Certainly 2017-2018 provided one of the most memorable tournaments of college football history. Close games, over-times, upsets, underdogs; THIS tournament had it all!
Prior to the tournament, many expected #1 seed Clemson to repeat as champion. In fact, that is how ESPN projected the tournament to conclude. Note that due to the guidelines to avoid re-matches from the regular season, #8 Auburn, seen as a dangerous team, would play #3 Oklahoma if they survived undefeated Central Florida, because the Tigers already played #1 Clemson and #2 Georgia previously this season.
The tournament kicked off in quaint Statesboro, Georgia, where Auburn played #9 seed Central Florida. UCF QB McKenzie Milton threw two touchdown passes and ran for 116 yards with another touchdown, leading the Knights to a 34-27 win. UCF (13-0) led 34-20 before having to stop a late Auburn comeback. Antwan Collier's interception in the end zone with 24 seconds remaining clinched the win. Auburn was held to 90 yards rushing on 44 carries. "That was probably the main stat that was disappointing for me," Tigers coach Gus Malzahn said. More dominance: The Knights sacked Jarrett Stidham six times. Auburn had only one sack. After Auburn took a 20-13 lead in the third quarter on a 4-yard run by Kerryon Johnson, Milton threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Otis Anderson to tie the game. Milton, under pressure, Milton, under pressure, zipped an 8-yard scoring pass to Dredrick Snelson early in the fourth to give the Knights the lead. Chequan Burkett's 45-yard interception return for a touchdown pushed the lead to 14 points, and Knights fans could taste yet another win. Next up, #1 Clemson downstate from Orlando in the Orange Bowl.
Next, San Diego hosted #7 USC and #10 Penn State in the second First Round game. Penn State took the opening kickoff and stormed right down the field, capped with a pretty 48-yard touchdown pass to DaeSean Hamilton from Trace McSorley. USC bumbled, stumbled, and fumbled throughout the first half with Sam Darnold throwing an interception and losing two fumbles, in addition to Deontay Burnett losing a fumble. Penn State capitalized adding five first half field goals in the first half, jumping to a 22-0 lead. Finally under the two minute mark, USC scored on Ronald Jones II's one yard run, to cut the lead to 22-7. Penn State maintained control, with USC only adding a field goal in the fourth quarter. At 22-10, Penn State's win was the only game margin more than a touchdown in the tournament. "We kind of shot ourselves in the football in this game," USC coach Clay Helton said. "You're putting a hurt on your defense, and it led to points early in the game, and separation early in the game." PSU coach James Franklin said, "Our coaches did a fantastic job and the O line protected and the receivers made plays. We were very efficient. We executed." Next up, Penn State moves on to the Cotton Bowl to face #2 Georgia.
Clemson as both top seed and defending champion started their effort to repeat at the Orange Bowl, against undefeated Central Florida. But it was obvious early that the loss of previous season QB Deshaun Watson to the NFL had impacted the Tigers ability to dominate. In the first quarter, Clemson did score on two Alex Spence field goals, and UCF scored on a McKenzie Milton touchdown pass. After a scoreless second quarter, UCF went into the locker room ahead 7-6. Central Florida added a field goal in the third quarter to extend to 10-6, and although there was a feeling that Clemson would pull it out at some point, crucial errors by besieged Clemson quarterback Kelly Bryant kept the Tigers from adding to their score. UCF fans went wild as the clock wound down on a stunning upset, as the undefeated Knights held on in the Orange Bowl. "Just incredibly disappointed in our performance," Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. "But congratulations to Central Florida. They were the better team today. No doubt about it."
Central Florida would next take on the winner of the highly anticipated Rose Bowl between #4 Alabama and #5 Ohio State. The Buckeyes were ready early, as Andy Pappanastos hit a 24 yard field goal, but Alabama responded with Andy Pappanastos' 24 yard field goal and Calvin Ridley's 12 yard TD pass from Jalen Hurts, and Bama carried a 10-3 lead into the second frame. OSU QB JT Barrett rolled right off tackle, and tied the score at 10-10 in the second, where the score remained until halftime. In the third, Barrett ran it in from 28 for a Buckeye lead, but Alabama responded with two touchdowns, including a Da'Ron Payne one yard TD reception from Jalen Hurts, and Bama held the lead after three quarters, 24-17. Both defenses kept the offenses off the score board in the fourth, and the Crimson Tide held on to a Rose Bowl victory and trip to Houston for the Semi-Finals. "This game was about our identity as a team," Alabama coach Nick Saban said. "I don't think anybody would doubt our relentless attitude out there. We had a warrior-like mentality."
