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Written By: Adrian Beecher
(Atlanta, GA) The Alabama Crimson Tide roll as the 2018 College Football Playoff National Champions with Nick Saban winning a sixith career title after bringing in backup quarterback Tua Tagovailoa in second half to lead Bama in a comeback win for the ages. After failing to score in the first half, Alabama outscored Georgia 26-10 to end the game on top 26-23 in only the second ever overtime in national title game history. It was redemption for the team that came up just one second short of winning the title last year.
“When we lost last year on the last play of the game, we said don't waste a failing. That's the lesson we all wanted to learn. I think the resiliency this team has shown all year long certainly proves that they sort of learned something from that. Couldn't be prouder of a bunch of coaches and a bunch of players and the people in our organization who contribute to the success of the University of Alabama.” said an exuberant Saban postgame. The Tide were able to overcome the ebb and flow of the game from start to finish. Alabama won the toss and elected to differ until the second half, which set the Bulldogs up with possession opening the game. Disaster struck just two plays into the game for the Dawgs as quarterback Jake Fromm was intercepted by defensive back Tony Brown of Alabama. The Tide was able to quickly move into Georgia territory and eventually into the red zone. Despite swift red zone penetration, the Georgia defense stiffened up and forced a 35-yard field goal from Alabama kicker Andy Pappanastos that went through the uprights. However, a 5-yard false start penalty would push it back to a 40-yard attempt that would sail wide left and the Dawgs took over 1st and ten at their own 36-yard line. After another set of failed drives for each team, Georgia faced a 3rd and 3 with 3:49 left in the first quarter and Alabama’s defense entered the neutral zone, drawing a flag that gave the Dawgs a fresh set of downs. Alabama looked to have overcame the mistake with a huge 10-yard sack on 2nd and 10 that setup a 3rd-and 20 for Georgia from their own 48-yard line. However, on the ensuing play, running back Sony Michel broke off a 26-yard run to give the Dawgs a fresh set of downs. Georgia would end up capping off the drive with a 41-yard field goal that was drilled through the uprights by kicker Rodrigo Blankenship. The Tide, still unable to get anything going, were forced into a three-and-out for the first time of the night. Then it was back to business for the Dawgs. Fromm led Georgia down the field swiftly in nine plays before the Tide defense stood strong to force another Blankenship field goal. This one was good from 27 yards out to make it 6-0 with 7:33 left to play in the second quarter. Later in the half, with just 1:19 left on the clock, Georgia would get back to work. Fromm led the Dawgs on a prolific nine play, 69-yard drive that ended in a 1 yard rush off the left sideline into the end zone by wide receiver Mecole Hardman. This made the score 13-0 Georgia with just seven seconds left to play. The Tide would take a knee and look to regroup at the half. Georgia’s domination wasn’t easy to see. The Tide converted just 1 of 6 3rd downs, while the Dawgs converted 6 of 11. In terms of offensive production, Georgia had 223 yards of total offense to just 94 from Alabama. 97 of those yards for Georgia came on the ground on 24 carries. In the second half, the Tide elected to go with a quarterback change, benching starter Jalen Hurts and going with true freshman Tua Tagovailoa. The first drive looked like the change was a mistake after a quick 3 and out that included a sack on 3rd down. However, after a quick 3 and out from Georgia, Tagovailoa showed off his ability. On 3rd and 7 from their own 47-yard line, Tagovailoa looked like he would surely be sacked as he looked to rush to the left side. However, he reversed field and went to the right, caught a couple blocks and made a man miss, picking up nine yards on the carry and a first down in the process. He then completed four straight passes, including a 6-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Henry Ruggs III to give the Tide their first points of the game. On Georgia’s ensuing possession, they answered with fury. On the 3rd play of the drive, Fromm connected with Hardman for an 80-yard bomb that extended the Dawgs lead back to 13. After the score, each Tagovailoa and Fromm exchanged interceptions, as momentum swayed back and forth. Fromm’s pick would set the Tide up with excellent field position. However, after two rushes for Bama and a 1st down, 3 straight incompletions from Tagovailoa would force the Tide to settle for a field goal to make it a 10-point game at 20-10. In the fourth quarter, things got even more interesting as Alabama’s defense continued to dominate in a flip of the script. Refusing to let up, the Bulldogs would never see the Tide side of the field in the final quarter. This allowed Bama to capitalize on great field position and eventually tie the game at 20, with just 3:49 left to play as Tagovailoa connected with Alabama wide receiver Calvin Ridley in the end zone on a 4th and 4 from the Georgia 7-yard line. After the score, Bama’s D forced a 3 and out that would lead to what looked to be the game winning drive. With just 2:55 left on the clock, the Tide moved prolifically up the field, eating the clock away with each play picking up three 1st downs on the 10 play 48 