NEW YORK — It is more rare than a perfect game and about as uncommon as an unassisted triple play.Detroit Tigers star Miguel Cabrera won baseball's first Triple Crown in 45 years Wednesday night, becoming only the third living player to achieve the feat.Cabrera led the American League with a .330 batting average, 44 home runs and 139 RBIs, making him the 15th Triple Crown winner and the first since Boston's Carl Yastrzemski in 1967."It's an unbelievable feeling," said Cabrera, whose team defeated the Kansas City Royals 1-0. "It was hard the last two days because everybody talked about it. I just had to focus, I had to go out there and do the job. The hardest part was to go out there and focus and win games. I said, 'If we win the division, everything would take care of itself.' "Cabrera joined an honor roll of Triple Crown winners that includes Mickey Mantle, Lou Gehrig and Ty Cobb. Ted Williams and Rogers Hornsby each did it twice.In contrast, there have been 23 perfect games and 15 unassisted triple plays in major league history."I am glad that he accomplished this while leading his team to the American League Central title," Yastrzemski said in a statement. "I was fortunate enough to win this award in 1967 as part of the Red Sox Impossible Dream Team."Los Angeles Angels rookie Mike Trout was second in the AL batting race at .326, while New York Yankees slugger Curtis Granderson and Texas star Josh Hamilton finished tied for second with 43 homers. Hamilton ranked second with 128 RBIs.Granderson homered twice Wednesday night, then was removed from a 14-2 blowout against Boston."For me, earning the batting title over Tony Oliva, who we played against in the last series of the year, was the hardest part," said Frank Robinson, a Triple Crown winner in 1966. "For Miguel, I am sure it was even more challenging, given all the specialized relievers in the game today."Until Cabrera's run, Triple Crowns seemed to be a relic from another era. When the feat was last accomplished, the World Series was still played in the daytime, there were no playoffs and each league had eight teams.In horse racing, no thoroughbred has won all three big races — the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes — since Affirmed in 1978 became the 11th to sweep the trio.Cabrera had topped each category before, winning the home run title in 2008, the RBI crown in 2010 and the batting championship last year. His remarkable 2012 season ended the longest gap in baseball history between Triple Crown campaigns."He's the best hitter in the game," Trout said. "I think his approach, the way he battles with two strikes; you leave one pitch over the plate that at-bat and he's going to hit it. He had an unbelievable year."San Francisco's Buster Posey became the first catcher to win the NL batting title since the Boston Braves' Ernie Lombardi in 1942. Posey finished with a .336 average, nine points ahead of Pittsburgh's Andrew McCutchen."I don't think it's something that you ever think about doing. It's such a long season, and from Day One you try to grind out at-bats no matter what the situation is," said Posey, who missed most of 2011 following left leg and ankle injuries from a collision at the plate with the Marlins' Scott Cousins. "I give a lot of credit to our entire training staff for all the work they did in the offseason to get me back on the field."Posey's teammate, Melky Cabrera, had a .346 average, but the All-Star Game MVP was disqualified at his own request after he was suspended Aug. 15 for a positive testosterone test.Melky Cabrera missed the final 45 games of the regular season and his 501 plate appearances fell one short of qualifying under an agreement between Major League Baseball and the players' union to change the usual rule, which would have added an extra hitless at-bat to his total.After his positive drug test was overturned in an arbitration proceeding last winter, NL MVP Ryan Braun won his league's home run title with 41. San Diego's Chase Headley led in RBIs with 115, three ahead of Braun.
Showing posts with label crown. Show all posts
Showing posts with label crown. Show all posts
Friday, October 5, 2012
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Balentien at ease as race for CL home run crown heats up
As Tokyo Yakult Swallows slugger Wladimir Balentien went through his pregame stretching, he surveyed the field where the newly minted Central League champion Yomiuri Giants were wrapping up batting practice and barely suppressed a laugh while noting, "everything has gone right for them this year."
