CFP National Championship Recap
Tagovailoa, born and raised in Ewa Beach, Hawaii, spent most of the season as the backup to Jalen Hurts, who was the starter in last year’s national championship, a loss to Clemson. After the first half, Hurts was 3/8 for 21 yards passing and had 6 carries for 47 yards rushing with Georgia leading 13-0.
Alabama head coach Nick Saban quickly realized he needed to make a change, so he started Tagovailoa, the backup with a big arm, over the more experienced Hurts, who was struggling mightily. The game plan coming in for Alabama was to attack the secondary of Georgia down the field vertically, in hopes that it would open up the running game.
Georgia, on the other hand, wanted to control the clock with their powerful rushing attack, led by All-Sec running back Nick Chubb, complimented by shifty backs Sony Michel and D’Andre Swift and their stringent defense lead by linebacker Roquan Smith.
The start of the second half witnessed Alabama come out with a different energy behind the freshman quarterback, as they scored on their second possession of the 2nd half, to make the score 13-7 Georgia. It did not take long for Georgia to respond with an 80-yard touchdown strike from freshman quarterback Jake Fromm to Mecole Hardman (his second score of the game). Alabama, led by Tagovailoa, did not give up and eventually tied the game at 20-20, with 3:49 left to go in the 4th quarter.
After a quick Georgia possession, Alabama got the ball back and drove down the field, to set up kicker Andy Pappanastos with a 36-yard field goal attempt to win the game and the championship, but he pushed it wide left and the game went to overtime.
Alabama won the toss and decided to play defense first, and rely on the best defense in college football to get a stop. With a third and six upcoming, Fromm dropped back only to be sacked for a 13-yard loss by Terrell Lewis, perhaps one of the biggest plays of the game, which forced a 51-yard field goal attempt for Rodrigo Blankenship. The former walk-on capitalized on the biggest stage and drilled the field goal, forcing Alabama to at least have to get a field goal, but a touchdown would win the game.
Georgia came out determined to stop Alabama and on the first play, sacked Tagovailoa for a 16-yard loss, pushing them out of field goal range. However, on the very next play, Tagovailoa dropped back, recognized the cover 2 coverage, looked off the safety, and dropped a dime down the left sideline to DeVonta Smith, right in between the defense, for a 41-yard touchdown, a dagger.
Alabama had reclaimed glory after a disheartening defeat the previous year, in front of a packed, Georgia-filled crowd, all because Nick Saban decided to play the little known freshman from Ewa Beach.
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