yard drive that eventually setup the Tide with a chance to win it with a field goal. With just three seconds left on the game clock, Pappanastos lined up for a 36 yarder from the middle of the hashes. However, much to the dismay of the Tide fans, and pleasure of the Dawgs fans, the kick went wide left as time expired, sending the game into overtime. In overtime, the story was the same as the fourth quarter. The Tide defense stood tall and on 3rd and 6 from the Bama 21, sacked Fromm for a 13 yard loss. This setup a 51-yard field goal that just snuck through the middle of the uprights. This made it 23-20, with Bama needing a field goal to send it into a second overtime, or a touchdown to win it. The drive didn’t start off great, as Tagovailoa was sacked on the first play from scrimmage for a 16-yard loss, pushing the tide back to the 41-yard line. However, on the ensuing play, Tagovailoa made up for it with a pass to wide receiver DeVonta Smith on the left sideline, who then broke free and made his way into the end zone for the game winning score, officially crowning the Tide as Champions. Tagovailoa finished the game just 14 of 20 passing, with one interception. However, his three touchdowns through the air and 166 yards in only one half of play were more than enough to earn him the offensive MVP. The freshman’s humbleness and drive shined in postgame as well it did in the game. “I would say my poise comes from my faith, just being able to come onto the sideline every time after I go into a drive. I just pray for peace. I just pray, asking God, let your will be done in me, and the rest will follow. That's the best way I could explain it. Before I go into a drive, I pray a little bit, say my prayers, and we do it. When we come off the field, say a little prayer just to keep me calm, and we go from there.” The win ties Saban with the legendary college football coach Paul “Bear” Bryant for the most ever National Title wins with six. His decision to change to a backup quarterback was one of boldness and trust in his players. The last time that a backup was put into a national title deciding game and it paid off was in 1991 with Colorado’s Charles Johnson, who led the Buffs in a win over Notre Dame. This game will go down in history of one of the great games in College Football History. Saban has all but cemented his legacy as the greatest college football coach to ever live. However, all in all, for him, it’s about the players. Not about the wins, or the titles as he explained so eloquently after the game. “It's not just about winning a championship. You want to do the best job you can, and every team wants to be successful. As a coach, you want to see your team reach their full potential. But as a college coach and the thing I like about college coaching is you have an opportunity to affect people. You have an opportunity to help players be more successful in life because they're involved in the program, whether it's personal development, academic support, graduating from school, learning lessons. The message to the team tonight after this game was I hope you take something from this game and the resiliency that you showed in this game and it helps you be more successful in life.” 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship Game Preview Series: Alabama Special Teams1/7/2018
Written By: Brian Pohl
(Atlanta, GA) In a game featuring two very talented teams, special teams could be the deciding factor between winning and losing a national championship. Here we will take a closer look at the Alabama Crimson tide special teams led by coordinator Joe Pannunzio heading into the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship.
Alabama’s biggest strength on special teams has to be their punt team. Led by Senior JK Scott, the Crimson Tide boast one of the strongest punt teams in the nation. Scott was a finalist for the Ray Guy Award, which is given to the nation’s top punter every season. He has averaged 42-yards per punt and has placed just over 52% of his punts inside the 25-yard line, which leads the nation. The Senior has had a great career at Alabama and will suit up one final time for the College Football Playoff National Championship, his third career appearance in the game. The kicking game for Alabama has been inconsistent at times this season, as the Crimson Tide have made 17 of their 24 attempts. The kicking duties for the Tide fall under two different players, as Alabama uses different kickers for short and long distances. The short-range kicker for the 2017 season has been Senior Andy Pappanastos, who has hit 16 of his 21 field goal attempts on the season. While the Senior has struggled with consistency, he has hit all 54 extra-point attempts on the year. The long-range duties go to JK Scott, who doubles as the team’s punter this season. Scott has made one of his three attempts, making a 48-yard field goal against Ole Miss earlier in the year. As Alabama heads into the 2018 College Football National Championship, they will look for more consistency from their kicking game than they have had throughout the season. If they can make plays when called upon, after Monday the discussion around Alabama head coach Nick Saban as one of the greatest coaches of all time will begin, as he will tie the legendary Bear Bryant with six National Championships. Alabama will face Georgia for the College Football National Championship, as they will square off inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia at 8:00 pm Monday Night.
