The 2024 college football season was one for the file books, with it being the primary marketing campaign to characteristic the expanded 12-team playoff format.
Ohio State took dwelling the title, beating Notre Dame 34-23 within the championship sport. True freshman phenom Jeremiah Smith was instrumental all through the Buckeyes’ run, making game-changing performs and arising within the clutch after they wanted him essentially the most.
However he wasn’t the one star to make a reputation for himself on this 12 months’s CFP.
Arizona State operating again Cam Skattebo helped the Solar Devils almost pull off one of many largest upsets in 11 years of CFP video games, taking Texas to double extra time in a 39-31 shootout. This had us considering, the place do these particular person performances rank within the historical past of the CFP? FOX Sports activities analysis broke down the highest 10, taking a look at all of the unimaginable showings placed on by a number of gamers for the reason that first version of the event within the 2014 season.
Let’s have a look:
Stats: 30 carries, 143 yards, two speeding touchdowns; eight receptions, 99 yards; 42-yard passing landing
Skattebo needed to be the superhero for Arizona State’s offense to ensure that it to face an opportunity towards Texas. He did a little bit of every little thing within the course of.
With ASU trailing 24-8 within the fourth quarter and going through a fourth-and-2 scenario, Skattebo took a pitch and threw the ball downfield to Malik McClain for a 42-yard landing. That jump-started the Solar Devils’ comeback try, which included a Skattebo speeding landing in regulation and one other in extra time.
Stats: 7 receptions, 187 yards, two touchdowns
One 12 months into his faculty profession, and Jeremiah Smith already seems to be a receiver for the ages. He set Massive Ten information for receiving yards (1,315) and landing receptions (15) en path to serving to the Buckeyes win the nationwide championship. Whereas his lengthy reception late within the fourth quarter versus Notre Dame sealed the title, Smith’s most memorable efficiency of the postseason got here within the Rose Bowl.
He torched the top-seeded Geese for 187 receiving yards with two scores as Ohio State gained in blowout trend, 41-21. It is no surprise many have stated the Buckeyes freshman might go first within the 2025 draft if he have been eligible. Fortuitously for Ohio State, Smith might be sticking round Columbus for at the least two extra seasons.
Stats: 12 receptions, 215 yards, three touchdowns
The Heisman winner set title sport information for receptions (12) and receiving touchdowns (three) — and he did it multi functional half. His ultimate seize got here within the second quarter, but it surely was an enormous one. Smith ran proper previous an Ohio State defender whereas hauling in a 42-yard strike from Mac Jones to provide Alabama a 35-17 lead going into halftime.
The star wideout suffered a finger damage early within the second half that pressured an early exit. However the injury was already performed, as he put a bow on among the finest vast receiver seasons in faculty soccer historical past.
Stats: 22 of 28, 385 yards, six touchdowns, one interception; 42 speeding yards
Fields was briefly knocked out of this sport after taking a punishing hit from Clemson linebacker James Skalski, who was ejected for focusing on. (The Ohio State QB later stated he injured his ribs on the play and consequently felt ache all around the proper facet of his physique.) Two performs later, Fields threw a landing go to Chris Olave.
It wasn’t Fields’ most memorable spotlight, nevertheless. That might be when he related with Olave in excellent stride for a 56-yard strike within the third quarter to provide the Buckeyes a commanding lead. Ohio State gained 49-28 to advance to the nationwide title sport.
6. Joe Burrow vs. Clemson (2020 Nationwide Championship Sport)
Stats: 31 of 49, 463 yards, 5 touchdowns; 58 speeding yards, one speeding landing
An eight-touchdown efficiency in a semifinal win is tough to high, however Burrow almost matched that on this nationwide championship sport.
Burrow really had to assist LSU climb out of an early 10-point deficit towards the defending nationwide champs, main three straight landing drives within the second quarter. His 29-yard scamper earlier than halftime highlighted a 95-yard drive that gave the Tigers a 28-17 lead.
Burrow then sealed the win with a pair of TD passes within the second half, capping off the perfect passing season in faculty soccer historical past.
