. The committee did Virginia no favors with this bracket but this is their time. I think.

One of the first questions asked on Selection Sunday is always this: Which of the No. 1 seeds is most vulnerable to an early upset? Usually everyone gets it wrong. This year's pick is Xavier, which probably bodes well for the Musketeers, who play with fire on an almost nightly basis. The final score is all that matters and Xavier was 28-5. But the Musketeers do appear beatable, no matter how good Trevon Bluiett may be. Plus, North Carolina may be the toughest No. 2 seed in the field. Carolina is 11-1 in the past two tournaments and is loaded with experience and a three-time national championship coach. Chicago Tribune writers make their predictions for the 2018 NCAA tournament. Xavier gets the North Carolina Central-Texas Southern winner in its opener in Nashville. The selection committee broke precedent by sending both champions from the conferences comprised of Historically Black Colleges and Universities to Dayton. Typically, it has been one or the other. Now, they have to face each other. Xavier should handle the winner. Xavier will face the Florida State-Missouri winner in the second round. The Seminoles have been less-than-sterling outside of Tallahassee this winter, but Missouri is the tournament's mystery team because no one knows how Michael Porter will play in his second, and perhaps last, college game. He has had quite a career so far. North Carolina will open against Lipscomb, which is in the tournament for the first time. The Tar Heels should handle either Texas A&M or Providence in the second round, although if you let the Friars hang around they can make your life miserable. The hottest team in this region is Michigan, which again won four games to win the Big Ten tournament and closed on a hot streak even before then. The Wolverines should handle Montana and Houston, a good team that ought to beat surprise Mountain West winner San Diego State. Michigan-North Carolina in the sweet 16 would be a rematch of a long ago sweet 16 game in which the Wolverines took out the Tar Heels. The year was 1989. Michigan went on to win the national title. It hasn't happened since. Xavier should make it to Los Angeles, if only because of a favorable draw. Waiting there will be Gonzaga or Ohio State. The Buckeyes were the surprise team in the Big Ten this season and probably were delighted when Penn State didn't make the field, because the Nittany Lions were responsible for three of their eight losses. The Buckeyes likely will have to get past Gonzaga — if the Zags can beat UNC-Greensboro (coached by Carolina alum Wes Miller). Mark Few lost two underclassmen to the NBA and two seniors from last year's national finalist and is stil 30-4. Man can coach. Either one of those teams will be tough for Xavier in the round of 16, but it says here the winner will come out of the Michigan-Carolina matchup. That skeptical prediction should make Chris Mack sleep much better this week. Villanova deservedly got the No. 2 overall seed in the tournament and a trip to Pittsburgh on the way to Boston as the top seed the East. Once they get through the Radford-LIU Brooklyn winner Thursday, the Wildcats will face the winner of Virginia Tech-Alabama. The Hokies beat Duke late in the season but almost no one else down the stretch, which is why they dropped to a No. 8 seed. Alabama didn't deserve to be in the field until it beat Auburn in the SEC tournament. The Crimson Tide's Collin Sexton is a star, but Virginia Tech's the better team. Wichita State, which never got much respect from the committee while in the Missouri Valley Conference, got a lot more coming out of the American Athletic Conference, getting the No. 4 seed. It should get past Marshall and then have a donnybrook against No. 5 seed West Virginia, which has one of the most underrated players in the country in Jevon Carter. He can guard almost anyone. Dallas also will be a fun place to be because whoever wins the UCLA-St. Bonaventure game in Dayton, Ohio — The Bonnies are in Dayton, but not Oklahoma? Seriously? — will make for an entertaining game against No. 6 seed Florida, a hot-and-cold team with the kind of guards a team needs to win in March. No. 14 seed Stephen F. Austin is another school with tournament chops, and it will bring plenty of fans to Dallas to see it play No. 3 seed Texas Tech. Arkansas and Butler meet in Detroit to play No. 2 seed Purdue, which will handle Cal State Fullerton and should reach the round of 16 if only because Isaac Haas may be the world's largest human and he can play.

