Category: 2018 College Football Playoff

“How did I get here?” The thought kept crossing my mind as the streamers fell and confetti pelted me from all sides. I was standing on the sideline as Alabama players celebrated following Tua Tagovailoa’s 41-yard, game-winning touchdown pass to DeVonta Smith in overtime of the College Football Playoff National Championship. Alabama players and coaches …

By Joe Spears | @joe_spears7 Sports Capital Journalism Program ATLANTA — Nick Saban walked off the field at Mercedes-Benz Stadium as the coach of a national champion for the sixth time. Before Saban’s Alabama Crimson Tide completed their come-from-behind, 26-23 overtime victory over the Georgia Bulldogs, only one coach in the modern history of college …

By Jon Sauber | @JonSauber Sports Capital Journalism Program ATLANTA – With his Alabama Crimson Tide trailing, 13-0, at halftime of the College Football Playoff National Championship and the Georgia Bulldogs in position to take control of the game, many successful college coaches would not have had the conviction to make the decision that Alabama’s …

By Jon Sauber | @JonSauber Sports Capital Journalism Program ATLANTA — DeVonta Smith hauled in a 41-yard strike from Tua Tagovailoa, just before his body crossed the goal line, to complete one of the most remarkable comebacks in the history of the Alabama Crimson Tide. Smith threw a hand in the air as he sprinted, …

By Joe Spears | @joe_spears7 Sports Capital Journalism Program ATLANTA — Riley Ridley sat in his locker in quiet disbelief. The sophomore receiver had just played the best game of his young career at the University of Georgia. Coming into the College Football Playoff National Championship, Ridley had eight receptions for 136 yards this season, …

By Jon Sauber | @JonSauber Sports Capital Journalism Program ATLANTA – Taking in the weekend of a College Football Playoff National Championship can be an intense experience. Consuming it to try to improve it? That’s exactly what Susan Baughman was here to do. Baughman is the Senior Vice President of Strategy and Operations for Indiana …

By Jon Sauber and Joe Spears | @JonSauber @joe_spears7 ATLANTA – The fourth championship game of the College Football Playoff era will be the first to feature teams from the same conference. When the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Georgia Bulldogs meet in Mercedes-Benz Stadium Monday night, in the middle of Southeastern Conference territory, a …

By Joe Spears | @joe_spears7 Sports Capital Journalism Program ATLANTA – As Terrell Lewis walked off the field at Mercedes-Benz Stadium favoring his right arm, it appeared clear to the followers of Alabama’s Crimson Tide that they had just lost their promising sophomore linebacker for a significant amount of time. Lewis came into the 2017 …

Editor’s note: Sports Capital Journalism Program student Joe Spears, writing for Newsday, sets the stage for the College Football Playoff National Championship that will become a long-awaited celebration for the Georgia Bulldogs or a coronation for the Nick Saban era at the University of Alabama. https://www.newsday.com/sports/college/college-football/alabama-georgia-cfp-kirby-smart-nick-saban-1.15974581?utm_content=buffer145e8&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer    

“Attention media: This is the first-ever overtime game in Rose Bowl history.” The announcement carried through the Rose Bowl Stadium press box as reporters grabbed stat sheets, refilled coffees and prepared to type like hell as they readied for overtime. After Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield’s first-half marches down the field gashed Georgia to the tune …