Alabama Beats Georgia 26-23 in Overtime to Win NCAA Football National Championship
Alabama stuns Georgia in overtime 26-23 to win national title
Nick Bromberg Dr. Saturday
Jan 9, 2018, 2:11 PM
ATLANTA - Nick Saban has his fifth national championship at Alabama. And it came in overtime.
Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa hit DeVonta Smith for a 41-yard touchdown pass in the first overtime to complete a crazy second-half comeback to win the College Football Playoff 26-23 over Georgia.
Much like he did two years ago with an onside kick in the second half against Clemson in the National Championship Game, Saban made an aggressive decision in the final half Monday night. He benched quarterback Jalen Hurts after a porous first half and gave the offensive reins to freshman Tagovailoa.
The decision worked out. Tagovailoa threw his second touchdown of the evening with 3:49 left in the game when he bought time and found Calvin Ridley in the end zone for a seven-yard score. The throw came on a fourth-and-4 and tied the game at 20-20.
After forcing a Georgia punt, Alabama drove down the field to set up a potential game-winning field goal by Andy Pappanastos as time expired. But Pappanastos missed his second field goal of the game badly to the left, sending it to overtime.
Georgia took a 13-0 lead into halftime thanks to a great drive to end the half. After starting the scoring with two field goals, wide receiver Mecole Hardman scored a rushing touchdown with seven seconds left to cap a nine-play drive.
The good vibes continued for Georgia fans shortly after halftime, even after Tagovailoa threw a touchdown pass on the Tide’s second possession of the game. After Alabama cut the Georgia lead to 13-7, Georgia QB Jake Fromm found Hardman for an 80-yard touchdown to make it 20-7.
But the game turned two possessions later. Tagovailoa was picked off and Georgia had a chance to go up three scores and salt the game away. It didn’t happen. Fromm was intercepted by Alabama defensive lineman Raekwon Davis. The interception only turned into a field goal, but the comeback was on from there.
Two years ago, Alabama tied Clemson 24-24 in the fourth quarter and called for an onside kick with just over 10 minutes to go in the game. That aggressive decision worked out crazily well too, as the Tide took the lead two plays later and held on for a 45-40 win.
That was Saban’s fourth championship at Alabama and his fifth overall. With six overall (he won one at LSU), Saban ties Alabama legend Bear Bryant for the most national championships in college football history.
Hurts entered Monday’s game 25-2 in his career as Alabama’s starter and officially moves to 26-2 with the win. But he struggled mightily in the first half, completing three of eight passes for 21 yards. After Tagovailoa entered, Alabama’s offense became more dynamic as Tagovailoa went downfield early and often.
The starter was smiling as he was interviewed on the field about Tagovailoa’s performance. Hurts was a constant supportive presence to Tagovailoa in the second half, offering encouragement to the freshman dropped into a seemingly untenable task.
“He stepped in and did his thing,” Hurts said. “Did his thing for the team.”
Hurts took over as Alabama’s starter officially in the second game of the 2016 season and never relinquished the job, even after Tagovailoa’s presence on campus made many Alabama fans wonder if there was a quarterback controversy at hand.
Tagovailoa was the No. 3 dual-threat quarterback in the class of 2017 and saw some playing time over the course of the season, though it was clear that Hurts was the starting quarterback. Now, it’s probably not so clear going forward. But that’s to worry about later.
https://sports.yahoo.com/alabama-stuns-georgia-overtime-26-23-win-national-title-051156297.html
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The 6 plays that helped Alabama win the College Football Playoff national title
Sam Cooper Dr. Saturday
Jan 9, 2018, 4:32 PM
Alabama came back from a 13-0 halftime deficit to beat Georgia 26-23 in overtime to capture its fifth national championship in the past nine seasons.
The Crimson Tide couldn’t get anything going offensively in the first half, so the coaches summoned true freshman quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to replace sophomore Jalen Hurts. The move paid off in a big way. Tagovailoa threw three touchdown passes, including the game-winning 41-yarder to DeVonta Smith in overtime. But there was than just the Tagovailoa-to-Smith connection that ultimately swung the game in Alabama’s favor.
