College football highlights: Alabama cruises in Sugar Bowl; Iowa wins Music City

Updated Jan. 1, 2023 5:10 p.m. ET

The college football bowl season heats up this weekend, highlighted, of course, by the College Football Playoff semifinals later on Saturday.

[Related: Everything to know about the CFP semis]

Before that, though, there were a pair of high-profile bowl games earlier on Saturday. One of them was the Sugar Bowl, which saw the Alabama Crimson Tide handle the Big 12 champion Kansas State Wildcats — which stunned CFP entrant TCU in the conference championship game — 45-20.

Meanwhile, the Iowa Hawkeyes shut out the Kentucky Wildcats in the Music City Bowl, 21-0.

Here are the highlights from Saturday's early bowl games.

Sugar Bowl: No. 5 Alabama 45, No. 9 Kansas State 20

K-State FG

Kansas State got the ball into Alabama territory on the opening possession of the game, but quarterback Will Howard was later intercepted by defensive back Jordan Battle. With that said, Alabama proceeded to go three-and-out. Kansas State then came back down the field and got a field goal.

See ya later

After forcing another Alabama punt, Kansas State took over at its own 12-yard line. On the first play of the possession, running back Deuce Vaughn took off for an 88-yard touchdown, giving the Wildcats a 10-0 lead.

Bama strikes back

On third-and-10 of the ensuing possession, Alabama quarterback Bryce Young hit running back Jahmyr Gibbs, who took off for a 60-yard pickup. Three plays later, Young hit wide receiver Isaiah Bond for a 6-yard touchdown, pulling the Crimson Tide to within three.

Lead change

After the Alabama touchdown, K-State went three-and-out and the former found the end zone once again.

On the fourth play of the drive, Young hit wide receiver Jermaine Burton for a 47-yard pickup, putting the ball near the goal line. Two plays later, Young hit tight end Cameron Latu for a touchdown, giving Alabama a 14-10 lead.

Bama on a roll

After making a goal-line stand on an 18-play Kansas State drive, Alabama went 98 yards for its third touchdown. A trio of chunk plays (22-yard run from Gibbs, 28-yard completion to Burton and a 22-yard completion to Latu) set the table for Young and Burton hooking up for a 12-yard touchdown.

Alabama led 21-10 at halftime.

DIME

In the spirit of New Orleans football, Kansas State attempted an onside kick out of the halftime break, but Alabama recovered it. Three plays later, they made the Wildcats pay dearly, as Young threw a pinpoint, 32-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Ja'Corey Brooks.

Taking control

Kansas State gave the ball back to Alabama on its next possession, as Howard was intercepted by defensive back Brian Branch. On the very next play, running back Jase McClellan ran in a 17-yard score, giving the Crimson Tide a 35-10 lead with 13 minutes still remaining in the third quarter.

Offensive explosion

In the closing seconds of the third quarter, Young hit wide receiver Kobe Prentice, who eluded a series of tackles for a 47-yard touchdown. The score gave Alabama a 42-13 lead. 

Bryce Young exits

If the Sugar Bowl is indeed Young's final game at the collegiate level, it was quite the exit. Young threw five touchdown passes to five different players and got a send-off in the fourth quarter. Jalen Milroe entered the game at quarterback.

Late score for K-State

The Wildcats found the end zone in the final minutes, as running back Jordan Schippers powered in a goal-line score. With that said, Alabama won 45-20.

Music City Bowl: Iowa 21, Kentucky 0 

Iowa TD

It was a scoreless first quarter, but Iowa drew first blood a few minutes into the second quarter. 

Taking over at the Kentucky 42-yard line off a punt, Iowa quarterback Joe Labas hit tight end Sam Laporta, who finessed and overpowered the Wildcats defense for a 27-yard completion, as shown below. On the next play, Labas connected with tight end Luke Lachey on a 15-yard touchdown.

Pick-Six!

On the first play from scrimmage after the Iowa score, Kentucky quarterback Destin Wade was intercepted by defensive back Xavier Nwankpa, who ran it back 52 yards for a touchdown. It gave Iowa a 14-0 lead.

ANOTHER Pick-Six!

Shortly before halftime, Wade threw his second pick-six. Backed up at its own 7-yard line, the Kentucky quarterback was intercepted by defensive back Cooper DeJean, who ran it into the end zone. Iowa led 21-0 at halftime.

Iowa's defense continued to dominate in the second half, holding Kentucky scoreless. 

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