Villanova has to be the favorite in Boston — the Wildcats reached Jay Wright's first Final Four coming out of there in 2009 — but a game against West Virginia in the round of 16 would be memorable. Florida is the sleeper. It reached a regional final a year ago and has those guards and a good young coach in Mike White. The Gators are either very good or very bad. Purdue is just the opposite: solid and consistent. No doubt many would love to see Kansas and Duke meet in the Midwest Region final: Two blue-blood programs, two Hall of Fame coaches and, of course, college basketball's favorite villain, Grayson Allen. It's not going to happen. Kansas will play its first two games in Wichita, which isn't Allen Fieldhouse, but may feel like it to Penn on Thursday. The Quakers will run on the court, look around and say, "Toto, we're not in the Palestra anymore." Instead, they'll be in Kansas — playing Kansas. Not good. But having not played in the tournament since 2007, Penn will be very happy to be there — even if it will be for just a couple of hours. Kansas also should get past the winner of North Carolina State-Seton Hall in the second round. The Wolfpack is more dangerous but is also more apt to no-show against the Pirates. Duke gets to go to Pittsburgh to play Iona and, believe me, Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski is happy to be somewhere other than Charlotte, where North Carolina fans show up to root against the Blue Devils. The selection committee apparently mixed up their Hurleys because the second-round matchup potentially will feature Rhode Island's Danny instead of Arizona State's Bobby, who helped Krzyzewski win two national titles a quarter-century ago. Rhode Island gets Trae Young in the first round. He will bring the rest of his Oklahoma teammates with him to Pittsburgh, though that hardly seems necessary. The Sooners are in the tournament for one reason: Young, who led the country in scoring and assists. The TV types can't lose in Pittsburgh's second round: It will either get Young vs. Duke's Marvin Bagley or Krzyzewski vs. Bobby Hurley's younger brother. Bobby Hurley himself, whose team faded badly after a soaring start, goes to Dayton to play Syracuse with the winner likely to beat TCU. Michigan State gets to go to Detroit but one wonders what Tom Izzo did to the committee. The Spartans were 29-4 and won the Big Ten regular season title. They should have been in play for a No. 1 seed but instead got dropped to a No. 3 and a first-round match against a veteran, well-coached Bucknell team. That game is not a walkover. If MSU reaches Omaha, it may run into Duke. Krzyzewki is 8-1 against his good friend Izzo. Still, this just doesn't feel like a Duke team that's going deep. There's the zone; there's the inconsistency; there's all that swirls around Allen, fairly or unfairly. Auburn has the talent to challenge Kansas if it gets past Clemson or New Mexico State in the second round. The Tigers are back in the tournament for the first time in seven years but were done no favors with a first-round game against the 28-win Aggies. Dark horse in the region? Rhode Island, which could take out Duke out in the second round. This feels like a Kansas-Michigan State final. Says here the Spartans are under-valued. The three best bets to win the 2018 NCAA tournament » Breaking down each region in the NCAA tournament: Teams, players and games to watch » </s> ATLANTA (AP) — The Latest on the College Football Playoff national football championship game on Monday night (all times local):

Alabama freshman quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has been named offensive player of the College Football Playoff championship game after leading the Crimson Tide to a come-from-behind 26-23 overtime win over Georgia.

Tagovailoa replaced an ineffective Jalen Hurts to start the second half and led the Tide back from deficits of 13-0 at half and 20-7 in the middle of the third quarter. He completed 14 of 24 passes for 166 yards and three touchdowns, including the winning 41-yarder in overtime. The former prep star from Hawaii also ran 12 times for 27 yards.

Alabama defensive lineman Da’Ron Payne was defensive player of the game. Payne had six tackles and was part of an Alabama defensive front that shut down Georgia’s running game in the second half. Payne also intercepted a tipped pass, helping to set up a field goal.

Alabama’s 26-23 thriller over Georgia was the first national championship game to go to overtime since 2003.

That’s the year Ohio State outlasted Miami 31-24 in double overtime at the Fiesta Bowl in a game that settled the BCS Championship.

There have been some close games since, including the 41-38 Rose Bowl classic in 2006 when Texas beat Southern California. Two years ago, Alabama beat Clemson 45-40 and then the Tigers returned the favor last season with a 35-31 win decided on a last-second touchdown pass.

This year’s OT game was settled on a 41-yard TD pass from Tua Tagovailoa to DeVonta Smith.

