I am watching the 2022 College Football Playoff (CFP) National Championship as I type up this bloggy bit. The game features two Southeastern Conference (SEC) teams: Alabama and Georgia. Alabama is ranked #1 and Georgia is ranked #3. The game is taking place in Indianapolis in the Lucas Oil Stadium. It is a good thing the stadium is domed as it is 20 degrees there.
These two teams have already played each other two games ago in the SEC Championship Game. Georgia had been ranked #1 in the country for several weeks and were known for the stifling defense and sound running game. Alabama is known for, well, they are known for being the best football program since the CFP was been established in 2014. They have appeared every year with the exception of 2019. They won the championship three times in 2015, 2017, and 2020. In that SEC Championship Game, Alabama upset Georgia 41 - 24.
The Georgia coach, Kirby Smart, was an assistant to the Alabama head coach, Nick Saban, at LSU, with the Miami Dolphins, and at Alabama. He was named the head coach at Georgia in 2015. He has never beat his mentor. In fact, none of Saban’s assistants have ever beat him until this past season. Texas A&M, under former Saban assistant Jimbo Fisher, beat Alabama 41-38 on October 10. Saban’s record against former assistants is 25-1.
It is half time of the Championship Game. It has been a defense battle to this point. Alabama is ahead 9 - 6. All the scoring has been from field goals.
In the semifinal games, Georgia trounced Michigan 34 - 11 and Alabama beat Cincinnati 27-6. You would think I would be rooting for Georgia to validate or justify Michigan’s losing to them. But, oddly, I am for the GOAT, Nick Saban. Why? He is an awesome coach pure and simple. He recruits like no one else, he develops both players and coaches like no one else, and his preparation for games is uncanny. His teams make plays and they have amazing depth. I am a Saban fan not necessarily an Alabama fan.
It will be interesting to see whether Saban or Smart make better adjustments at halftime. My money is on Saban.
Nick Saban was born in 1951. He played high school and college football as a quarterback in West Virginia, He played professionally in the Canadian Football League. He then entered the coaching profession serving as an assistant at a variety of schools including Ohio State, Navy and West Virginia with his longest stint being at Michigan State (1983-1987).
Alabama had an almost 80 yard drive in the middle of the 3rd Quarter only to have a field goal attempt blocked. The score is still 9-6.
Saban’s first head coaching position was at the University of Toledo in 1988. In 1990, he took them to a 9-2 record and co-championship in the Mid-American Conference. He then went to become the defensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns under head coach Bill Belichick.
After the blocked field goal, Georgia drove impressively down to score a touchdown. Georgia has their first lead: 13-9. t is the end of the 3rd Quarter in Indianapolis.
Saban, in 1995, took the head coaching position at Michigan State University. He improved the team each year culminating with a 9-2 regular season record in 1999. He then took the head coaching job at LSU where he really made his reputation taking LSU to a National Championship in 2003. He looked like he was building a dynasty in Baton Rouge when he took the head coaching position with the Miami Dolphins of the NFL. In two years with the Dolphins, he had a record of 15-17. The pros were not for Nick Saban.
Alabama passed their way 70 yards down the field and had 1st and goal at the 4 yard line. The Georgia defense stifled Alabama who had to settle for a fourth field goal. Georgia 13 - Alabama 12. Too many field goals for Alabama and no touchdowns. They are playing without their two best receivers and it shows.
In 2007, Saban became the head coach of the University of Alabama. At Alabama, Saban has shined even more amassing an overall record of 178-24 and winning 6 National Championships. He is the only coach to ever win a National Championship at two different D1 schools. He has the most National Championships followed by Bear Bryant with 6 and Woody Hayes with 5.
On the very next series, Alabama pressured Stetson Bennett on a 3rd down pass and forced a fumble that Alabama recovered on the 15. Alabama took it in for their first touchdown. They went for two but failed. Alabama 18 - Georgia 13. There are 10 minutes left in the game.
There was a wonderful documentary on HBO, Belichick & Saban: The Art of Coaching. It was made in 2019 and portrays the great friendship between these two coaches. It turn they are both Croatian and have very similar backgrounds. They get together once a year in the off-season and just spend time with each other chatting, hanging out, and, for certain, talking football, One is the moist successful professional coach ever and the other is the most successful college coach ever. They have worked together. They have similar family stories. Who else are they going to be friends with?
Georgia drove and scored. They in turn went for two and also did not make it. Georgia 19 - Alabama 18. Bama went three and out with 7:10 left in the game. What started out as a field goal fest is now turning into touchdowns. This is a very good game.
Georgia just scored again with just 3:33 left in the game to take a 26-18 lead.
Well… the Heisman Trophy winner for Alabama just three a pick six and Georgia now leads 33-18. There are only :54 left in the game. Georgia will win the National Championship. What a great win for them. Georgia scored three touchdowns in the last eight minutes.
Saban is now 25-2 against his assistants. He is still the GOAT but Georgia is the National Champion! Well done.
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