College football: Alabama eyes another title.
Alabama seeks another title
Alabama is very familiar with this role.
Washington? It’s been a while.
The Peach Bowl features one of college football’s greatest dynasties against the definite outsider in this season’s College Football Playoff.
The top-ranked Crimson Tide (13-0) is going for its second straight national title and fifth in the last nine seasons under coach Nick Saban.
At this point, it’s national championship or bust for Alabama.
A loss in Saturday’s semifinal game in Atlanta would make this season a failure.
“It’s the Bama way,” Tide linebacker Reuben Foster said.
Washington (12-1) comes into the Peach Bowl with an entirely different perspective.
The Huskies wandered in the wilderness for much of the past two decades, playing in only one major bowl since Don James retired after the 1992 season and slogging through a stretch of six straight losing seasons that included an 0-12 debacle in 2008.
Chris Petersen took over as coach in 2014 and struggled through his first two years, going 1512. But it all came together this season as the Huskies claimed the final playoff berth.
Fiesta Bowl: Urban Meyer was giving the abridged version of the core values he has instilled in Ohio State football, the pillars upon which he has built the Buckeyes.
There is 4 to 6, A to B, in reference to the effort expected on each play. Power of the unit focuses on each position group. Competitive excellence, which sort of speaks for itself.
“You mean the gameday underwear, that’s not the key ingredient?” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney chimed in, getting a smile from Meyer.
“I’m not saying I don’t wear them,” Meyer responded.
Swinney and Meyer shared the stage Friday morning for the final news conference before the second-ranked Buckeyes (11-1, No. 3 CFP) and Tigers (12-1, No. 2 CFP) face off in Scottsdale, Ariz. The coaches exchanged handshakes and kind of a half-hug, pat-onthe-back thing before posing for photos with an ostentatious trophy that goes to the winner of Saturday night’s game — along with a trip to the College Football Playoff championship game.
The 52-year-old Meyer has a résumé few who have ever coached college football can match. No current coach who has at least 10 seasons of experience has a better winning percentage than Meyer’s .854. He has won three national titles.