Alabama has beaten Georgia 26-23 in overtime to win its fifth national championship since 2009 under Nick Saban.

Freshman quarterback Tua Tagovailoa threw a 41-yard touchdown pass to DeVonta Smith after getting sacked on Alabama’s opening play of the extra session. Georgia had the ball first in overtime, and Rodrigo Blankenship kicked a 51-yard field goal.

Alabama’s Andy Pappanastos missed what would have been the winning 36-yard field goal as time ran out in regulation.

Tagovailoa took over for an ineffective Jalen Hurts to start the second half and led the Crimson Tide to two touchdowns and two field goals as they erased deficits of 13-0 at half and 20-7 in the middle of the third quarter.

It’s the 11th national title for the Crimson Tide. Georgia was seeking its second title after winning it all in 1980.

Alabama and Georgia are going to overtime in the national championship game, tied at 20-20.

The Crimson Tide has stormed back from a 13-0 halftime deficit and was in position to win it with 3 seconds to go. But Andy Pappanastos missed a field goal try from 36 yards.

Freshman Tua Tagovailoa has led the Alabama comeback after replacing Jalen Hurts to start the second half. He tied it 20-all on a 7-yard pass to Calvin Ridley, and then Alabama’s defense forced a three-and-out to set up Pappanastos’ try.

Pappanastos missed far to the left. He missed earlier from 40 yards on his first field-goal try of the game. He has connected from 43 and 30 yards.

The national championship game is tied at 20-all late in the fourth quarter.

Freshman Tua Tagovailoa threw a 7-yard touchdown to Calvin Ridley on a fourth-and-4 play with 3:49 left. The play came after Georgia’s Roquan Smith and Trenton Thompson stuffed Damien Harris for a 1-yard loss on third down.

Tagovailoa replaced Jalen Hurts to start the second half and has led Alabama to two touchdowns and two field goals to bring the Crimson Tide back from a 13-0 halftime deficit.

Alabama has closed to 20-13 in the fourth quarter of the national championship game against Georgia.

Andy Pappanastos kicked his second field goal of the game, a 30-yarder with 9:24 left. The score came one play after Georgia’s Dominick Sanders nearly picked off Tua Tagovailoa’s overthrown pass in the end zone.

Georgia is trying to win its first national title since 1980.

Georgia went into the fourth quarter of the national championship game with a 20-10 lead over Alabama.

Georgia freshman Jake Fromm has thrown for 225 yards and a touchdown, with two interceptions, and Sony Michel has run for 84 yards on 12 carries. Georgia’s Mecole Hardman has scored twice, the first time on a 1-yard run when he took a direct snap and the second on an 80-yard pass.

Alabama freshman Tua Tagovailoa, who replaced quarterback Jalen Hurts to start the second half, is 7 for 13 for 54 yards and a touchdown.

Alabama has pulled within 20-10 of Georgia with 5:15 left in the third quarter of the national championship game.

Andy Pappanastos, who missed a 40-yard field-goal attempt in the first quarter, connected from 43 yards six plays after the Crimson Tide got their second interception in two games by a defensive lineman.

Raekwon Davis picked off a Jake Fromm pass that bounced off the helmet of fellow defensive lineman Da’Shawn Hand.

Alabama got an interception from Da’Ron Payne in the playoff semifinal win over Clemson.

After having three touchdowns all season, Georgia’s Mecole Hardman has two touchdowns in the national championship game against Alabama, including an 80-yarder that included some fancy footwork along the sideline.

After Alabama staged an impressive drive for its first touchdown, cutting the Bulldogs’ lead to 13-7 in the third quarter, Georgia answered quickly with Jake Fromm’s bomb to Hardman.

A review confirmed Hardman stayed in bounds after making contact with Alabama defensive back Tony Brown. Hardman’s first score came on a 1-yard touchdown run late in the first half on a direct snap.

Jake Fromm has thrown an 80-yard touchdown pass to Mecole Hardman to give Georgia a 20-7 lead over Alabama with 6:52 left in the third quarter of the national championship game.

The touchdown stood after a video review to see if Hardman stepped out of bounds at about the Alabama 20-yard line.