Stats: 29 of 39, 493 yards, seven touchdowns; 21 speeding yards, one speeding landing
Burrow placed on an absolute passing clinic towards Oklahoma in his first sport after successful the Heisman. LSU reached the top zone on eight of its first 9 possessions, with Burrow passing for a landing on seven of them and speeding for the opposite rating. At halftime, Burrow had seven TD passes and 6 incompletions, because the Tigers held a 49-14 lead.
He nonetheless holds the CFP information for first-half passing yards (403), landing passes (seven) and touchdowns answerable for (eight). Justin Jefferson additionally set new CFP highs with 14 receptions, 227 receiving yards and 4 touchdowns within the 63-28 win.
Stats: 20 of 32, 347 yards, three touchdowns; 27 speeding yards
The nationwide championship stage definitely wasn’t too large for this freshman quarterback. Lawrence had his method towards an Alabama protection that began eight future NFL Draft picks, main 5 consecutive scoring drives at one level and throwing three touchdowns as Clemson put the sport away by the third quarter. His 74-yard landing go to Justyn Ross was the second-longest landing go in a CFP sport.
The Tigers’ 44-16 win, towards a beforehand unbeaten Crimson Tide crew no much less, served as Nick Saban’s largest margin in a loss throughout his historic Alabama tenure.
Stats: 14 of 24, 166 yards, three touchdowns, one interception; 27 speeding yards
When bother beckoned for Alabama within the 2018 title sport, Nick Saban referred to as upon a freshman to avoid wasting the day. The Crimson Tide shockingly trailed 13-0 at halftime when Jalen Hurts was benched in favor of Tagovailoa, who’d performed sparingly in his first season in Tuscaloosa and was considering transferring. He virtually instantly lived as much as his promising billing, main Alabama to a landing on his second drive. Tagovailoa led three extra scoring drives to tie the sport late within the fourth quarter. The Crimson Tide had an opportunity to win in regulation however missed a 36-yard discipline aim on the buzzer.
After Georgia kicked a discipline aim to open up extra time, Tagovailoa took a 16-yard sack on the primary play of the following possession. He made up for it seconds later, connecting with DeVonta Smith on a 41-yard landing go to seal the title.
2. Deshaun Watson vs. Alabama (2017 Nationwide Championship Sport)
Stats: 36 of 56, 420 yards, three touchdowns; 43 speeding yards, one speeding landing
Watson’s 405-yard efficiency towards Alabama within the title sport a season prior wasn’t sufficient for Clemson to get a victory. So, he needed to one-up himself to verify he gained the Tigers the title when the 2 groups met once more a 12 months later.
Dealing with an Alabama protection that began 10 future NFL gamers, Watson needed to work his magic immediately, too. Clemson fell right into a 14-0 gap, which in the end led to Watson tallying 77 passes and speeding makes an attempt amongst Clemson’s 99 offensive snaps.
With the Tigers trailing 31-28 within the ultimate minutes, Watson carried out a drive for the ages. He accomplished six of his seven passes on the 68-yard drive, together with the game-winning rating to Hunter Renfrow with one second remaining.
Stats: 36 carries, 246 yards, 4 touchdowns
Elliott was dominant in Ohio State’s upset victory over Alabama within the 2015 Sugar Bowl, speeding for 230 yards and scoring an 85-yard landing late to punch the Buckeyes’ ticket to the nationwide title sport.
One way or the other, Elliott topped that outing towards Oregon for the championship. After a robust first half (98 speeding yards, one speeding landing), Elliott turned his play up a notch within the second half. He rushed for 148 yards and three touchdowns within the sport’s ultimate half-hour, setting the file for essentially the most speeding yards in a half within the four-team CFP period. These three speeding touchdowns have been the sport’s ultimate three scores, turning Ohio State’s one-point lead late within the third quarter right into a 42-20 stomping.
Elliott’s 4 speeding touchdowns are additionally essentially the most ever in a CFP nationwide title sport, cementing him as among the finest operating backs in Ohio State’s storied historical past.
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