If the top half of the bracket had some good games, they had nothing on the bottom of the bracket. The Cotton Bowl hosted #2 Georgia and #10 Penn State. Penn State started the scoring in the first frame on a Saquon Barkley two yard run. Georgia responded with Jake Fromm's 13 yard pass to Sony Michel. Penn State's field goal provided a 10-7 lead at the end of the quarter. A minute into the fourth quarter, Michel broke away for 75 yard touchdown run to give the lead back to the Bulldogs. But Penn State bounced back, with a one yard TD run by Miles Sanders, then a 92 yard explosive burst by Barkley for the score. Georgia's Rodrigo Blankenship ended the half with a 55 yard field goal to cut the PSU lead to 24-17. Early in the third, Georgia's Nick Chubb ran it in from 50 yards out to tie the game. Nittany Lion DaeSean Hamilton's 24 yard pass from Trace McSorley put PSU back in front, but Michel's 38 yard TD run at the end of the third locked the game at 31-31. Georgia's Fromm tossed a four yard pass to Javon Wims early in the fourth, but then two Penn State TDs gave them the lead as the clock wound down on regulation. But with 55 seconds left, Chubb's two yard run tied it up at 45-45. In the second play of overtime, Michel ran 27 yards for a touchdown. On fourth down McSorley had an open man to tie up the game, but a Bulldog linebacker leapt to knock down the pass, and Georgia survived to play another day.
If that was close, #3 Oklahoma and #6 Wisconsin were going to take that to another level in the Fiesta Bowl. Oklahoma started fast and Wisconsin seemed a bit subdued, and Sooner Marquise Brown caught a 13 yard pass from Baker Mayfield, and teammate Rodney Anderson's nine yard run provided a 14-0 first quarter lead. Oklahoma added another 41-yard Anderson TD run early in the second, but then the Alex Hornibrook show began. The Wisconsin QB tossed three unanswered TD passes (two to Danny Davis III and one to AJ Taylor), and the Badgers evened it up. The Sooners answered with Mayfield receiving a two-yard pass from CeeCee Lamb for a 28-21 halftime lead. In the third quarter, the Badgers slowed the Oklahoma momentum, holding them scoreless, and adding two field goals to pull within one point. Oklahoma added a field goal, but a Hornibrook to Davis six yard TD pass gave the Badgers a 34-31 lead. But Sooners tied it up, on Austin Seibert's 38 yard field goal. In the first overtime, both Seibert and Wisconsin's Rafael Gaglianone connected on field goals. But in the second OT, Gaglianone scored his field goal, but Siebert missed a 27-yard attempt, and Wisconsin, once down 21-0, emerged with a 40-37 2 OT victory. They will next play Georgia in Houston in the Semi-Finals.
Houston's Semi-Finals included Central Florida versus Alabama and Georgia versus Wisconsin. In the opener, Central Florida was coming off wins versus Auburn and Clemson, and their momentum continued against Alabama during the first half. As UCF went to the halftime locker room, shockingly they led the Tide by one point. Could the Knights do it again? But in the second half, Jalen Hurts and the Tide turned up the heat, and pulled away for a 34-22 victory.
The nightcap featured #2 Georgia, highly motivated to return to Atlanta, starting off strong against Wisconsin looking for another game against Alabama, this time for the championship. Georgia and QB Jake Fromm was strong early, leading by ten at halftime, and maintaining a nine point lead going into the final frame. But with less than a minute to go, Wisconsin had cut the lead to two, and Badger QB Alex Hornibrook had the ball back. Like their previous game against Oklahoma, Wisconsin was up for a challenge. But eventually the clock led to their demise. As time expired Hornibrook completed a long pass to the Georgia 17-yard line, but no opportunities for laterals and no Bulldog penalty flags meant that the comeback was over. Georgia emerged victorious, 30-22. Atlanta awaits.
For a tournament full of excellent games and high drama, the championship game in Atlanta was the perfect topping and ending. To add another championship to the greatest dynasty college football has ever seen, Alabama turned to its quarterback of the future, and Tua Tagovailoa proved that his time is now. The freshman quarterback, who had played mostly mop-up duty this season, came off the bench to spark a comeback and threw a 41-yard touchdown to DeVonta Smith that gave #4 Alabama a 26-23 overtime victory against #1 Georgia for the national championship.
Tagovailoa entered the game at halftime, replacing a struggling Jalen Hurts, and threw three touchdown passes to give the Crimson Tide another national championship under coach Nick Saban. "He just stepped in and did his thing," Hurts said. "He's built for stuff like this. I'm so happy for him." The Tide might have a quarterback controversy ahead, but first Alabama will celebrate another title.
What was Saban thinking as the winning pass soared this time?
"I could not believe it," he said. "There's lots of highs and lows. Last year we lost on the last play of the game and this year we won on the last play of the game. These kids really responded the right way. We said last year, `Don't waste the feeling.' They sure didn't, the way they played tonight."
Smith streaked into the end zone and moments later confetti rained and even Saban seemed almost giddy after watching maybe the most improbable victory of his unmatched career. After Alabama kicker Andy Pappanastos missed a 36-yard field goal that would have won it for the Tide (13-1) in the final seconds of regulation , Georgia (13-2) took the lead with a 51-yard field goal from Rodrigo Blankenship in overtime.
Tagovailoa took a terrible sack on Alabama's first play, losing 16 yards. On the next he found Smith, another freshman, and hit him in stride for the national championship.
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