Tua’s third down scramble
Tagovailoa’s first drive went a lot like most of Alabama’s first-half drives: three-and-out. His second drive looked like it was headed the same way - until Tagovailoa made an incredible play to give his team a first down.
Tagovailoa and the Tide faced a third-and-7 play from their own 47. Tagovailoa had plenty of time to throw, but eventually felt pressure from the ferocious Georgia front. The lefty rolled to his right, met a wall of defenders, somehow squeaked through the arms of three Bulldogs, rolled all the way back to the right and took off for a nine-yard gain. First down Alabama.
Tagovailoa then completed his next four passes. The fourth was a six-yard touchdown to Henry Ruggs III, giving Alabama its first points of the game and cutting the UGA lead to 13-7.
Raekwon Davis interception of Jake Fromm
Four plays after the Tagovailoa-to-Ruggs connection, Georgia responded with an 80-yard touchdown pass from Jake Fromm to Mecole Hardman. On the ensuing Alabama drive, Tagovailoa made a freshman mistake, forcing one into traffic for an interception. Up 20-7, Georgia had the ball at the Alabama 39 and looked primed to build onto its lead.
Instead, this happened:
Fromm was pressured by Da’Ron Payne and fired a pass that deflected off the helmet of Da’Shawn Hand. The ball popped up in the air and right into the arms of Raekwon Davis, who returned it 19 yards to Georgia’s 40-yard line.
The interception led to an Alabama field goal that cut the Georgia lead to 20-10 with 5:15 left in the third.
Raekwon Davis sack
After the teams traded punts, Georgia moved the ball toward midfield early in the fourth quarter. From its own 47, UGA faced a third-and-4. The Bulldogs converted several third downs in the first half, but the Tide defense stepped up in the second half. It did again on this drive and Davis stormed through the line to sack Fromm.
Davis’ sack sent the ball back to the offense, setting up another field goal by Andy Pappanastos, cutting the Georgia lead to 20-13 with 9:24 to play.
Third down stop on Sony Michel
At this point, the momentum was firmly on Alabama’s side. But if Georgia could put a drive together, it could potentially hang on to a win. The Tide defense had other ideas. The Bulldogs offense faced yet another third down situation, this time just third-and-2. UGA went to its “Wild Dawg” formation with wideout Mecole Hardman and senior running back Sony Michel in the backfield.
UGA scored out of that formation in the first half, with Hardman faking a handoff to Michel and taking off for a score. This time, Hardman gave to Michel and the Tide defense stuffed him short of the first-down marker.
That stop gave the ball back to Tagovailoa and the offense, setting up…
Tagovailoa-to-Ridley ties it
Down 20-13, ‘Bama regained possession with 6:59 to play. Tagovailoa quickly moved the offense deep into Georgia territory, eventually progressing all the way down to the six-yard line. On third-and-3 from the six, Damien Harris was stuffed for a one-yard loss. Facing fourth-and-4, the offense stayed on the field.
Tagovailoa made yet another big play, finding Calvin Ridley for a game-tying seven-yard touchdown.
Tagovailoa gave Alabama the chance to win in regulation, but Pappanastos hooked a 36-yard try to the left, forcing overtime. Georgia opened the extra frame with a field goal, meaning the Tide would win with a touchdown. On the first play of its possession, Tagovailoa inexplicably took a sack for a 16-yard loss.
Tagovailoa looked off the safety like an NFL veteran and located DeVonta Smith behind the defense for a game-winning 41-yard touchdown.
“We called four verticals on that play. After the sack, we just got up and took it to the next play,” Tagovailoa said. “It looked like they were running two trap. The corner trap on that single receiver side, and I held the safety in the middle as the over was coming. I looked back out, and he was wide open, Smitty was wide open so I hit him, and here we are now. Thank God.”