Written By: Ernie Casanova
(ATLANTA, GA) It was a hectic and entertaining media day here in Atlanta. With about 1000 media members in attendance for Q&A, both Georgia and Alabama rosters were present for at least about an hour each. With most of the attention going to sensational Bulldog freshman QB Jake Fromm, he seemed very comfortable and ready to play in his home state for the title.
“You know, it’s an awesome experience. One I’m definitely looking forward to. I feel really good about the group of guys I’m going to battle with and you know I hope it goes our way,” Fromm stated when asked about playing against Alabama, whom he chose to de-commit from to stay close to home in Georgia and play for the Bulldogs. Fromm, who became the starter after Jacob Eason went down, has led this offense to a ranking of 7th nationally in team passing efficiency. Alabama, who sits at 1st in total defense, is preparing themselves well for an explosive offense capable of flirting with many points, as the Bulldogs dropped 55 on Oklahoma in the Rose Bowl. One thing for the Crimson Tide to be aware of is that Georgia is far from one dimensional, unlike the Clemson team they defeated in the Sugar Bowl who had trouble passing the ball. The Bulldogs sit 8th nationally in rushing offense and have a two-headed beast to thank. Rushing for over 3000 yards as a team this season, the success did not stop in Pasadena. Georgia rushed for 326 yards against the Sooners Monday with running backs Sony Michel and Nick Chubb responsible for six total touchdowns combined. Michel knows this time around it will not be as easy as Alabama also has the top rushing defense, even though they have been suffering injuries throughout their linebacker core all season. “This will be a hard knuckle physical game,” Michel stated. “It would mean a lot to bring a National Championship to the University of Georgia. Just to see these guys, how hard they worked. This season. The offseason. Just to see it all pay off.” As for Chubb, this is just another week with hopes of another great game. “It’s been a historic season. The Rose Bowl was fun. We had a good game, but that’s kind of in the past. Just looking forward to having another great game this week.” With the Championship game just right around the corner, this Georgia offense looks to be prepared for their SEC counterpart. The best thing about it, they will be playing amongst many of their loyal fans. This may create a significant amount of momentum for the Bulldogs to run with if they start the game off correctly.
Written By: Erik Slaby
(Atlanta, GA) Alabama has long been a national powerhouse, known for their physicality and punishing defense and that’s not any different this season. It’s not the only thing they should be known for though. With two days left before the Crimson Tide face off against the Georgia Bulldogs in the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship game, the Alabama offense has flown a bit under the radar.
With the injuries surrounding Alabama’s defense and their defensive domination against Clemson last week in the Sugar Bowl, their defense has been talked about at length by the media, rightfully so as it is impressive. In addition, their opponent in Georgia has also received a great deal of attention for their performance against Oklahoma in the Rose Bowl last week. Alabama often does not get enough credit for their offense as it is not as flashy as other offenses in college football but that should not matter. Alabama is led by a very strong rushing attack, a dominant offensive line and a quarterback in Jalen Hurts who has improved vastly since last season at this time. Alabama running back Damien Harris spoke at Media Day about Hurts and how much he has progressed as a leader from last year to this year. “I think the biggest compliment for Jalen is his leadership,” said Harris. “That leadership role that he’s really stepped into this year. Last year he basically, led just based off of his ability. He’s true freshman, 18-year-old kid that kinda came in and it’s hard for somebody in that position to step up and be vocal, be that vocal leader off the field that you need. I think over the last year, he’s really done a good job stepping into that leadership role, being a guy that’s not afraid to speak up in team meetings, or address an issue that we have as a team. So, I think that’s really cemented his leadership on this team.” Several teammates spoke about the growth of Hurts from a year ago and many of them highlighted his improved ability to read defenses and go through his reads. Alabama tight end Irvin Smith Jr. stated that while Hurts is a great runner, he has greatly improved his downfield passing skills this year. “He’s been working hard and improving on down the field throwing,” said Smith Jr. “Looking down the field and going through his reads. I feel like he’s definitely improved on that.” Alabama’s passing attack, while not as high-powered as some offenses, is very efficient. They are ranked 8th in the country in team passing efficiency. They are also ranked 12th in scoring offense. Where Alabama’s real strength lies offensively though is in their rushing attack. Alabama’s rushing offense is ranked 10th overall in the country and they have a plethora of different players that can run the ball effectively. Harris is the leading rushing on the team with 983 yards and 11 touchdowns, Hurts has 808 yards rushing and eight rushing