The Violet Trend were punished 11 periods, their second-highest complete in an activity this year, and they transformed only four of 14 third-down performs, related their least this year.
Yet No. 1 Al still mixed previous No. 4 California 24-7 in a Higher education Soccer Playoff Semifinal at the Chick-Fil-A Apple Dish in the The atlanta area Dome to shift within one success of successful its fifth nationwide headline in the previous eight periods.
The Violet Tide's protection is that stinkin' excellent.
And that's exactly why Al will win another nationwide headline, now in a rematch from last year against No. 2 Clemson in the Jan. 9 CFP National Tournament Provided by AT&T in Polk, California.
While it might be a expand to say this Al group is among the very best while attending college football record because of its newcomer qb and unreliable violation, its protection is certainly one of the best to ever step in the game.
And, yes, it might be the best protection in Al record, which would be saying a terrible of a lot.
Even though the Violet Tide's violation sustained their most severe efficiency of 12 months, the crew's protection manhandled California on the sport's biggest level. The Huskies might have kept it close for a while, but it never experienced like the Pac-12 winners really had a chance to actually win the activity.
Alabama's protection is too big, too powerful and too fast.
Ryan Anderson's pick-six provided Alabama's protection another landing. Brett Davis/USA TODAY Sports
"They kind of are what we thought they were," California trainer Frank Petersen said. "Really, really top level championship protection and, you know, excellent gamers across the board."
After California obtained the mission's first landing halfway through the first 1 / 4, its violation did not combination midfield again until the mission's final two minutes. Alabama's protection organised the Huskies to only 194 metres of violation, 44 hurrying, and the Trend sacked Huskies qb Mike Lightly browning five periods.
"It was frustrating we did not slowly shift the football better," Petersen said. "We've analyzed every click that they've had this year, and the record doesn't lie when you watch that much record. I mean, that's nearly as excellent a protection as there is out there while attending college football, and they performed like it."
Moments before halftime, Alabama's protection obtained as many points as the UW violation on linebacker He Anderson's 26-yard interception came back for a landing. It was the Violet Tide's Fifteenth non-offensive landing of 12 months, which is the most by an FBS group in at least the previous 20 periods.
"That's what they do," said Al unpleasant deal with Cam Johnson. "I'm not amazed by that at all. It's the best protection in The united states. You might put a landing in there every once in a while, but you aren't going to get many, believe me."
After Al won its 26th successive activity and Sixteenth directly against a rated foe, the only ongoing question is whether newcomer Jalen Affects and the Tide's violation will perform better than they did against California in 10 days.
Hurts, who is trying to become the first real newcomer qb to lead his group to a nationwide headline since Oklahoma's Jamelle Holieway in 1985, seemed unpleasant for maybe initially since he fumbled his first college click against USC in the September. 3 operator.
Hurts nearly used an interception on his first effort against California and completed 7-for-14 moving for 57 metres. He was sacked 3 periods and ran 19 periods for 50 metres.
"I don't know if he was really pushing," said Al unpleasant manager Road Kiffin. "You know, I think he would be the first to tell you that he did not perform excellent today. But, again, like I said all 7 days, this is a big level and he's still a real newcomer and this is a fantastic protection that gives people problems."
Despite Hurts' challenges, he did not turn the football over against California. He never made a big error, even though he never seemed to find a beat.
"It did not make much sense to take a collection of possibilities because [Washington] gets strength off of turnovers," Kiffin said. "If you don't get them turnovers, you don't give them short areas, it's hard for them gain. The an interesting fact he did is he did not toss it to them."
Kiffin, who is making after the nationwide headline activity to become California Atlantic's go trainer, laughed last 7 days about being put aside by Alabama's group vehicles again -- the same principle occurred when he was the top trainer at USC. After the way Kiffin called the first 50 percent, I would not fault Al trainer Chip Saban for not allowing him on the group aircraft to Polk. Saban was concerned about Kiffin already having one foot out the door, and his perform selection was difficult to say the least.
For whatever reason, even with Alabama's moving activity having difficulties, Kiffin seemed not wanting to let tailbacks Bo Scarbrough and Damien Harris take the activity over in the first 50 percent. Scarbrough averaged 8.9 metres per carry in the first 30 minutes; Affects averaged 3.6 metres per successfully pass effort.
In the second 50 percent, Harris and Scarbrough mixed to run for 157 metres. Scarbrough set an Al bowl record with 180 metres on 19 efforts, and his 68-yard landing run early in it all 1 / 4 put away the Huskies permanently.
"That's what we do and that's what worked well -- running the football," said Al limited end O.J. Howard. "I think we did that more in the second 50 percent."
Even on a evening when the Violet Trend were not at their best, they were still the better group in the game.
"It seamless comfort for now," Harris said. "We're dissatisfied and we know we've got one activity remaining against a excellent group. It was not our objective just to win this activity. We want to win another nationwide headline."
If the Violet Trend win yet another headline, it's going to be because of their protection.
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