The catch was Smith’s first of the game and just the eighth of his career. He’s just a freshman, but it will be hard for him to top that.
https://sports.yahoo.com/6-plays-helped-alabama-win-college-football-playoff-national-title-073239055.html
Nick Bromberg Dr. Saturday
Jan 9, 2018, 2:11 PM
ATLANTA - Nick Saban has his fifth national championship at Alabama. And it came in overtime.
Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa hit DeVonta Smith for a 41-yard touchdown pass in the first overtime to complete a crazy second-half comeback to win the College Football Playoff 26-23 over Georgia.
Much like he did two years ago with an onside kick in the second half against Clemson in the National Championship Game, Saban made an aggressive decision in the final half Monday night. He benched quarterback Jalen Hurts after a porous first half and gave the offensive reins to freshman Tagovailoa.
The decision worked out. Tagovailoa threw his second touchdown of the evening with 3:49 left in the game when he bought time and found Calvin Ridley in the end zone for a seven-yard score. The throw came on a fourth-and-4 and tied the game at 20-20.
After forcing a Georgia punt, Alabama drove down the field to set up a potential game-winning field goal by Andy Pappanastos as time expired. But Pappanastos missed his second field goal of the game badly to the left, sending it to overtime.
Georgia took a 13-0 lead into halftime thanks to a great drive to end the half. After starting the scoring with two field goals, wide receiver Mecole Hardman scored a rushing touchdown with seven seconds left to cap a nine-play drive.
The good vibes continued for Georgia fans shortly after halftime, even after Tagovailoa threw a touchdown pass on the Tide’s second possession of the game. After Alabama cut the Georgia lead to 13-7, Georgia QB Jake Fromm found Hardman for an 80-yard touchdown to make it 20-7.
But the game turned two possessions later. Tagovailoa was picked off and Georgia had a chance to go up three scores and salt the game away. It didn’t happen. Fromm was intercepted by Alabama defensive lineman Raekwon Davis. The interception only turned into a field goal, but the comeback was on from there.
Two years ago, Alabama tied Clemson 24-24 in the fourth quarter and called for an onside kick with just over 10 minutes to go in the game. That aggressive decision worked out crazily well too, as the Tide took the lead two plays later and held on for a 45-40 win.
That was Saban’s fourth championship at Alabama and his fifth overall. With six overall (he won one at LSU), Saban ties Alabama legend Bear Bryant for the most national championships in college football history.
Hurts entered Monday’s game 25-2 in his career as Alabama’s starter and officially moves to 26-2 with the win. But he struggled mightily in the first half, completing three of eight passes for 21 yards. After Tagovailoa entered, Alabama’s offense became more dynamic as Tagovailoa went downfield early and often.
The starter was smiling as he was interviewed on the field about Tagovailoa’s performance. Hurts was a constant supportive presence to Tagovailoa in the second half, offering encouragement to the freshman dropped into a seemingly untenable task.
“He stepped in and did his thing,” Hurts said. “Did his thing for the team.”
Hurts took over as Alabama’s starter officially in the second game of the 2016 season and never relinquished the job, even after Tagovailoa’s presence on campus made many Alabama fans wonder if there was a quarterback controversy at hand.
Tagovailoa was the No. 3 dual-threat quarterback in the class of 2017 and saw some playing time over the course of the season, though it was clear that Hurts was the starting quarterback. Now, it’s probably not so clear going forward. But that’s to worry about later.
https://sports.yahoo.com/alabama-stuns-georgia-overtime-26-23-win-national-title-051156297.html
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The 6 plays that helped Alabama win the College Football Playoff national title
Sam Cooper Dr. Saturday
Jan 9, 2018, 4:32 PM
Alabama came back from a 13-0 halftime deficit to beat Georgia 26-23 in overtime to capture its fifth national championship in the past nine seasons.
The Crimson Tide couldn’t get anything going offensively in the first half, so the coaches summoned true freshman quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to replace sophomore Jalen Hurts. The move paid off in a big way. Tagovailoa threw three touchdown passes, including the game-winning 41-yarder to DeVonta Smith in overtime. But there was than just the Tagovailoa-to-Smith connection that ultimately swung the game in Alabama’s favor.