He has a point. The Giants landed big-ticket free agents Toshiya Sugiuchi, D.J. Houlton and Shuichi Murata during the offseason, won the CL's first interleague title, and added the CL pennant on Friday. The Kyojin are 43-games over .500 and won't play another meaningful contest until Oct. 17, when they'll begin the Central League Climax Series Final Stage with an automatic 1-0 advantage.Even Yomiuri Old Boy Davey Johnson is getting in on the action, having managed the Washington Nationals into the MLB playoffs this season.So yeah, it's been a Yomiuri kind of year. Except for the fact a certain Swallows slugger can still manage to spoil some the party.Giants captain Shinnosuke Abe is putting the finishing touches on an amazing season and leads Japan with a .341 average and 98 RBIs. What he doesn't have the lead in is home runs.The Giants catcher is second in Japan with 26 homers. Balentien leads the way with 29, making him the only obstacle between Abe and the Triple Crown."I always heard he was a great hitter, and I had a chance to see him the last two years," Balentien said. "This year he's been amazing. There's nothing I can say. I'm happy for him, for the season he's having."The last player to win the Triple Crown was Fukuoka Daiei Hawks outfielder Nobuhiko Matsunaka (.358, 44 home runs, 120 RBIs) in 2004. The last time a catcher did it was way back in 1965, when Nankai Hawks great Katsuya Nomura hit .320, with 42 home runs and 110 RBIs.If Balentien remains out front, he'll win the CL home run title for the second straight year.Abe has nine games left to catch him, three of them at Tokyo Dome, where he's hit 12 in 57 games. Balentien has 12 games left and will play eight at Jingu Stadium, where he's knocked 14 out of the park in 37 games."It's getting tight," Balentien said. "Abe's having a great season. I would be happy if either of us gets it."Despite the good vibrations, 'Coco' will make Abe work for it.Balentien is playing at a much higher level than he was at this time last season, when his numbers took a big dip after the All-Star break."I made some adjustments, because as everybody knows, the pitchers make adjustments and you need to keep pace and be better than them," he said. "What I've just tried to do is concentrate, stay in my swing, and not try to hit home runs, because home runs come by themselves. I think that was the basic point, just try to see the ball and hit it in the sweet spot and let the rest happen."I will try to stay consistent, because that's the basic thing," he said. "Just don't try to do to much, do what I gotta do, do the little things. Those are the things that help me make my game a little better, and if my game gets better, that will make my team a little better."Winning the home run title would be nice, but Balentien is honing his game in order to snatch an even bigger prize (the Climax Series title) away from Abe and the Giants, especially given that Yomiuri clinched the league pennant with the Swallows sitting in the visitors' dugout."We're hungry every day," Balentien said. "They celebrated (Friday night). It was fun for them. It hurt a little for us, because we went to spring training with the mentality to celebrate same way they did. It wasn't able to happen this year, but we still have a good chance to face them again in the final stage if we win the first stage, and I hope we can come through. And it'll be our turn to celebrate."