touchdowns as a quarterback. Backup running backs Bo Scarbrough, Najee Harris and Josh Jacobs have also combined for 1,155 yards rushing and 12 rushing touchdowns on the year. Because of their depth and versatility at running back, the Alabama rushing attack is very difficult to stop. They can rotate their running backs throughout the game, staying fresh and not losing a beat. If Alabama can continue to run the ball both efficiently and effectively, they will likely find more success passing the ball and their chances of winning this game will increase dramatically. Alabama is a very physical team offensively and that will force Georgia to play just as physical every time Alabama is on offense. The 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship takes place on January 8th, 2018 at 8PM EST at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
Written By: Paul Fritz
(Atlanta, GA) Despite falling short of their goal to play for and win the SEC title, the Alabama Crimson Tide can prove themselves to be the best team in the country in Monday night’s College Football Playoff National Championship against the Georgia Bulldogs. Alabama will rely heavily on their gold-standard defense who have held opponents to just 11.5 points per game this season. Ultimately, Alabama’s defense will look to continue their dominance from the Sugar Bowl after keeping the Clemson Tigers to 6 points and out of the end-zone altogether.
Georgia’s primary asset is their dual-threat running game. Running backs Sony Michel and Nick Chubb are coming off of the most dominant collective performance in college football history with 326 yards combined against the Oklahoma Sooners. Even Alabama’s star safety, Ronnie Harrison, understands how critical it is to keep the Georgia backs at bay. “It’s going to be tough, they got two great running backs, but we’re still going to go out there and do our thing,” said Harrison. Georgia will feel they have certain home field advantage with the game in Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta. However, Alabama has a chip on their back to prove that they are and will continue to be the powerhouse within the Southeastern Conference. “You know, I kind of figured that got away from us, that one loss. We know that we were supposed to be there playing for the SEC Championship, supposed to win, but we fell short this year. So this is our revenge game, to let them know that we are Alabama and we are still going to be Alabama no matter what,” said Junior defensive end, Isaiah Buggs. Buggs believes that the result of the game comes down to one factor; controlling the line of scrimmage. “We need to give our secondary a chance, and that’s what we did (against Clemson). When your front 7 makes all the tackles, makes all the sacks, that lets you know that something’s going right. Our secondary was fresh. If we were forced to play more, 4 more quarters of that, I think we can because we kept their offensive linemen off of our linebackers. They were able to come freely and make more plays,” said Buggs. Alabama’s defensive play will prove a critical element to Monday night’s final result. Facing a physical Georgia team, the Crimson Tide will have to match the intensity, something that they have been successful with every game this season. Especially coming off of a dominant performance against Clemson in the Sugar Bowl, they will be confident that they can replicate and seal their season with the National Title.
Written By: Derek Robbie
(Atlanta, GA) The Georgia Bulldogs face the National Championship veterans, the Alabama Crimson Tide at 8:00 P.M. EST Monday night at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta Georgia.
The Dawgs seek their first National Championship victory in nearly 40 years, and in order to come away victorious Monday night, they will need their sixth-ranked defense to come up big against the highly-talented Crimson Tide offense. Georgia and their sixth-ranked defense will look to continue their solid play in the National Championship Monday night. If they wish to have success in the game Butkus Award winner, Linebacker Roquan Smith and the rest of the Bulldog front seven will need to keep Bama’s potent three-headed run game at bay. “A win would mean a lot more for me,” said Smith on the individual awards he has won. “You know, I’m not really caught up in the individual accolades and what not. But just winning this game would mean more than any award I could ever receive.” Therefore, the defense will hope to end the game with dual-threat quarterback Jalen Hurts, and running backs, Bo Scarbrough and Damien Harris under 100 yards rushing combined. Although the Bulldog defense gave up 48 points to Baker Mayfield and the Oklahoma Sooners, they really tightened up from the middle of the third quarter until the end of the second overtime. So, Defensive Coordinator Mel Tucker will look to have his guys carry over their performance from the second half of the Rose Bowl. “There is a little bit of momentum from the last half, the last 30 minutes, the two overtimes,” said Georgia defensive back Tyrique McGhee on momentum carrying over from the Rose Bowl. “But most of the momentum going into this game comes from what we have done this week in practice, but yeah a little bit of momentum from the last half.” If Georgia’s defense can keep the Alabama rush attack under wraps, then the Bulldogs should have a good shot at winning the National Championship!