Tua’s third down scramble
Tagovailoa’s first drive went a lot like most of Alabama’s first-half drives: three-and-out. His second drive looked like it was headed the same way - until Tagovailoa made an incredible play to give his team a first down.
Tagovailoa and the Tide faced a third-and-7 play from their own 47. Tagovailoa had plenty of time to throw, but eventually felt pressure from the ferocious Georgia front. The lefty rolled to his right, met a wall of defenders, somehow squeaked through the arms of three Bulldogs, rolled all the way back to the right and took off for a nine-yard gain. First down Alabama.
Tagovailoa then completed his next four passes. The fourth was a six-yard touchdown to Henry Ruggs III, giving Alabama its first points of the game and cutting the UGA lead to 13-7.
Raekwon Davis interception of Jake Fromm
Four plays after the Tagovailoa-to-Ruggs connection, Georgia responded with an 80-yard touchdown pass from Jake Fromm to Mecole Hardman. On the ensuing Alabama drive, Tagovailoa made a freshman mistake, forcing one into traffic for an interception. Up 20-7, Georgia had the ball at the Alabama 39 and looked primed to build onto its lead.
Instead, this happened:
Fromm was pressured by Da’Ron Payne and fired a pass that deflected off the helmet of Da’Shawn Hand. The ball popped up in the air and right into the arms of Raekwon Davis, who returned it 19 yards to Georgia’s 40-yard line.
The interception led to an Alabama field goal that cut the Georgia lead to 20-10 with 5:15 left in the third.
Raekwon Davis sack
After the teams traded punts, Georgia moved the ball toward midfield early in the fourth quarter. From its own 47, UGA faced a third-and-4. The Bulldogs converted several third downs in the first half, but the Tide defense stepped up in the second half. It did again on this drive and Davis stormed through the line to sack Fromm.
Davis’ sack sent the ball back to the offense, setting up another field goal by Andy Pappanastos, cutting the Georgia lead to 20-13 with 9:24 to play.
Third down stop on Sony Michel
At this point, the momentum was firmly on Alabama’s side. But if Georgia could put a drive together, it could potentially hang on to a win. The Tide defense had other ideas. The Bulldogs offense faced yet another third down situation, this time just third-and-2. UGA went to its “Wild Dawg” formation with wideout Mecole Hardman and senior running back Sony Michel in the backfield.
UGA scored out of that formation in the first half, with Hardman faking a handoff to Michel and taking off for a score. This time, Hardman gave to Michel and the Tide defense stuffed him short of the first-down marker.
That stop gave the ball back to Tagovailoa and the offense, setting up…
Tagovailoa-to-Ridley ties it
Down 20-13, ‘Bama regained possession with 6:59 to play. Tagovailoa quickly moved the offense deep into Georgia territory, eventually progressing all the way down to the six-yard line. On third-and-3 from the six, Damien Harris was stuffed for a one-yard loss. Facing fourth-and-4, the offense stayed on the field.
Tagovailoa made yet another big play, finding Calvin Ridley for a game-tying seven-yard touchdown.
Tagovailoa gave Alabama the chance to win in regulation, but Pappanastos hooked a 36-yard try to the left, forcing overtime. Georgia opened the extra frame with a field goal, meaning the Tide would win with a touchdown. On the first play of its possession, Tagovailoa inexplicably took a sack for a 16-yard loss.
Tagovailoa looked off the safety like an NFL veteran and located DeVonta Smith behind the defense for a game-winning 41-yard touchdown.
“We called four verticals on that play. After the sack, we just got up and took it to the next play,” Tagovailoa said. “It looked like they were running two trap. The corner trap on that single receiver side, and I held the safety in the middle as the over was coming. I looked back out, and he was wide open, Smitty was wide open so I hit him, and here we are now. Thank God.”
The catch was Smith’s first of the game and just the eighth of his career. He’s just a freshman, but it will be hard for him to top that.
https://sports.yahoo.com/6-plays-helped-alabama-win-college-football-playoff-national-title-073239055.html