Alabama Rolls Georgia For 26-23 Comeback Victory In OT, Saban Ties Bear Bryant With 6 National Titles
By Chip Patterson, Barrett Sallee, CBS Sports // January 9, 2018
Last play with Eli Gold on the call #RollTide #NationalChampionship pic.twitter.com/ryJsAnnqf6
— Houndztooth Approves of Bigboy TDs (@TheHoundztooth) January 9, 2018
ABOVE VIDEO: Game-winning touchdown pass thrown by Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa to DeVonta Smith in overtime.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA (CBS SPORTS) – The legend of true freshman quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was cemented over the course of a couple of hours late Monday and into early Tuesday morning in Atlanta as No. 4 Alabama toppled No. 3 Georgia in epic comeback fashion to win the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship.
Tagovailoa said the quarterbacks were brought together in the locker room at halftime, with the Tide trailing 13-0, and told that the former five-star, No. 1-ranked signal caller would start the second half under center.
The plan, as Tua shared after the game with ESPN, was to rotate quarterbacks. Tagovailoa went three-and-out on his first possession, but then, as Jalen Hurts said on the broadcast, the youngster “stepped in and did his thing.”
Hurts was right there on the sideline coaching up Tagovailoa through the good and the bad, and there was plenty of both during a second half that saw the Tide showcase their wealth of freshman talent.
Najee Harris finished as the team’s leading rusher, Henry Ruggs III caught the first touchdown pass from Tagovailoa, and De’Vonta Smith caught the game-winning score. All of them freshmen, thrown into the fire on the biggest stage and now responsible for one of the most thrilling championships of all time.
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What. An. Ending.#NationalChampionship pic.twitter.com/XJ9OZJNznl
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 9, 2018
WHAT A COMEBACK!
Congratulations @AlabamaFTBL – 2018 National Champions! #RollTide || #NationalChampionship pic.twitter.com/yotHXInKyh
— College Football Playoff (@CFBPlayoff) January 9, 2018
This is so, so awesome. @Tuaamann_ #NationalChampionship pic.twitter.com/omZVHXYFb1
— Michael Snow (@MikeSnow4) January 9, 2018
ABOVE VIDEO: Alabama’s QB Tua Tagovailoa after the game.