The Bulldogs got the ball back when Deandre Baker intercepted freshman Tua Tagovailoa, who had led Alabama to its first touchdown after starting the second half in place of Jalen Hurts. But the Crimson Tide got an interception of its own when a Fromm pass was tipped at the line.

Alabama has pulled within 13-7 at Georgia in the third quarter of the national championship game.

Freshman Tua Tagovailoa replaced Jalen Hurts to start the second half and hit Henry Ruggs III with a 6-yard touchdown pass to finish a seven-play, 56-yard drive.

Tagovailoa completed 4 of 5 passes, but he used his legs to make the biggest play. Under pressure after he dropped back to pass, he split two Georgia defenders and made a third miss as he scrambled for 9 yards on a third-and-7.

The Tide went three-and-out on their first series with Tagovailoa under center.

Alabama is playing the second half without offensive tackle Jonah Williams. The third-team All-American was replaced by Alex Leatherwood.

President Donald Trump attended the first half of the game and was on the field during the national anthem. He had left by the time things got rolling in the third quarter.

Trailing 13-0, Alabama has started freshman Tua Tagovailoa at quarterback in the second half of the national championship game against Georgia.

Tagovailoa replaced a struggling Jalen Hurts coming out of the locker room. Hurts was just 3-of-8 passing for 21 yards in the first half while running for 47 yards.

Tagovailoa, a five-star recruit from Hawaii, played in eight games this season. He completed 35 of 53 passes for 470 yards with eight touchdowns against one interception, mostly in mop-up duty. Hurts was the Southeastern Conference offensive player of the year as a freshman last season.

Alabama hadn’t been held scoreless in the first half since last season. It was also the first time since the 2012 national title game that a team failed to score in the first half. Alabama shut out Notre Dame going into the half en route to a 42-14 win.

Alabama trails Georgia 13-0 at halftime of the national title game.

The Crimson Tide had not been held scoreless in the first half since a 10-0 victory over LSU last season. All 10 of the Tide’s points came in the fourth quarter.

Alabama had outscored opponents 270-56 before the half this season coming into the game against its SEC rival.

Georgia’s Jake Fromm is 11 of 23 for 126 yards, and Sony Michel has run eight times for 61 yards.

Georgia holds a 13-0 lead over Alabama at halftime of the national championship game in Atlanta.

Jake Fromm led the Bulldogs on a 69-yard touchdown drive in the last 2 minutes. Wide receiver Mecole Hardman took a direct snap and ran 1 yard into the end zone with 7 seconds left.

Rodrigo Blankenship kicked field goals of 41 and 27 yards, and the Bulldogs’ defense held the Crimson Tide in check.

Alabama totaled just 95 yards on five possessions, and Jalen Hurts took a knee to end the half. The Tide punted four straight times after Andy Pappanastos missed a 40-yard field goal on the Tide’s first possession.

Georgia got the ball back with 1:19 left in the half. Fromm threw passes of 10 and 16 yards and ran for 14 on Georgia’s way to the touchdown.

Fromm is 11 of 23 for 126 yards, and Sony Michel has run eight times for 61 yards.

Hurts is 3 for 8 for 21 yards and he’s run six times for 47.

Georgia wide receiver Riley Ridley is flourishing in his opportunity to emerge from the shadow cast by his older brother, Alabama star Calvin Ridley.

Ridley has four catches for 62 yards in the first half of Monday night’s national championship game. He already has moved to within range of his career-high totals of five catches for 67 yards against Vanderbilt in 2016.

While Calvin Ridley, a junior, is second in Alabama history with 220 career receptions, including a team-high 59 this season, Riley Ridley has had a quiet season for Georgia with only eight catches before the championship game.

Georgia led Alabama 6-0 late in the second quarter.

Rodrigo Blankenship has kicked his second field goal, this one from 27 yards, to give Georgia a 6-0 lead over Alabama with about 6 minutes left until halftime of the national championship game.

Georgia’s defense limited Alabama to 57 yards and forced two straight three-and-outs before quarterback Jalen Hurts broke loose for 31 yards. Hurts has completed only 2 of his first 6 passes for 17 yards and the Crimson Tide has punted three times.

Bulldogs freshman Jake Fromm is 8 of 16 for 84 yards.

