Alabama Football: 3 Takeaways from dominant Sugar Bowl win

1. The Crimson Tide proved that this game did matter.

No matter what side of the “player opt-out” debate you sit on, Alabama having all of its draft-eligible players in this game was why they were able to dominate the Wildcats. Bryce Young, Will Anderson, and Henry To’o To’o were three of many players who might test the waters of the NFL Draft in 2023 who played today.

There was some sentiment that this game might not matter to the Crimson Tide because they were not in the College Football Playoff. This group of starters is the first that leaves Tuscaloosa without a National Title.

However, Will Anderson said he did not want to be a hypocrite. He felt that he could not tell his teammates to play hard and did not play at all.

When Deuce Vaughn ran 88 yards for a touchdown, the Crimson Tide seemed to wake up. Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban mentioned that they were calling plays to call plays early. Saban had offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien group the play calls more strategically. As Alabama began to stop going through the motions, they dominated.

Though they will not win a National Title, this Sugar Bowl title meant a lot.