Conference championship weekend: Scores, Top 25 CFP rankings, highlights, recap

Duke won the ACC championship and did it with a big touchdown and a bigger penalty.
Darian Mensah, rolling left and running for his life, found Jeremiah Hasley wide open for a 1-yard touchdown on fourth-and-goal to open overtime. Duke improved to 4-for-4 on fourth downs, and Virginia made matters worse by committing a roughing-the-passer penalty on the play. The flag pushed UVA back to its own 40 for its overtime possession and on the very first snap, Luke Mergott jumped a throw for the title-clinching interception. 

The finish capped a wild final five minutes in Charlotte. Virginia, left for dead down 20–10 with under four minutes left, mounted a furious comeback. Will Bettridge drilled a 42-yard field goal, then the Cavaliers marched 96 yards in the final two minutes. Chandler Morris hit Eli Wood for an 18-yard touchdown with :22 left to force overtime.

Duke had seemed in control most of the night. Cooper Barkate hauled in two deep shots from Mensah that set up 10 fourth-quarter points. Caleb Weaver’s interception at the Virginia 33 helped stretch the lead to 17–10 earlier in the fourth, and Duke’s special teams repeatedly flipped the field with a downed punt at the 1 and a perfectly executed fake in the first half.

Virginia hung around by grinding out drives, running with J’Mari Taylor and Harrison Waylee, and capitalizing on Mensah’s first-half interception. But missed opportunities mounted: a failed fourth-down shot to the end zone, a stalled first-and-goal at the two-yard line, and an early missed field goal.

Duke dominated possession, won on the margins, survived Virginia’s late surge, and delivered in overtime win for the ages.

Duke scores on 4th and goal for the lead in OT!

— College Football Zone (@CollegeFBonX)

PICKED OFF!

DUKE WINS!! DUKE WINS!!

— ACC Football (@ACCFootball)

It's a 20-20 ball game. Chandler Morris found Eli Wood who managed to get back in bounds for an 18-yard TD. The Hoos drive 96 yards in 10 plays to even the score. Duke kneeled it out and we're going to overtime.
 

KNOCK ON WOOD 👊

📺 ABC

— Virginia Football (@UVAFootball)

Indiana's Elijah Sarratt wins a jump ball in the end zone against Ohio State's Jermaine Mathews. Excellent pass from Heisman contender Fernando Mendoza, putting the ball only where his receiver can get it and the Hoosiers lead 13-10 at the end of the third quarter.

TOUCHDOWN INDIANA

WHAT A THROW BY FERNANDO MENDOZA 🔥

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX)

The Big Ten and ACC championships are at the break with No. 1 Ohio State leading No. 2 Indiana 10-6 and No. 17 Virginia down at the half 14-7 to unranked Duke. The outcomes of these second halves will have huge ripple effects on the final playoff bracket so see below how the teams are looking at half.

No. 17 Virginia vs. Duke — ACC Championship (in Charlotte) | 8 p.m. | ABC

Duke controlled the first half and took a 14-7 lead over No. 17 Virginia into halftime of the ACC Championship Game in Charlotte. The Blue Devils opened the scoring with a 16-play, 75-yard march that drained nearly 10 minutes. Darian Mensah converted a fourth-and-2 after a Virginia offsides penalty, then capped the drive with a 12-yard screen pass to Jeremiah Hasley for a 7-0 lead.

Virginia answered early in the second quarter. After Corey Costner intercepted Mensah and set up the Cavaliers at the Duke 23-yard line, Chandler Morris passed off to J’Mari Taylor, who powered in for an 11-yard touchdown to tie the game at seven a piece.

Duke responded with its second long scoring drive. Manny Diaz dialed up a fake punt on fourth-and-2, and defensive end Kevin O’Connor surged ahead for a six-yard gain. The Blue Devils later converted another fourth down before Nate Sheppard rumbled 16 yards to put Duke ahead 14-7.

Virginia squandered a late first-half opportunity, failing to capitalize after a defensive stop, and Duke ran out the clock to preserve its lead. The Blue Devils’ efficiency on third and fourth down, plus nearly 20 minutes of possession, defined the opening half and positioned them one step from a historic ACC title.

SUCCESSFUL FAKE PUNT

Duke is leaving it all out there

— Bussin' With The Boys (@BussinWTB)

No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 2 Indiana — Big Ten Championship (in Indianapolis) | 8 p.m. | FOX

Ohio State took a 10-6 lead into halftime of the Big Ten Championship Game, but Indiana made the top-ranked Buckeyes work for every yard in a grinding first half in Indianapolis.

The game opened with chaos. Fernando Mendoza was shaken up on the first play, but returned to lead Indiana on a field goal drive after Louis Moore intercepted Julian Sayin and set up the Hoosiers at the OSU 23. Nico Radicic’s 29-yard kick made it 3-0.

Ohio State answered quickly. Davison Igbinosun picked off a deflected screen and set up a short field. Sayin eluded pressure and found Carnell Tate wide open for a 9-yard touchdown to put the Buckeyes ahead 7-3 late in the first quarter.