Georgia receiver Riley Ridley has outplayed his older brother, Alabama All-SEC receiver Calvin Ridley, in the early going. Ridley has two catches for 36 yards, including a 23-yarder to convert a third-and-8 and keep the Bulldogs’ second scoring drive alive. Calvin Ridley has one catch for 9 yards.

Georgia has taken a 3-0 lead in the College Football Playoff championship game, with Rodrigo Blankenship kicking a 41-yard field goal on the second play of the second quarter.

The Bulldogs got into position after moving from their 21 to the Alabama 24 in 14 plays.

The big play on the drive was Sony Michel’s 26-yard run to the Alabama 26 on a third-and-20 after Anthony Averett crashed through from the left side to sack Jake Fromm.

Michel’s run was reviewed to see if he stepped out of bounds before the 26, but the Big Ten officiating crew’s spot was upheld.

Alabama had a chance to take the lead in the first quarter, but Andy Pappanastos missed a 40-yard field goal.

Georgia turned over the ball on its opening possession of the national championship game but came away unscathed after Alabama missed a field goal.

Tony Brown wrestled a long pass away from Georgia’s Javon Wims to set up the Crimson Tide at their 36.

But Alabama failed to come away with points. Andy Pappanastos’ 35-yard field goal was nullified by a false start, and he pulled his second attempt from 40 yards wide left.

The Crimson Tide forced Georgia to punt on its second possession with 9:04 left in the first quarter.

The College Football Playoff national championship game between Alabama (12-1) and Georgia (13-1) is under way at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

Frank Beamer, Mack Brown and Matt Stinchcomb — named to the 2018 College Football Hall of Fame on Monday — were on the field for the coin toss along with honorary captains O.J. Howard of Alabama and Herschel Walker of Georgia.

Alabama called tails and won the toss and deferred until the second half. They picked off Georgia on the third play from scrimmage.

This is the 68th all-time meeting between the Southeastern Conference rivals and first since 2015, when Alabama won 38-10 in the regular season.

Alabama is in the title game for the third year in a row and seeking its fifth national title under Saban since 2009. Georgia, led by second-year coach and former Saban assistant Kirby Smart, is looking for its first championship since 1980.

The Crimson Tide reached the title game with a 24-6 Sugar Bowl win over Clemson. The Bulldogs advanced with a 54-48 double-overtime win over Oklahoma in the Rose Bowl.

President Donald Trump is in attendance and was on the field during the national anthem.

President Donald Trump was on the field for the national anthem before the College Football Playoff national title game.

Trump walked onto the field accompanied by the ROTC units from Georgia and Alabama. He was greeted by mostly cheers from the crowd on hand to watch the game between Alabama and Georgia.

Trump waved to the crowd before the Zac Brown Band sang the anthem. Hand placed over his heart, Trump appeared to sing along at times.

No players were on the field yet. That’s unlike the NFL, where some players this season protested racial injustice by kneeling during the anthem — often drawing Trump’s ire.

Mercedes-Benz Stadium has a bit of water dripping on to the sideline, seemingly coming from high above the field.

Around the 20-yard line on Alabama’s side of the field, but off the playing field, a few drops could be spotted falling on to the green artificial turf.

A stadium security worker wearing a blue shirt was standing where the water was landing and had wets spots on his shirt.

There have been issues with the stadium’s signature retractable roof since construction began on the facility. The roof has only been opened once for football since the stadium opened in August.

The crowd is trickling into Mercedes-Benz Stadium with the kickoff for Monday night’s College Football Playoff national championship game about an hour away.

Alabama native and former NFL star Terrell Owens is among the crowd that navigated the consistent chilly drizzle outside the stadium and security lines to get into the building.

Owens, from Alexander City, Alabama, wore a wool knit Crimson Tide cap and talked with the SEC Network before the contest, telling host Paul Finebaum that his dream growing up wasn’t the NFL, it was to play for Alabama.

If he had, the Crimson Tide might have had another national crown or two in their trophy case.

Owens instead played at Chattanooga and was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in 1996. He had 1,078 catches in 15 seasons with five NFL teams.

Alabama radio play-by-play announcer Eli Gold says he has been told that President Trump will be on the Alabama Radio Network during the College Football Playoff national championship game between the Crimson Tide and Georgia.

