ARLINGTON, Texas — A truly untraditional Rose Bowl setting, a very common result for Alabama in the College Football Playoff.

With Heisman Trophy finalists DeVonta Smith and Mac Jones, the top-ranked Crimson Tide rolled into its fifth CFP championship game in six seasons.

Smith caught three of Jones' four touchdown passes and Najee Harris ran for 125 yards with a high-hurdling highlight in a 31-14 victory over No. 4 Notre Dame in a CFP semifinal Rose Bowl played inside about 1,400 miles from Pasadena, California.

“I don't think there's anything quite like the Rose Bowl, the tradition, the setting, the mountains. It's just a phenomenal experience ... wish our players had gotten that opportunity,” coach Nick Saban said.

But Saban and the Tide (12-0, No. 1 CFP) will take yet another win in the home of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys, which the coach called one of college football's finest venues, and advancing again in the playoff.

The Tide earned a spot in the Jan. 11 championship game in suburban Miami, against No. 2 Clemson again or No. 3 Ohio State — the Tigers and Buckeyes played in the other CFP semifinal at the Sugar Bowl on Friday night. Alabama missed the CFP last year for the only time since the four-time playoff debuted at the end of the 2014 season.

Notre Dame (10-2, No. 4 CFP), in football's final four for only the second time, has lost seven consecutive New Year's Six games since 2000.

Alabama scored TDs on its first three possessions, including an 97-yard drive on which Harris leaped over 6-foot cornerback Nick McCloud just after crossing the line of scrimmage, landed on both feet and then sprinted for a 53-yard gain before getting run out of bounds.

“I don't know why I'm surprised every time he does it. I've seen it for three years, but still, 'Geez!,” tight end Miller Forristall said.

“I actually try to teach him not to do it, and it didn't work,” Saban said, laughing. “Anyway, for a big guy, it's pretty amazing that he can do that. He's kind of got a great feel when a guy's going to try to cut him. ... When he sees that head go down, he'll go over the top of them in a heartbeat.”

Jones, who completed 25 of 30 passes for 297 yards, threw a 12-yard TD to tight end Jahleel Billingsley on the next play.

That came between drives when Smith, with 16 TD catches his last seven games, turned short passes into scores of 26 and 34 yards. Smith finished with seven catches for 130 yards, later adding a nifty toe-tapping 7-yarder in the front corner of the end zone right on the pylon.

CFP officials moved the Rose Bowl because of COVID-19 restrictions in California that would have kept family — or any fans — from attending the game at its normal home. There was a limited capacity crowd of 18,373 at AT&T Stadium, the home of the Dallas Cowboys.

NO. 11 Georgia 24, NO. 6 Cincinnati 21ATLANTA — Jack Podlesny kicked a 53-yard field goal with three seconds remaining, and Georgia handed Cincinnati its only loss of the season with a dramatic victory in the Peach Bowl.Georgia (8-2) trailed 21-10 in the fourth quarter, but clamped down on Desmond Ridder and Cincinnati and JT Daniels helped rally the Bulldogs with his arm. Daniels finished with 392 yards passing.Podlesny's third field goal was his longest of the season and gave Georgia a 22-21 lead. Azeez Ojulari sacked Ridder for a safety on the final play. It was Ojulari's third sack. Georgia tied a school record with eight sacks.Ridder completed 24 of 37 passes for 206 yards and two touchdowns. Jerome Ford added a career-long 79-yard touchdown run early in the second half but it wasn't enough for the Bearcats.Cincinnati (9-1) was motivated to use the Peach Bowl to gain national respect. Coach Luke Fickell wanted the Bearcats to be included in this season's playoff and he said it was an opportunity to be judged evenly with Power 5 teams in the future.

No. 15 Northwestern 35, Auburn 19ORLANDO, Fla. — Peyton Ramsey threw three touchdown passes and ran for a score and Northwestern's defense made it stand up against Auburn in the Citrus Bowl,Ramsey, a graduate transfer, had 291 yards passing and 50 yards rushing to help Northwestern (7-2) win its fourth straight bowl game. Ramaud Chiaokhiao-Brown, John Raine and Riley Lees had touchdown catches for the Wildcats, coming off a loss to Ohio State in the Big Ten championship game.Bo Nix threw for 292 yards for Auburn (6-5), The Tigers were led by interim coach Kevin Steele following the Dec. 13 firing of Gus Malzahn. Bryan Harsin is taking after seven seasons at Boise State.