Indiana threatened again to open the second quarter, but Radicic missed a 40-yard field goal, his first miss of the year. The Buckeyes then struck back when Sayin hit Jeremiah Smith for 54 yards, but Isaiah Jones’ second sack of the half forced OSU to settle for Jayden Fielding’s short field goal and a 10-3 lead.

Indiana mounted another long drive behind Mendoza’s steady play and a fourth-down conversion, but Caden Curry’s pressure stalled the march. Radicic connected from 32 yards to make it 10-6.

The Hoosiers’ defense closed the half strong with another sack from Jones, and Ohio State opted to sit on the ball near midfield. Indiana moved the ball consistently but paid for its red-zone struggles, settling for field goals while the Buckeyes capitalized on turnovers to hold the halftime edge.

First half frames 📸

— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB)

Virginia freshman Corey Costner's gave UVA prime field position at Duke's 23, after which Cavaliers needed just three plays to score the tying touchdown off an 11-yard pass from Chandler Morris to J'Mari Taylor. It's a 7-7 ball game in the second quarter.
 

𝘾𝙤𝙨𝙩𝙡𝙮 turnover caused by yours truly, ‼️

📺 ABC

— Virginia Football (@UVAFootball)

VIRGINIA’S ON THE BOARD ⚔️

— CFB Kings (@CFBKings)

Elijah Sarratt was tackled by Lorenzo Styles Jr. on a backwards screen pass, the ball was tipped and brought in for an interception as the Buckeyes get the ball at the 25-yard line. 

Julian Sayin found Carnell Tate for a nine yard touchdown and Ohio State is on the board and ahead 7-3.

SAYIN TO CARNELL FOR SIX 🌰 x

— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB)

SEE BALL GET BALL 🛑

— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB)

Georgia controlled the 2025 SEC Championship Game from start to finish and defeated Alabama 28-7 in Atlanta. The Bulldogs struck first after Cole Speer blocked a punt, setting up a short field and a four-play, 21-yard touchdown drive for a 7-0 lead in the first quarter.

Georgia capitalized again late in the half when Gunner Stockton found Dillon Bell for a 5-yard score following Ty Simpson’s interception, pushing the Bulldogs ahead 14-0 at halftime.

Georgia opened the third quarter with another statement drive. Stockton hit Lawson Luckie on a deep pass to set up Nate Frazier’s 9-yard touchdown run, stretching the lead to 21-0. Alabama finally answered in the fourth quarter when Germie Bernard hauled in a 23-yard touchdown, cutting the deficit to 21-7.

Any hope of a rally ended minutes later. Facing fourth-and-2 from its own 12, Alabama had no choice but to go for it, and Simpson couldn't complete the pass. Georgia needed only three plays to cash in, with Zachariah Branch scoring the touchdown to give the Bulldogs a 21-point cushion.

Georgia secured back-to-back SEC titles and kept Alabama from mounting another championship-game comeback. The Bulldogs are sitting in prime position for a Playoff bye while the Crimson Tide will have to wait for its fate tomorrow.

THE MOMENT GEORGIA WENT BACK-TO-BACK IN SEC CHAMPIONSHIPS 🔥

— SEC Network (@SECNetwork)

Zachariah Branch scores a touchdown on third-and-11. Georgia now has a trio of third-down-touchdowns tonight. It's a 28-7 ball game. Georgia getting close to going back-to-back in the SEC Championship game for the first time since 1981-82.

Stockton finds Branch, and the lead is back to 21.

📺: ABC

— Georgia Football (@GeorgiaFootball)

Nate Frazier goes untouched into the end zone for a 9-yard touchdown. Bulldogs go up three scores on the Tide.

Nate breaks free for the TD‼️

📺: ABC

— Georgia Football (@GeorgiaFootball)

No. 3 Georgia seized control and carries a 14-0 lead over No. 9 Alabama into halftime of the SEC Championship Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

The Bulldogs struck first blood after Cole Speer blocked a punt midway through the opening quarter, setting up a short touchdown pass. Georgia’s defense then delivered again, intercepting Ty Simpson on a tipped pass to stall Alabama’s best drive of the half.

Quarterback Gunner Stockton extended the lead in the second quarter, capping a 14-play, 57-yard march with a 5-yard touchdown pass to Dillon Bell in the end zone. The drive consumed nearly eight minutes off the clock.

By halftime, Georgia outgained Alabama 168-70, more than tripled the Crimson Tide in first downs and holds a 71-yard edge on the ground. Alabama managed only one first down in the opening quarter and struggled to establish rhythm against a swarming Bulldogs defense.

The matchup added another chapter to a storied rivalry that has historically favored Alabama in championship settings. But Georgia’s defense and special teams flipped the script through two quarters, positioning the Bulldogs to challenge the Crimson Tide’s advantage in the series.

DAWGS JUMPIN' OUT EARLY 🔥 x

— Southeastern Conference (@SEC)