Gold says network officials reached out to the White House through the Alabama governor’s office last week to request an interview with the president and heard back in the last day or so that Trump agreed to come.

Gold says nothing is definitive but if Trump comes on it would like be after the first quarter.

Georgia won’t be at full strength at tight end in its national championship game against Alabama.

Sophomore Charlie Woerner, who set a career high with three catches in the Bulldogs’ Rose Bowl playoff win over Oklahoma last week, was on crutches when the team entered Mercedes-Benz Stadium for Monday night’s game.

Coach Kirby Smart said Sunday Woerner’s status was doubtful after the sophomore suffered a leg injury in last week’s win, so the crutches were not a big surprise.

Woerner, listed with Isaac Nauta behind starting tight end Jeb Blazevich, had nine catches for 100 yards this season.

Woerner is the nephew of former Georgia defensive back and return specialist Scott Woerner, a member of the College Football Hall of Fame. Scott Woerner was a standout on Georgia’s 1980 national championship team.

No. 4 Alabama faces No. 3 Georgia in an all-Southeastern Conference College Football Playoff national championship game Monday night.

Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban tries to tie former Alabama coach Bear Bryant’s record six major poll national championships. Saban has led the Tide to four national championships since 2009, and the last three national championship games.

Georgia, coached by former Saban assistant Kirby Smart, is looking for its first national championship since 1980.

The Bulldogs feature the most prolific running back combination in college football in senior Sony Michel and Nick Chubb. They combined for six touchdowns in the Bulldogs semifinal victory against Oklahoma in the Rose Bowl.

Alabama has to No. 1 rushing defense in the country and smothered Clemson in the Sugar Bowl semifinal to get here.

This story has been corrected to show winning TD throw was 41 yards. </s> SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Taylor Rapp returned one of his two interceptions for a touchdown and Myles Gaskin ran for 159 yards to help No. 4 Washington strengthen its case for a playoff berth with a 41-10 victory over No. 9 Colorado in the Pac-12 championship game Friday night.

The Huskies (12-1, No. 4 CFP) broke open a close game when Rapp intercepted Sefo Liufau’s passes on the first two drives of the second half for a touchdown and to set up a field goal that made it 24-7.

Washington rolled from there to its first conference title since 2000 with a performance likely to keep the Huskies in the top four when the College Football Playoff bids are handed out Sunday.

It was a rough day for Colorado (10-3, No. 8 CFP) and Liufau, who was knocked out of the game after injuring his right leg on a sack on the Buffaloes’ first drive of the game. He returned to start the second half and threw three interceptions, including one on the first play from scrimmage that Rapp returned 35 yards for a score.

Liufau threw another interception on the ensuing drive and Colorado could never recover. Even a circus kick return in the third quarter couldn’t help the Buffaloes. Anthony Julmisse returned a kick to near midfield and fumbled. Phillip Lindsay scooped up and ran down to the 2 but Colorado was held to a field goal.

Colorado: From the opening kickoff that went out of bounds, little went right for the Buffaloes, who were unable to cap an impressive turnaround season with a conference title. Liufau’s injury didn’t help the cause. Steven Montez went 5 for 12 for 60 yards in the first half and was unable to generate any consistent offense and Liufau was even worse when he returned. He threw as many interceptions in the third quarter (3) as he had all season and was just 2 for 12 for 12 yards after coming back into the game.

Washington: The usually efficient Jake Browning struggled throwing the ball but it didn’t matter as the Huskies dominated the game with 265 yards on the ground behind Gaskin and Lavon Coleman (101 yards). Browning went just 9 for 24 for 118 yards but did throw two TDs. His second touchdown was far from his prettiest throw of the season. With a defender draped all over him, Browning threw a ball up from grabs that John Ross caught in front of Chidobe Awuzie and ran in 19 yards for the score. Browning’s 42 TDs are one shy of Jared Goff’s Pac-12 record.

Colorado: The Buffaloes must wait to see if they will remain ahead of No. 11 USC in the playoff rankings and get a Rose Bowl bid if Washington goes to the playoff or likely head to the Alamo Bowl if they drop behind the Trojans.

Washington: A likely berth in the playoff. </s> ATLANTA – Alabama showed off all its weapons in the Southeastern Conference championship game.

