If you’re a college football fan you more than like watched the final four bowl games Monday. So you already know the two teams that made it the National Championship game coming up on January 8th. But for those that didn’t get to watch the games, I want to take the time to catch you up.
As everyone should know Oklahoma Sooner faced off against the Georgia Bulldogs in the Rose Bowl. It proved to be a dogfight (No pun intended.), Oklahoma Scored on their first drive giving them a quick lead. The Bulldogs quickly responded with a score of their own and that’s how the first quarter went with each team scoring touchdowns, almost like it was more of a Tennis match.
In the second quarter, the Sooners took a fourteen-point lead over the Bulldogs. Making the score 31-17 before halftime. The Bulldogs made their adjustments during that halftime though as they came back out ready to battle it out the rest of the way.
Oklahoma came out and was forced to kick a field goal on their first drive of the second half, giving the Sooners a seventeen-point lead, which they blew. The Dawgs rallied back covering all seventeen points to tie the game and send it into the first overtime in a Rose Bowl. Both teams score in first overtime sending the game into double overtime.
The Bulldogs managed to stop Oklahoma on their drive and only needed a field goal to win the game. But that didn’t seem like enough for the Dawgs. Sony Michel ran the ball in for a touchdown from the 30-yard line to win the game 54-48. The Bulldogs are coming home to Atlanta for the Big Game.
But wait who will be their opponent well that was decided in the Sugar Bowl. Alabama Crimson Tide and Clemson Tigers faced off in this matchup between the number one seed and the number four seed. Everyone had their money riding on Clemson to win, as they were the number one seed in the Nation.
But Alabama wasn’t about to go down without a fight. The Crimson Tide came out and took control of this matchup early. Bama struck first putting up three points with a field goal. Giving Alabama the momentum from the start of the game. Then with 15 seconds left in the first quarter, Alabama scored their first touchdown of the game, making the score 10-0 going into the Second Quarter.
Clemson came out in the second quarter with an amazing drive down the field but was stopped at the Alabama 44-yard line. The Tigers were forced to kick a field goal, which was good for the Tigers first three points of the game. Alabama would then drive down the field only to be stopped at the Clemson 25-yard line. Bama with then kick a field goal, which they missed.
Few plays later Alabama has the ball, they go with a run option and end up with a missed exchange resulting in a fumble recovery by Clemson. Sending the two teams into halftime with Alabama leading 10-3.
Back for the third quarter Clemson has the ball and makes a decent drive down the field, but ends up being stopped shorts again. Clemson goes for a 45-yard field goal, and it’s good. Clemson would not score again the rest of the game.
Alabama, however, would put up two more touchdowns to go on and win the Sugar Bowl 24-6. So the Crimson Tide find their way back to the big show once again. But will they take down the Bulldogs in Atlanta on January 8th?
Well, neither team has played each other all season and this has been the question asked in Georgia all year. Does Kirby Smart have what it takes to bring down his mentor? As the former offensive coordinator for Alabama and having worked under Nick Saban for years, I for one believe he knows enough to give old Nick a run for his money.
With the team, the Kirby has this year as well as their determination to be winners. I still stand behind my prediction I made in my previous article The Stage is set! And say the Bulldogs have enough focus, drive, and determination to get the job done against the Crimson Tide.