Alabama advance to college football playoff national championship game

by



[ad_1]

The top-ranked Crimson Tide advanced to the college football playoff national championship game, defeating fourth-ranked Fighting Irish 31-14 on Friday in the Rose Bowl semi-finals.

Alabama (12-0) will face No.2 Clemson (10-1) or No.3 Ohio State (6-0) in the Championship game. Clemson and Ohio State play in the other semi-final, the Sugar Bowl, in New Orleans.

The Rose Bowl semi-final game had been moved from the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, due to restrictions from the Covid-19 pandemic. The game was moved because the families of the football teams would not have been able to attend the game in Pasadena. Attendance announced Friday in Arlington was 18,373 people.

“We’ve played here (AT&T Stadium) before,” Alabama head coach Nick Saban said. “I think it’s one of the best venues in college football. I don’t think there’s anything like the Rose Bowl. The tradition, the setting, the mountains, it’s just a phenomenal experience of playing the Rose Bowl. I wish our players had had that opportunity, but at the same time, these people did a phenomenal job of transitioning from the Rose Bowl to here. “

Alabama were led by finalists Heisman Mac Jones and DeVonta Smith in attack. Jones completed 25 of 30 passes for 297 yards and four touchdowns. Smith, the first wide receiver to win the Associated Press Player of the Year award, caught seven passes for 130 yards, tying a Rose Bowl Record with three touchdowns. In addition, Najee Harris racked up 125 yards on 15 carries and 30 receiving yards.
The four finalists for the 2020 Heisman Trophy are from Alabama, Clemson and Florida

Notre Dame (10-2) ends the season with back-to-back unbalanced losses, the other coming to Clemson in the ACC title game.

Irish combat head coach Brian Kelly didn’t seem to like reporters’ line of questioning after yet another defeat in college football qualifiers; Notre Dame lost 30-3 to Clemson in the semifinals two seasons ago.

“We won’t be leaving,” Kelly said. “Excellent year. That’s not what we wanted. We wanted to win a national championship. But Notre Dame nation, you can get some sleep, recharge your battery, and we’ll get back into that position. So you don’t. don’t have to jump off a bridge, a building. We’re going to keep working, we’re going to dedicate ourselves again this offseason, back in the weight room, and hopefully coming back here to Dallas next time. year.”

The National Championship game is scheduled for Jan. 11 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.



[ad_2]

Source link