College Football Rankings: Way-too-early Top 25 projections for 2018
By Zach Bigalke
Alabama just keeps finding ways to win, and they did so again to cap a roller-coaster 2017 season. The Crimson Tide were a controversial selection into the College Football Playoff, reaching the four-team field despite failing to win the SEC West. They knocked out Clemson in the Sugar Bowl, setting up an all-SEC final for the national title against Georgia.
The Bulldogs looked the better team for the first three quarters, building up a 20-10 lead heading into the final 15 minutes of regulation. But true freshman Tua Tagovailoa gave the offense a spark, and his southpaw passing proved the difference. His touchdown pass in overtime gave Alabama the winning points and earned his coach a sixth national championship.
Tagovailoa will be back in Tuscaloosa next season, and after his performance in the championship he almost certainly has the starting position locked down for the next few years. He stole the spotlight from Jalen Hurts, coming in after halftime and cracking a tough Georgia defense.
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Entering 2018, Alabama is an odds-on favorite in all quarters. They will open the new year at No. 1 in the AP Top 25, giving themselves another chance to complete an entire wire-to-wire campaign. With their new quarterback, next year’s Alabama team might be the most dangerous fielded yet during the Saban era.