Alabama and Ohio State win playoff games

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Najee Harris hurdles over a Notre Dame defender. Associated Press photo by Michael Ainsworth

Alabama and Ohio State win playoff games

Top-ranked Alabama and third-ranked Ohio State convincingly won college football playoff semifinals on Friday. Alabama dominated the Rose Bowl, defeating No. 4 Notre Dame 31-14. Quarterback Mac Jones threw for 297 yards, receiver DeVonta Smith caught three touchdown passes, and running back Najee Harris ran for 125 yards to lead Alabama. In the Sugar Bowl, Ohio State defeated No. 2 Clemson 49-28, as quarterback Justin Fields set a Sugar Bowl record with six touchdown passes. Ohio State running back Trey Sermon ran for 193 yards.

What comes next? Alabama and Ohio State will face each other in the national championship game on Jan. 11 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. Ohio State won the first college football playoff championship game in 2015, and Alabama has played in four of the last five championship games, winning twice.

Dig deeper: Read a WORLD report by Ray Hacke on the outlook for sports in 2021.

Timothy Lamer

Tim is executive editor of WORLD Commentary. He previously worked for the Media Research Center in Alexandria, Va. His work has also appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and The Weekly Standard.