ALABAMA26, GEORGIA 23 ( OT) SABAN’S SIX- CESS COACHTIESRECORDFORTITLESASTIDE RALLIESTOWIN INOVERTIME PAGE45
Tide claims fifth title since 2009 on TD pass by backup QB in OT
ATLANTA — Backup quarterback Tua Tagovailoa threw a 41- yard touchdown pass to DeVonta Smith to give Alabama a 26- 23 overtime victory against Georgia in the College Football Playoff championship gameMonday at Mercedes- Benz Stadium.
Tagovailoa entered the game at halftime, replacing a struggling Jalen Hurts, and threw three touchdown passes, including the game- ender, to give the Crimson Tide their fifth national championship since 2009 under coach Nick Saban.
After kicker Andy Pappanastos missed a 36- yard field goal that would have won the game for Alabama ( 13- 1) in the final seconds of regulation, the Bulldogs ( 13- 2) took the lead with a 51- yard field goal from Rodrigo Blankenship in overtime.
Tagovailoa took a terrible sack on the Crimson Tide’s first play of overtime, losing 16 yards. On the next play he found Smith streaking down the sideline and hit him in stride for the national championship.
The game will be remembered for Saban’s decision to change quarterbacks with Alabama trailing 13- 0.
‘‘ I just thought we had to throw the ball, and I felt he could do it better, and he did,’’ Saban said. ‘‘ He did a good job, made some plays in the passing game. Just a great win. I’m so happy for Alabama fans. Great for our players. Unbelievable.’’
When asked what he was thinking as the winning pass soared, Saban said: ‘‘ I could not believe it. There’s lots of highs and lows. Last year we lost on the last play of the game, and this year we won on the last play of the game. These kids really responded the right way. We said last year, ‘ Don’t waste the feeling.’ They sure didn’t, the way they played tonight.’’
Saban now has six major- poll national championships, including one at LSU, matching the record set by the man who led the Crimson Tide’s last dynasty, Paul ‘‘ Bear’’ Bryant.
But this one was nothing like the others. The all- Southeastern Conference matchup was all Georgia in the first half before Saban pulled Hurts and went with Tagovailoa, a five- star recruit from Hawaii, to start the second half.
The Crimson Tide trailed 13- 0 at halftime and 20- 7 in the third quarter after Bulldogs quarterback Jake Fromm connected with Mecole Hardman for an 80- yard touchdown pass that had the Georgia fans feeling good about ending a national- title drought that dates to 1980.
But a little less than a year after the Atlanta Falcons blew a 25- point lead and lost in overtime to the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl, there was more pain for many of the local fans. With the title game being held 70 miles fromthe Bulldogs’ campus in Athens, many Georgia fans packed Mercedes- Benz Stadium. But it turned out to be a sweet home for Alabama.
It was not without angst. The Crimson Tide drove into the red zone in the final minute of regulation, and Saban started playing for a field goal that would end the game.
A nervous quiet gripped the crowd of 77,430 as Alabama burned the clock. With the ball centered in the middle of the field, Pappanastos lined up for a kick to win the national championship. The snap and hold looked fine, but the kicked missed badly to the left.
Forthesecondconsecutiveweek, Georgia was going to overtime. The Bulldogs beat Oklahoma in a wild Rose Bowl in double overtime to reach the title game, and after Jonathan Ledbetter and Davin Bellamy sacked Tagovailoa for a big loss on the Crimson Tide’s first play of the extra session, Alabama appeared to be in trouble, trailing by three points and facing secondand26.
Not for long. Tagovailoa looked off the safety before throwing the biggest touchdown pass in the history of Alabama football.