He has a point. The Giants landed big-ticket free agents Toshiya Sugiuchi, D.J. Houlton and Shuichi Murata during the offseason, won the CL's first interleague title, and added the CL pennant on Friday. The Kyojin are 43-games over .500 and won't play another meaningful contest until Oct. 17, when they'll begin the Central League Climax Series Final Stage with an automatic 1-0 advantage.Even Yomiuri Old Boy Davey Johnson is getting in on the action, having managed the Washington Nationals into the MLB playoffs this season.So yeah, it's been a Yomiuri kind of year. Except for the fact a certain Swallows slugger can still manage to spoil some the party.Giants captain Shinnosuke Abe is putting the finishing touches on an amazing season and leads Japan with a .341 average and 98 RBIs. What he doesn't have the lead in is home runs.The Giants catcher is second in Japan with 26 homers. Balentien leads the way with 29, making him the only obstacle between Abe and the Triple Crown."I always heard he was a great hitter, and I had a chance to see him the last two years," Balentien said. "This year he's been amazing. There's nothing I can say. I'm happy for him, for the season he's having."The last player to win the Triple Crown was Fukuoka Daiei Hawks outfielder Nobuhiko Matsunaka (.358, 44 home runs, 120 RBIs) in 2004. The last time a catcher did it was way back in 1965, when Nankai Hawks great Katsuya Nomura hit .320, with 42 home runs and 110 RBIs.If Balentien remains out front, he'll win the CL home run title for the second straight year.Abe has nine games left to catch him, three of them at Tokyo Dome, where he's hit 12 in 57 games. Balentien has 12 games left and will play eight at Jingu Stadium, where he's knocked 14 out of the park in 37 games."It's getting tight," Balentien said. "Abe's having a great season. I would be happy if either of us gets it."Despite the good vibrations, 'Coco' will make Abe work for it.Balentien is playing at a much higher level than he was at this time last season, when his numbers took a big dip after the All-Star break."I made some adjustments, because as everybody knows, the pitchers make adjustments and you need to keep pace and be better than them," he said. "What I've just tried to do is concentrate, stay in my swing, and not try to hit home runs, because home runs come by themselves. I think that was the basic point, just try to see the ball and hit it in the sweet spot and let the rest happen."I will try to stay consistent, because that's the basic thing," he said. "Just don't try to do to much, do what I gotta do, do the little things. Those are the things that help me make my game a little better, and if my game gets better, that will make my team a little better."Winning the home run title would be nice, but Balentien is honing his game in order to snatch an even bigger prize (the Climax Series title) away from Abe and the Giants, especially given that Yomiuri clinched the league pennant with the Swallows sitting in the visitors' dugout."We're hungry every day," Balentien said. "They celebrated (Friday night). It was fun for them. It hurt a little for us, because we went to spring training with the mentality to celebrate same way they did. It wasn't able to happen this year, but we still have a good chance to face them again in the final stage if we win the first stage, and I hope we can come through. And it'll be our turn to celebrate."Monday, September 24, 2012
Bruce homers as Reds beat Dodgers to clinch division crown
CINCINNATI — General manager Walt Jocketty hit the "send" button on his cellphone right at the final out, informing his manager that the Reds' championship celebration was on.And with a familiar swing getting them there.Jay Bruce was Cincinnati's Mr. Clinch again, hitting the homer that started the Reds toward a 6-0 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday that made good on their second try for the title. The only thing missing was the manager.Dusty Baker spent another day in a Chicago hospital getting treated for an irregular heartbeat. Jocketty texted congratulations to the 63-year-old Baker on his fifth division title as a manager, including two during the last three years with Cincinnati."He is here everywhere," owner Bob Castellini said, standing in the middle of a soaked clubhouse that had beer and champagne dripping from the ceiling. "He is here in spirit, and everybody knows he's here. We hope to see him tomorrow."The players toasted Baker before drenching each other."It's a shame he's not here," third baseman Scott Rolen said. "He digs this stuff. He's missed, there's no doubt about that."The Reds videotaped the celebration, along with best wishes, to send to Baker. When they clinched two years ago, Baker wound up in the middle of a players' huddle, getting joyously soaked.The 2010 party started with a dramatic Bruce homer, a first-pitch leadoff shot in the ninth against Houston's Tim Byrdak. On Saturday, he led off the fourth inning with a first-pitch homer off rookie Stephen Fife (0-2), putting Cincinnati ahead to stay with his team-leading 34th of the season."It's not the same as two years ago, but I'll take it," Bruce