Tyrann Mathieu returned a punt 62 yards for a touchdown and set up two other scores with a fumble recovery and another dazzling return as No. 1 LSU trounced No. 12 Georgia 42-10 to win the Southeastern Conference title Saturday. With the win, the Tigers secured a spot in college football's championship game next month in New Orleans. LSU's opponent will be announced Sunday night, but conference rival and No. 2 Alabama — beaten by the Tigers 9-6 in overtime a month ago — has the edge over No. 3 Oklahoma State and No. 4 Oregon. After a dismal first half in which they managed only 12 yards and failed to pick up a first down, the Tigers outscored Georgia 35-0 over the final two quarters. Mathieu sparked the comeback from a 10-0 deficit with his punt return for a touchdown midway through the second quarter. No. 3 Oklahoma State 44, No. 13 Oklahoma 10: In Stillwater, Oklahoma, Joseph Randle ran for 151 yards and two touchdowns and Richetti Jones returned a fumble for a score as Oklahoma State won the Big 12 Conference championship to make its case to play for a national title. The Cowboys ended an eight-game losing streak against the Sooners and won their first outright conference title since 1948 in the three-team Missouri Valley Conference. Oklahoma State's much-maligned defense forced the Sooners into five turnovers — four of them by quarterback Landry Jones. No. 21 Clemson 38, No. 5 Virginia Tech 10: In Charlotte, North Carolina, Tajh Boyd threw three touchdown passes and ran for another as Clemson routed Virginia Tech to win its first Atlantic Coast Conference championship in 20 years. The Tigers clinched their first Orange Bowl berth since 1981, the year they won their only national championship. Clemson had lost three of its last four games to close the regular season. Clemson scored three touchdowns on five plays in a span of 4:24 in the third quarter to break open a 10-10 tie at halftime. The Tigers became the only team to beat Virginia Tech twice in the same season. No. 24 Southern Mississippi 49, No. 7 Houston 28: In Houston, Austin Davis threw four touchdown passes as Southern Mississippi captured its first Conference USA title and ruined Houston's perfect season. No. 9 Boise State 45, New Mexico 0: At Boise, Idaho, Kellen Moore threw three touchdowns in the final home game of his brilliant career and Doug Martin ran for two more as Boise State rolled over New Mexico. In other games it was: No. 15 Wisconsin 42, No. 11 Michigan State 39; No. 16. Kansas State 30, Iowa State 23; No. 18 TCU 56, UNLV 9; No. 19 Baylor 48, Texas 24.