Written By: Christian Koelle
(Atlanta, GA) On the eve of the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship, Sunday morning kicked off with the Extra Yard 5K marathon. The 5K took place in downtown Atlanta around the Mercedes-Benz Stadium and next to the Phillips Arena.
Proceeds from the event benefited the Extra Yard for Teachers, a cause brand of the CFP Foundation that aims to improve the teaching profession using partners from the CFP. The 5K helps promote the mission on a platform seen by thousands of people across the country. Runners battled 24-degree temperatures with the highest finishing male and female earning two tickets to the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship Game at Mercedes Benz Stadium. Though winning these game tickets are the motive behind some runners, others were participating with an educator in mind. Whether it be a family member, a family friend, or if they were a teacher themselves.
“It’s really cool, especially for APS (Atlanta Public Schools) because they really need it,” stated one of the runners who has been a teacher for five years. “We spend a lot of money on our own stuff all the time so to help them it’s really cool.”
While the field of runners consisted of teachers, it also included its fair share of members of the Atlanta Track Club. The two organizations worked together and formed another platform that would attract the running community. The event gave runners the opportunity to do something they love, while also showing support for those who have been impactful in their lives. A pair of tickets to the game were still available, even if you did not win the race. A raffle for two additional tickets gave some fans hope that they may be able to attend the game, with some fans stating, "they told us there was a raffle for tickets, it was the best shot we had." Whether it was running for the teachers or the tickets, this event gave the foundation a platform to raise awareness for the people who pave the road for the future. For more information about the Extra Yard for Teachers foundation visit their website at www.cfp-foundation.org/extra-yard-for-teachers/.8 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship Game Preview Series: Georgia Special Teams1/7/2018
Written By: Austin Fackler
(Atlanta, GA) The Georgia Bulldogs are all ready for their National Championship matchup with the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Saturday was media day in Atlanta for both teams as they prepare for the National Championship game. As the game inches closer the excitement for the Bulldogs grows as they look to win their first National Championship game since 1980. Playing Alabama is no small task, but Head Coach Kirby Smart will not back down saying on Saturday, “I honestly believe the league is more equal than it has ever been, and that’s mainly because I think maybe Alabama’s not as unbeatable as they have been.” Smart says that Georgia has been preparing for this game as they usually do, continuing to practice in Athens, “We planned this out long before the Rose Bowl game.” Kirby Smart adding in “It’s tough planning for two games when you haven’t won the first one yet but we had no way to do it without that, we thought it would be best to be in our normal setting which is to be in our meeting rooms and our training rooms and our recovery rooms.” The Bulldogs are coming off an exhilarating win in the Rose Bowl where they beat Oklahoma in a double overtime thriller that will go down as one of the best Rose Bowl games ever played. During the game after Oklahoma had scored with 6 seconds remaining in the first half, they attempted a squib quick that the Bulldogs recovered on OU’S 47-yard line. After quick completion left 1 second on the clock Coach Kirby Smart called upon his kicker Rodrigo Blankenship to kick a Rose Bowl record 55-yard field goal which he nailed giving the Bulldogs some momentum heading to halftime. Blankenship has a new-found fame from hitting the record holding kick and was asked if he has been recognized at school and if he has had to sneak into class to not be recognized “It’s not a matter of sneaking in, we have to be there early to check in with the class checkers when there’s a bunch of athletes in the class we always have a checker there.” When asked about how he prepared for the 55-yard field goal after missing a kick earlier in the game “One of the best traits a kicker or punter can have is a short-term memory” he added, “whether you make a kick or miss a kick you need to treat it the exact same way.” The National Championship game kicks off at 8:00 pm Monday night from Atlanta. VIDEO-Alabama DB Jared Mayden at the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship Media Day1/6/2018 |
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