said. "We've been taking care of business for quite a while, so we knew this was coming. Today is a nutshell of what we've been doing all season."Mat Latos (13-4) allowed six hits and didn't walk a batter in eight innings. Left-hander Aroldis Chapman made his first appearance since Sept. 10 — a tired shoulder had sidelined him — and finished it off by getting Hanley Ramirez to hit into a double play off a 160 kph fastball.Giants 8, Padres 4In San Francisco, Madison Bumgarner pitched the Giants to their second NL West title in three years and newcomer Marco Scutaro had three hits and three RBIs.The Giants captured their eighth divisional crown — wrapping it up once again with a victory over the Padres in front of their home fans, just as they did on the season's final day in 2010 on the way to an improbable World Series championship.Braves 8, Phillies 2In Philadelphia, Freddie Freeman hit a three-run homer to back Mike Minor and the Braves roughed up Roy Halladay to move closer to clinching a postseason berth.Cardinals 5, Cubs 4 (10)In Chicago, Jon Jay's RBI double in the 10th inning lifted St. Louis to the victory, bolstering the Cardinals' bid for another playoff appearance.Nationals 10, Brewers 4In Washington, Gio Gonzalez became the majors' first 20-game winner in 2012, and the first pitcher for a Washington baseball team with 200 strikeouts since Walter Johnson in 1916.Norichika Aoki was 1-for-3 for the Brewers.Mets 4, Marlins 3In New York, R.A. Dickey earned his 19th victory with a strong performance, Jason Bay and Scott Hairston homered and the Mets barely held on in the ninth inning for their second straight home win.Diamondbacks 8, Rockies 7In Denver, Aaron Hill tripled and drove in four runs for Arizona.Astros 4, Pirates 1In Houston, Jason Castro hit a three-run homer in the seventh inning and the Astros handed the fading Pirates their fifth straight loss.
Race for Pacific League crown likely going down to wire
The Yomiuri Giants wrapped up the Central League pennant last week.
One giant leap: Toshiya Sugiuchi helped Yomiuri capture the CL pennant in his first year with the team. KYODONow the spotlight shifts to the Pacific League race, which is getting tighter by the day.Entering this week, there are three teams — the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters, Seibu Lions and Fukuoka Softbank Hawks — with realistic aspirations of winning the title.The Fighters beat the Lions 6-2 on Sunday to take a 1?-game lead over Seibu at the top of the standings with the Hawks 3? games further back.With the number of remaining games dwindling, each team will need to make its push for the title quickly.The Hawks open the week against the fourth-place Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles in Sendai on Monday, before two games with the last-place Orix Buffaloes beginning Tuesday.The Hawks host the Eagles Saturday and the Fighters Sunday, then play road games against those teams Oct. 2 and 3. Softbank, which had its game against the Eagles rained out Sunday, finishes the year with a pair of games against Orix.The Lions face the Eagles at Seibu Dome Sept. 25-27 then travel to face the Fighters Sept. 28-29, and end the month at home against Orix.Seibu then has home games scheduled against the Chiba Lotte Marines Oct. 1-2; a road series with the Eagles Oct. 3-4; then ends the year with a home game against Lotte and a road tilt against Orix Oct. 7.Seibu also has more games remaining (three) than both the Fighters and Hawks.The Fighters, meanwhile, host the Marines for three games prior to the aforementioned series against the Lions.The team then travels to Fukuoka to face the Hawks Sept 30, and meets Softbank again Oct. 3 in Sapporo.Nippon Ham hosts the Eagles Oct. 5 before ending the season on Oct. 9 in Chiba.That familiar feeling: For most of the Yomiuri Giants, it had been three years since they'd celebrated winning a pennant. A few of them experienced it for the first time on Friday, when the team clinched the Central League title.That, however, wasn't the case for pitchers Toshiya Sugiuchi and D.J. Houlton. That duo has now won a title in three consecutive years.Sugiuchi and Houlton helped the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks win the Pacific League pennant in 2010 and 2011, before moving to Yomiuri as free agents."This the best feeling," Sugiuchi told Nikkan Sports during the Giants' celebration Friday night. "I want to do my best to help win during the Climax Series. This is not the ultimate goal. There is more to achieve."All together since 2009, Sugiuchi and Houlton are a combined 74-37 and have helped win three league titles, two interleague crowns and one, so far, Japan Series championship.Letdown: The Yomiuri Giants captured the pennant Friday night and partied hard, emptying 3,000 bottles of beer in the process.A day game the next day smelled like a recipe for disaster. It was, and the Giants were routed 9-3 by the Yakult Swallows the next day.New low: The Hanshin Tigers fell 2-0 to the Chunichi Dragons at home on Saturday. That loss dropped Hanshin to 50-70-14 for the season, the first time in 11 seasons that the Tigers have been 20 games below .500.
