Sarkisian, Tide come up 2 minutes short
TAMPA, Fla. — Steve Sarkisian dialed up a timely trick play, a pass that worked to perfection and plenty of hand-offs to Bo Scarbrough.
The combination nearly added up to a triumphant debut for Sarkisian as Alabama’s offensive coordinator — on the biggest stage in college football.
Eight days after taking the job, his offense struggled after halftime but got a go-ahead touchdown with 2:07 left that wasn’t enough in Monday night’s 35-31 loss to Clemson in the national championship game.
Sarkisian, a former USC and Washington head coach, took the reins of the Tide offense a day after the Peach Bowl when head coach Nick Saban ushered Lane Kiffin on to his new job as head coach at Florida Atlantic.
Alabama stuck to the same offensive script as under Kiffin.
Freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts, the SEC Offensive Player of the Year, struggled to complete anything more than short passes. The Tide finished 2for-15 on third downs, and only Scarbrough had consistent success before suffering a right leg injury in the third quarter.
The biggest test for Sarkisian came with four minutes left and Alabama facing its first fourthquarter deficit since last year’s national title game. He passed with flying colors.
Alabama converted a fourth down with a Damien Harris run. Then Hurts threw a lateral to receiver ArDarius Stewart, a former high school quarterback who fired a 24-yard completion to tight end O.J. Howard.
Then Hurts did what he does best, running for a 30-yard touchdown to retake the lead.
Hurts went 13-for-31 passing for 131 yards to go with 63 rushing yards.
Dollars for ducats: Fans looking for a last-minute deal on tickets for the national championship game were out of luck.
With 75,000 to 100,000 outof-towners arriving in Tampa for Monday night’s matchup, demand for tickets remained high right up to game time.
Two hours before kickoff, the asking price for seats on StubHub ranged from $1,899 in the upper deck to $11,748 each for 10 tickets on the club level of Raymond James Stadium.
Next season’s favorite: Alabama rolls into the offseason as the favorites in Las Vegas to win next season’s title. ESPN reported that the Crimson Tide top the Westgate SuperBook’s odds to win next season’s college football championship game at 3-1. Florida State is next at 7-1, followed by Oklahoma, Ohio State and USC, which are each 8-1.