Freshmen steal the show in CFP title game
ATLANTA — Alabama and Georgia don’t look like they’ll be disappearing from the college football landscape any time soon.
Not with all the sophomores and freshmen making plays Monday night inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Alabama’s 26-23 win in overtime featured two true freshman quarterbacks, Jake Fromm of the Bulldogs and Tua Tagovailoa of the Tide. Fromm entered Monday having started 14 of Georgia’s last 15 games, whereas Tagovailoa replaced struggling sophomore Jalen Hurts at the start of the second half.
Tugavailoa provided an instant spark and completed 14 of 24 passes for 166 yards with three touchdowns and an interception. He had played in eight games during the regular season, completing 35 of 53 passes for 470 yards with eight touchdowns and one interceptions.
There were plenty of classmates to accompany Tagovailoa during the Tide’s comeback from a double-digit deficit. Freshman running back Najee Harris wound up leading the team with 64 yards on six carries, while freshman receivers DeVonta Smith, Henry Ruggs III and Jerry Jeudy also contributed, with Smith catching the overtime winner from 41 yards out.
Ruggs had a 6-yard touchdown reception midway through the third quarter to get Alabama on the board, and Jeudy had a 20-yard reception on the Tide’s drive that ended with a 7-yard touchdown pass from Tagovailoa to Calvin Ridley that tied the game at 20.
Getting his kicks
Georgia redshirt sophomore kicker Rodrigo Blankenship, who made a career-long 55-yard field goal in last week’s win over Oklahoma in the Rose Bowl, wrapped up his season
Monday by making three field goals, including a 51-yarder in overtime. His 41-yard attempt in the
first minute of the second quarter put the Bulldogs up 3-0, and a 27-yarder midway through the second
quarter made it 6-0.
Blankenship wound up making 20 of 23 attempts this season after making 14
of 18 last season, when he competed as a walk-on.
Slower start
Alabama and Georgia played the first scoreless opening quarter in the four CFP championship games, and it was the first scoreless quarter period. All 12 previous quarters had at least one touchdown, and both teams had scored touchdowns in nine of the 12.
The first half was the quickest in CPF playoff history, taking one hour and 32 minutes to play.
Bulldog bites
Senior strong safety Dominick Sanders made his 53rd career start, tying the school record set by former kicker Blair Walsh from 2008 to 2011. … Making their 40th career starts on offense were running back Nick Chubb and left tackle Isaiah Wynn. … Todd Gurley, Matthew Stafford and A.J. Green were among the former Georgia players in attendance. … The 80-yard touchdown pass from Fromm to Mecole Hardman was the longest play against Alabama’s defense this season by 26 yards.
Ansley leaving
The Denver Post reported Monday that Alabama secondary coach Derrick Ansley has accepted the opportunity to become the defensive coordinator at Colorado State.
Ansley finished his second season with the Tide. He was a graduate assistant at Alabama during the 2010 and 2011 seasons before becoming secondary coach at Tennessee in Derek Dooley’s final season in 2012 and spending three years as secondary coach under Mark Stoops at Kentucky.
Alabama’s secondary has been led the past two years by two-time All-American Minkah Fitzpatrick, who has played six positions.
Tide tidbits
Tony Brown’s interception three plays into Monday’s game gave Alabama at least one forced turnover in 42 of its last 44 games. The Crimson Tide have collected 73 turnovers in those 44 games, returning 17 for touchdowns. … Calvin Ridley’s 9-yard catch on the Crimson Tide’s opening possession gave the junior receiver at least one catch in all 44 games of his career. … Senior punter JK Scott set a school record for career punts, breaking the 238 P.J. Fitzgerald had from 2006 to 2009. … Two days after leading the Tennessee Titans to a win at Kansas City in the NFL playoffs, former Tide running back and 2015 Heisman Trophy winner Derrick Henry was in attendance to watch his former team.