One giant leap: Toshiya Sugiuchi helped Yomiuri capture the CL pennant in his first year with the team. KYODONow the spotlight shifts to the Pacific League race, which is getting tighter by the day.Entering this week, there are three teams — the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters, Seibu Lions and Fukuoka Softbank Hawks — with realistic aspirations of winning the title.The Fighters beat the Lions 6-2 on Sunday to take a 1?-game lead over Seibu at the top of the standings with the Hawks 3? games further back.With the number of remaining games dwindling, each team will need to make its push for the title quickly.The Hawks open the week against the fourth-place Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles in Sendai on Monday, before two games with the last-place Orix Buffaloes beginning Tuesday.The Hawks host the Eagles Saturday and the Fighters Sunday, then play road games against those teams Oct. 2 and 3. Softbank, which had its game against the Eagles rained out Sunday, finishes the year with a pair of games against Orix.The Lions face the Eagles at Seibu Dome Sept. 25-27 then travel to face the Fighters Sept. 28-29, and end the month at home against Orix.Seibu then has home games scheduled against the Chiba Lotte Marines Oct. 1-2; a road series with the Eagles Oct. 3-4; then ends the year with a home game against Lotte and a road tilt against Orix Oct. 7.Seibu also has more games remaining (three) than both the Fighters and Hawks.The Fighters, meanwhile, host the Marines for three games prior to the aforementioned series against the Lions.The team then travels to Fukuoka to face the Hawks Sept 30, and meets Softbank again Oct. 3 in Sapporo.Nippon Ham hosts the Eagles Oct. 5 before ending the season on Oct. 9 in Chiba.That familiar feeling: For most of the Yomiuri Giants, it had been three years since they'd celebrated winning a pennant. A few of them experienced it for the first time on Friday, when the team clinched the Central League title.That, however, wasn't the case for pitchers Toshiya Sugiuchi and D.J. Houlton. That duo has now won a title in three consecutive years.Sugiuchi and Houlton helped the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks win the Pacific League pennant in 2010 and 2011, before moving to Yomiuri as free agents."This the best feeling," Sugiuchi told Nikkan Sports during the Giants' celebration Friday night. "I want to do my best to help win during the Climax Series. This is not the ultimate goal. There is more to achieve."All together since 2009, Sugiuchi and Houlton are a combined 74-37 and have helped win three league titles, two interleague crowns and one, so far, Japan Series championship.Letdown: The Yomiuri Giants captured the pennant Friday night and partied hard, emptying 3,000 bottles of beer in the process.A day game the next day smelled like a recipe for disaster. It was, and the Giants were routed 9-3 by the Yakult Swallows the next day.New low: The Hanshin Tigers fell 2-0 to the Chunichi Dragons at home on Saturday. That loss dropped Hanshin to 50-70-14 for the season, the first time in 11 seasons that the Tigers have been 20 games below .500.Monday, September 3, 2012
Kim rallies to win Fujisankei crown
FUJIKAWAGUCHIKO, Yamanashi Pref. — Kim Kyung Tae celebrated his 26th birthday in style with his first title of the season on Sunday, the South Korean rallying to beat Yuta Ikeda by one shot with an 18th-hole birdie at the Fujisankei Classic.Kim trailed overnight leader Prayad Marksaeng of Thailand by three strokes but a second consecutive 68 that featured five birdies and a two bogeys at the par-71 Fujizakura Country Club was good enough to give him victory at 8-under 276.Kim's fifth title in Japan and first since last year's Shigeo Nagashima Invitational earned him a check for ?22 million and moved him into seventh on the money rankings."It's like I have treated myself to a present. It's perfect," said Kim, top earner on the Japanese tour in 2010.