Now, the Crimson Tide can expect a return trip to Atlanta for the College Football Playoff.

The nation's No. 1 team scored off a blocked punt and an interception return Saturday before wearing down No. 15 Florida in the second half with a dominant running game. The result was a 54-16 rout that positioned Alabama to go for its second straight national title and its fifth crown in the last nine years under coach Nick Saban.

Next up: a likely semifinal game at the Georgia Dome on Dec. 31.

"You don't always get what you want in life, but you mostly get what you deserve," said Alabama's Nick Saban, who already has five national titles and is one away from tying Bear Bryant for the most by any coach. "These guys have done fantastic job all year long to win 13 games and the SEC."

The Crimson Tide (13-0, No. 1 CFP) bolted to a 16-9 lead in the first quarter, despite being held to minus-7 yards and no first downs. They scored one touchdown off a blocked punt, another off an interception return. A field goal was set up by another pick – one of three thrown by Florida quarterback Austin Appleby in the first half.

The Tide led 33-16 at halftime and iced the victory with scoring drives of 98 and 91 yards, sparked by a goal-line stand that finished off the last gasp by the Gators (8-4, No. 15 CFP).

Alabama finished with the second-most points ever scored on the Gators, topped only by Florida's 62-24 loss to Nebraska for the national title in the 1996 Fiesta Bowl.

A 24-point underdog, Florida had a few shining moments against the nation's only unbeaten Power Five team. The Gators marched the length of the field on the opening possession, the first touchdown given up by the Tide in more than 17 quarters. They had another long TD drive near the end of the first half to give themselves a glimmer of hope.

After Alabama went three-and-out to start the second half, Florida drove to the Crimson Tide 1. Jordan Scarlett attempted to leap over the line on third-and-goal, but he never even got off the ground; Rashaan Evans blew by his blocker and slammed the running back for a 1-yard loss. Appleby threw incomplete in the back of the end zone on fourth down, giving the Tide all the momentum.

Damien Harris broke off a 23-yard run, Jalen Hurts completed a 31-yard pass to ArDarius Stewart on third-and-19, and bruising Bo Scarbrough finished things off with a 34-yard run and a 2-yard touchdown.

The Tide went nearly as far on its next possession, driving from its own 9 for another touchdown that sent most of the Florida fans heading for the exit early in the fourth quarter. Scarbrough carried it six times, including a 1-yard plunge into the end zone.

Florida coach Jim McElwain said Saban's latest powerhouse is "the best team, from top to bottom, that he's had since he's been there."

Alabama: The offense struggled in the first half against Florida's highly ranked defense, and the defense surrendered a couple of long scoring drives. It may be a bit of nitpicking, but for one half at least the Tide didn't look quite as a dominant as it did leading up to the SEC championship game. Of course, Alabama dominated the second half, rushing for 174 yards.

Florida: The Gators must address their offensive woes after another shaky performance, which included those three backbreaking interceptions in the first half. There's no reason for a team with Florida's resources, recruiting base and history to wind up with a unit that ranked No. 114 nationally in total yards before playing the Crimson Tide.

During a wild sequence in the first quarter, each team scored off blocked kicks on back-to-back plays.

Derrick Gore got a hand on a Florida punt, and Josh Jacobs scooped up the loose ball for a 27-yard touchdown return that gave Alabama a 16-7 lead. But Adam Griffith's extra-point attempt was swatted down by Jabari Zuniga, David Reese picked it up and took off the length of the field to give the Gators a 2-point conversion.

Alabama will remain No. 1 in The Associated Press poll, as well as the College Football Playoff rankings. Florida can expect to drop four or five spots.

Alabama: Heads to the College Football Playoff for the third year in a row. The Tide will probably meet the No. 4-ranked team in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on New Year's Eve.

Florida: The Gators could still wind up with a major bowl bid as the SEC's representative at the Sugar Bowl. But two straight ugly losses will likely keep the Gators closer to home at either the Citrus (Orlando) or Outback (Tampa).

Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963 . His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/paul-newberry .
In the Mid-American Conference, the Western Michigan Broncos defeat the Ohio Bobcats 29–23, remaining unbeaten entering the bowl season and claiming the program's first MAC title since 1988.