The story ends, AJ Brand's 4 interceptions sink Gophers, 24-17
Ohio State remains perfect against Mick Smith, third straight win to advance to the CFP championship (ShireNiner PS5 images)
Ohio State Buckeyes (11-2, 7-2 Big Ten, CFP No. 3)vs. Minnesota Golden Gophers (12-3, 8-1 Big Ten, CFP No. 7) CFP Playoffs Semi-Finals, Friday, Jan 8, 2027#3 OSU| 7 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 24
#7 MINN| 14 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 17
By: Bill Connelly | January 8, 2027 Writer, CFB/Soccer
NEW ORLEANS— All season, the Minnesota Gophers found success in asking freshman quarterback AJ Brand not to win the game, but just not lose it. On Friday night, when the run game was finally stopped for the first time all season, the Gophers asked Brand to win the game.
The plan backfired, the freshman was overwhelmed with the Buckeyes' harassing defense, and the Gophers receivers struggled to find openings, resulting in four thrown interceptions and the game-winning touchdown returned for a pick-six in the fourth quarter.
Two of the four interceptions could be put on the receivers, including the pick-six late in the game that bounced off tight end James Cross' hands and right into the waiting hands of Devin Sanchez, who returned it 36 yards for the touchdown. The other was a blown blocking assignment, resulting in Brand being hit as he made the throw and underthrowing his receiver.
But the biggest one, the one that mattered the most, was solely on Brand. After throwing the pick-six, Brand showed composure, driving Minnesota back down the field and setting up 2nd and 8 from the 12-yard line with 32 seconds remaining. With no timeouts, Minnesota was in a hurry-up offense and had the Buckeyes on their heels.
Brand rolled to his left and, in a split second, had to make a decision. Try to run the ball, risk coming up short, and possibly running the clock out. Or make a throw to the corner for his best target, Cross.
"I thought we had the corner," Brand said after the game. "I tried throwing to the outside, away from the defender, for Cross to make a play. The ball sailed on me, going too far inside."
It was Sanchez again, stepping in and catching the ball in front of Cross before taking a knee for the touchback.
"It sucks to end like this. As a freshman, we put Brand in a lot of positions, and he came through for us every time. This loss isn't on him." Coach Smith said after the game. "We exceeded every expectation this season, and next year we will take another step forward, and AJ is going to be the one to lead us."
The loss for the Gophers was their third straight against Ohio State, the only team to beat Mick Smith more than once since the coach took over last season. The win for Ohio State sends them to Las Vegas, where they have a rematch with USC, which beat them 19-17 earlier this season in Big Ten play.
Defense Aidan Gousby, SR, MIKE - 10 tkls, 1 TFL, 1 INT Kerry Brown, JR, SS - 10 tkls, 1 TFL Emmanual Karmo, SO, LEDG - 6 tkls, 2 TFL Mitch Horan, FR, WILL - 9 tkls, 3 TFL DJ Walker, JR, SS - 10 tkls, 1 TFL, 1 INT Devin Sanchez, SO, CB - 4 tkls, 2 INTs, 1 Def TD Beau Atkinson, SR, REDG - 3 tkls, 3 TFL, 1.5 sacks Faheem Delane, SO, FS - 10 tkls, 1 TFL Bill Connelly is a writer for ShireNiner Nation covering post-game news for College Football and Premier League Soccer. He previously worked at ESPN covering College Football, Tennis, and Soccer.
Comments
Last edited by ShireNiner on 07 Jan 2026, 10:35, edited 1 time in total.
hurts bad to go so far and lose because of turnovers, outstanding season though
The worst part is, I should have run that last play in. It might be hard to tell from the screenshot in the article, but I think I could have made it to the end zone. I would have gone for 2 then, either for the win and redemption for last season or we lose by a failed 2pt conversion again but no way we were winning in OT.
Really sucks that there was such opportunity to pull off the upset, but four interceptions and no real pass game buried you. One hell of a season though.
Kings of Vegas: USC Rallies Past Ohio State to Claim First National Title in Two Decades
USC is back on top, for the first time since 2003, USC is the champion (ShireNiner PS5 images)
By: Bill Connelly | January 17, 2027 Writer, CFB
LAS VEGAS— For the first time since the legendary 2004 campaign, the cardinal and gold are back on top of the college football mountain.
Behind a clinical fourth-quarter comeback and a masterpiece from quarterback Jayden Maiava, the USC Trojans secured a 28-17 victory over Ohio State at Allegiant Stadium to capture the National Championship. For Lincoln Riley, the win represents the final box checked on a journey that began with a shocking move to California and was validated by an even more daring move to the Big Ten.
The glory of a historic campus has been restored, and the lingering questions about USC's conference alignment have been answered with a resounding ring.
In a postseason defined by star power, no one shone brighter than Jayden Maiava. After a season in which many felt he was snubbed of the Heisman Trophy, Maiava played like a man possessed under the Las Vegas lights.
Trailing by two scores entering the final frame, the Trojans turned to their leader. Maiava orchestrated a 14-point fourth-quarter blitz, finishing the night with 355 passing yards and two touchdowns. It was a performance that solidified his legacy in Troy and cemented his status as the premier player in the CFP era after finishing third in back-to-back Heisman voting seasons.
Only two years ago, the skeptics were vocal. Critics questioned why a program that dominated the Pac-12 for decades would trade its "big fish" status for a gauntlet in the Big Ten. The move was seen as a gamble on prestige and revenue over path-to-the-playoff logic.
Today, that gamble looks like the smartest play in college football. USC didn't just survive the Big Ten; they conquered it. By navigating the toughest conference in the nation and taking down the standard-bearer in Ohio State, Riley has proven that USC’s brand of football isn't just West Coast elite—it’s national championship caliber.
For Ohio State and Ryan Day, the night adds another agonizing chapter to a growing volume of "what-if" losses. The Buckeyes appeared to be in total control, leading by double digits as the clock ticked toward the fourth quarter.
But as the pressure mounted, the Ohio State offense stalled, and the defense had no answer for Riley’s aerial assault. In Columbus, the conversation will inevitably shift from a dominant season to a recurring nightmare: the inability to close out the games that matter most. At this level, being up two scores in the fourth quarter is a game you have to win, especially with a trophy on the line.
As the confetti settles in Vegas, the hierarchy of the sport has been recalibrated. The Big Ten is undeniably the center of the football universe, and USC sits on its throne.
Bill Connelly is a writer for ShireNiner Nation covering College Football and Premier League Soccer. He previously worked at ESPN covering College Football, Tennis, and Soccer.
Comments
Last edited by ShireNiner on 05 Jan 2026, 16:15, edited 1 time in total.
hurts bad to go so far and lose because of turnovers, outstanding season though
The worst part is, I should have run that last play in. It might be hard to tell from the screenshot in the article, but I think I could have made it to the end zone. I would have gone for 2 then, either for the win and redemption for last season or we lose by a failed 2pt conversion again but no way we were winning in OT.
Really sucks that there was such opportunity to pull off the upset, but four interceptions and no real pass game buried you. One hell of a season though.
Yea, losing because they were better would have been easier to take then losing because I blew it.
"I thought we had the corner," Brand said after the game. "I tried throwing to the outside, away from the defender, for Cross to make a play. The ball sailed on me, going too far inside."
Jelani Thurman 44 yd pass from Julian Sayin, 9:50
AJ Brand, 10 yd run, 3:40