Monday, December 26, 2011
Watabe defends Nordic crown
NAYORO, Hokkaido — Akito Watabe successfully defended the title with a comfortable victory in the Nordic combined national championship on Sunday.Watabe, who has two runnerup finishes on the World Cup circuit this season, continued his superb form when he took first in the jumping portion before pulling ahead in the 10-km cross country en route to victory in Nayoro, Hokkaido.Yusuke Minato placed second, 2 minutes, 1 second behind. Watabe's younger brother Yoshito was third. Hideaki Nagai and Taihei Kato were fourth and fifth, respectively.
Mao scores emotional national crown victory
KADOMA, Osaka Pref. — Grief-stricken Mao Asada rode a Christmas Day wave of emotion to come from behind and capture the women's title at the national championships Sunday, securing a berth at the world championships in Nice, France, in March in the process.
With open arms: Mao Asada performs her free skate program at the national championships on Sunday in Kadoma, Osaka Prefecture. Mao won the event ahead of Akiko Suzuki. KYODOCourageously competing here in Osaka just weeks after the death of her mother Kyoko, the 21-year-old delivered a graceful, if not perfect skate, to beat Akiko Suzuki with a winning total of 184.07 points."I was skating in a different situation to normal and I wondered how things would turn out, but I managed to stay focused and I believed in myself," said Mao, who won her fifth overall national crown."I think I was able to control myself better than yesterday and I am really pleased to end the year with this title," added the former two-time world champion.Grand Prix Final silver medalist Suzuki moved up from third to second with 179.27, while short program winner Kanako Murakami made a series of errors and placed third with 172.69.Suzuki and Murakami were also selected to take part in the worlds.Mao opted out of her trademark triple axel and opened with a double axel before cleanly landing a triple flip-double toeloop and following up with a triple lutz.She popped out of a triple salchow and the only other blemish came when she botched a triple loop and two-footed the jump."I was a bit disappointed about my jump at the end but reminded myself to keep smiling until the end," said Mao.A resurgent Mao had been set to compete at her first Grand Prix Final in three years in Quebec earlier this month but made a frantic dash back to Japan from Canada on the eve of the women's short program after learning that her mother was in a critical condition in the hospital. Kyoko died before Mao could reach her bedside.Kyoko, 48, passed away on Dec. 9 after a long battle with liver cirrhosis.Like Murakami, Suzuki also had a wobbly skate, singling a triple lutz and also making a bad landing on a triple flip."I was aiming for victory but with a performance like this . . . well, that's just the way it goes. I'll do my best to skate better at the world championships."Murakami singled a triple loop and made errors on a number of other jumps, also tripping over and crashing to the ice after mistiming her steps."My aim was to make the medals podium so I am pleased about that," said the former junior world champion. "I don't normally make mistakes on my steps and my mind just went blank. I want to put the same amount of practice into free skate as I do in my short skate and get more confidence."Daisuke Takahashi won the men's national title on Saturday and will be going to Nice, along with runnerup Takahiko Kozuka and third-place finisher Yuzuru Hanyu.
