Alabama finishes regular season where it started, bowl match-ups announced Sunday

For almost 14 minutes, Hurts patiently and methodically answered each one question hurled his direction, touching on everything from his uncanny composure during games to his emotions following Saturday’s SEC Championship victory. Someone tweeted a photo of staffers painting the encircled script “A” emblem of the University of Alabama. “We looked at a lot of things”.

In those 25 years, Alabama won one national championship (1992), two SEC outright titles and one SEC shared title, which is well below their fans’ expectations.

The Crimson Tide plays its second straight game in the Georgia Dome.

Hamilton went down with what appeared to be a serious knee injury, and Saban said after the game that he is likely done for the season.

“What I do know is that we just won the toughest conference in college football”, Franklin shouted to the raucous celebration inside Lucas Oil Stadium.

That eighth title also makes them the leader in SEC titles, passing Florida’s 7.

In my early years, I was a Georgia fan and remained so until November 12, 1960 when I saw my first Alabama game in person and from that point on was hooked on the Crimson and White. Much of that comes in turn from the unrelenting defense that helped make an SEC title three-peat possible and has the Tide in the national championship driver’s seat.

The other semifinal is No. 2 Clemson against No. 3 Ohio State at the Fiesta Bowl, also December 31. Three is the number of consecutive times Alabama will compete in the College Football Playoff, each year the playoff has been in existence. Lundquist said on the broadcast. “I think they’ll do what they should do, which is the right thing”. “I was really proud of the maturity that our players showed of competing in that game and wanting to win that championship”. “That’s the way he plans”. “That’s why the majority of my sacks this year come from me making inside moves because they jump off so quick because they’re scared of my speed – me and Ryan Anderson and Rashaan (Evans) and (Allen)”.

“You can’t disrespect the process”, he said, which likely is mimicking something he has heard from Saban. I understand this goes against what we’ve been taught to accept from our ever-expanding college football conferences, but the world isn’t the same as it was in 1992 and divisions have outlived their usefulness. Alabama has a 15-15-3 record all-time against Georgia Tech at its home, Grant Field. He’s not just a one-dimensional pass-rusher though – he has 28 stops at or behind the line of scrimmage against the run.

“We think we have a heck of a team and we think we belong in there”, coach Chris Petersen said. “If Washington had a stronger strength of schedule, I don’t think the conversation and discussions would have been as hard”. “And whenever you have a third down and long and you’re chasing the sticks, that’s always an advantage to the defensive coach”. He’s also hurried the passer 12 times, forced two fumbles and returned another 23 yards for a touchdown at Arkansas.

This defense, even with all its bend at times Saturday, was unbreakable in the second half. There’s no reason for a team with Florida’s resources, recruiting base and history to wind up with a unit that ranked No. 114 nationally in total yards before playing the Crimson Tide.

Iowa is 1-4 in games this season in which it did not get to 300 yards of offense. Temple lost to Houston in last year’s AAC Championship game.

“We’ll see”, Stoops said. “Atlanta’s kind of the NY of the South so for a lot of reasons people want to come here for entertainment”.

For 26 years, McElwain bounced around as an assistant coach.

Hurts even delved into his mindset as he approached Alabama’s open quarterback competition this spring and summer. “We had it in a hotel ballroom over here and we had a huge turnout”.

Ironically, Alabama has never played in the Peach Bowl, or the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl as it is known today.

Now, the Crimson Tide (13-0) can expect a return trip to Atlanta for the College Football Playoff. “It’s kind of ironic it’s worked out that way”.