With open arms: Mao Asada performs her free skate program at the national championships on Sunday in Kadoma, Osaka Prefecture. Mao won the event ahead of Akiko Suzuki. KYODOCourageously competing here in Osaka just weeks after the death of her mother Kyoko, the 21-year-old delivered a graceful, if not perfect skate, to beat Akiko Suzuki with a winning total of 184.07 points."I was skating in a different situation to normal and I wondered how things would turn out, but I managed to stay focused and I believed in myself," said Mao, who won her fifth overall national crown."I think I was able to control myself better than yesterday and I am really pleased to end the year with this title," added the former two-time world champion.Grand Prix Final silver medalist Suzuki moved up from third to second with 179.27, while short program winner Kanako Murakami made a series of errors and placed third with 172.69.Suzuki and Murakami were also selected to take part in the worlds.Mao opted out of her trademark triple axel and opened with a double axel before cleanly landing a triple flip-double toeloop and following up with a triple lutz.She popped out of a triple salchow and the only other blemish came when she botched a triple loop and two-footed the jump."I was a bit disappointed about my jump at the end but reminded myself to keep smiling until the end," said Mao.A resurgent Mao had been set to compete at her first Grand Prix Final in three years in Quebec earlier this month but made a frantic dash back to Japan from Canada on the eve of the women's short program after learning that her mother was in a critical condition in the hospital. Kyoko died before Mao could reach her bedside.Kyoko, 48, passed away on Dec. 9 after a long battle with liver cirrhosis.Like Murakami, Suzuki also had a wobbly skate, singling a triple lutz and also making a bad landing on a triple flip."I was aiming for victory but with a performance like this . . . well, that's just the way it goes. I'll do my best to skate better at the world championships."Murakami singled a triple loop and made errors on a number of other jumps, also tripping over and crashing to the ice after mistiming her steps."My aim was to make the medals podium so I am pleased about that," said the former junior world champion. "I don't normally make mistakes on my steps and my mind just went blank. I want to put the same amount of practice into free skate as I do in my short skate and get more confidence."Daisuke Takahashi won the men's national title on Saturday and will be going to Nice, along with runnerup Takahiko Kozuka and third-place finisher Yuzuru Hanyu.Monday, December 5, 2011
No. 1 LSU routs Georgia to nab SEC crown, book spot in BCS title game
ATLANTA — The "Honey Badger" doesn't care when his team struggles.He just takes what he wants.In this case, it's a trip to the national championship game.Tyrann Mathieu turned in an MVP performance when the No. 1 Tigers needed him most. He ran back a punt 62 yards for a touchdown, set up another score with a fumble recovery and finally finished off No. 12 Georgia with his best play yet — a whirling dervish of a return that led to the decisive TD in a 42-10 victory in the Southeastern Conference title game Saturday.LSU (13-0) advanced to a spot in the BCS championship game in New Orleans, just 120 km from its Baton Rouge campus. The Tigers opponent will be announced Sunday night, but SEC West rival and No. 2 Alabama — already beaten by the Tigers 9-6 in overtime a month ago — had the inside track even though it didn't win its division.The Crimson Tide would have to deal with a fearless sophomore who has the country's best nickname, and is an even better player."Last night, I envisioned me having three touchdowns," Mathieu said. "I think I came close to that. It comes down to me trying to do what I can for my team."His moniker stems from a humorous YouTube video that supposedly depicts the world's fiercest animal ("Honey Badger don't care, he just takes what he wants," the narrator says). Defensive coordinator John Chavis showed the 175-cm, 79-kg player the clip on the way back from a victory at West Virginia, believing it fit Mathieu perfectly.No argument there."My teammates love the name, and I think it depicts me on the field," Mathieu said. "I just go with it. My teammates do a great job having my back. Anything I can do to help those guys, lift their spirits, I'll do it. I think the Honey Badger does that sometimes."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 the Cowboys won the Big 12 championship to make their 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.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.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.Tracey Lampley also caught two touchdown passes for the Golden Eagles, who became the first team to hold Houston below 35 points this season. The Cougars had been averaging more than 50 points per game.No. 15 Wisconsin 42, No. 11 Michigan State 39: In Indianapolis, Montee Ball ran for three touchdowns including the decisive 7-yard score with 3:45 to go as Wisconsin beat Michigan State in the inaugural Big Ten Conference championship game.Wisconsin is now headed to its second straight Rose Bowl.No. 9 Boise State 45, New Mexico 0: In 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.Moore, the winningest starting quarterback in college football history, was 28 of 33 for 313 yards before heading for the sideline midway through the third quarter. His three touchdowns give him 41 for the season.
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