We Speak College Football

Alabama remains the team to beat in college football

Published

9 years ago

January 2, 2018

SportsPulse: USA TODAY Sports' Paul Myerberg and Nancy Armour break down Alabama's victory over Clemson in the Sugar Bowl, the third consecutive College Football Playoff matchup between the two programs.

NEW ORLEANS — Darned right this was personal. For a year, Alabama has been reminded of how Clemson snatched a national title from its hands at the last second, establishing the Tigers as a legitimate threat to the Crimson Tide’s dynasty. For a month, Alabama has had its worthiness questioned, a level of disrespect that once would have been unthinkable.

The Crimson Tide quietly seethed, taking names and numbers and filing them away. And on Monday night, Nick Saban and his ferocious defense unleashed the full force of that pent-up rage, making Clemson look like pretenders in the 24-6 win.

Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Hurts (2) celebrates

Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Hurts (2) celebrates with backup QB Tua Tagovailoa.

GREG M. COOPER, USA TODAY SPORTS

SUGAR BOWL: Alabama suffocates Clemson in dominant PLayoff victory

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ROSE BOWL: Georgia survives Oklahoma in classic, back-and-forth clash

The Alabama defense harassed Kelly Bryant from the opening play — don’t be surprised if he’s still flinching in June — and essentially ended the game with five minutes left in the third quarter, picking him off on back-to-back plays and turning the miscues into 14 points.

Adding insult to injury, Tide nose guard Da’Ron Payne, who conservatively is listed at 308, scored the first of those touchdowns seven plays after picking off Bryant. Linebacker Mack Wilson returned the other interception 18 yards for the score.

“We’ve heard it for a year now,” running back Damien Harris said. “It showed in the way we played tonight how personally we took it. We wanted to take our respect back.”

Now Alabama, the team some suggested was in the playoff more on reputation than résumé, will play Georgia for the national title next week in Atlanta.

In the four years of the College Football Playoff, the Crimson Tide have made the title game all but once. For the sixth time in Saban’s 11 years, Alabama is playing for the national championship.

The dynasty is alive and well.

We Speak College Football

HBCU Roundup: Delaware State’s Stunning Comeback, Magic City Classic Thriller Tighten Celebration Bowl Race

Published

1 day ago

November 1, 2026

We Speak Media

North Carolina Central quarterback Joshua Jones, number 10, runs with the ball against Howard defenders during the MEAC game at O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium

Delaware State scored the final 20 points and won on a field goal as time expired, Alabama A&M claimed the Magic City Classic by three points and Arkansas-Pine Bluff hung 63 points on Bethune-Cookman on a Saturday that tightened every race in HBCU football, with the Celebration Bowl picture in Atlanta coming into focus.

In the MEAC, Delaware State rallied from 17 points down to stun Norfolk State 36-33 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, the second straight year the Hornets have beaten the Spartans at the home of the Eagles in the Battle of the Legends between head coaches DeSean Jackson and Michael Vick. Philadelphia native Marqui Adams, making his first start of the season, threw for 243 yards and four touchdowns and ran for 69 more, tying the game at 33 on a 20-yard strike to Kyree Benton with 7:47 left. After Ryan Brown recovered a fumble at the Norfolk State 15 with 57 seconds remaining, freshman Matteo Bracalenti drilled a 35-yard field goal as time expired. Da’Jean Golmond threw for 278 yards and two touchdowns for Norfolk State (4-5, 0-2 MEAC). Delaware State improved to 5-4 and 1-1 in the MEAC in front of a paid crowd of 32,567.

North Carolina Central shut out Howard 34-0 in Durham, holding the Bison to 114 total yards. Quarterback Joshua Jones entered in the second half and accounted for three touchdowns, throwing for 189 yards with scoring passes of 88 yards to Mehki Wall, who finished with 145 receiving yards, and 3 yards to RJ Landcaster, plus a 22-yard touchdown run. The Eagles (4-5, 2-0 MEAC) have forced 20 turnovers this season, the most in the FCS. With South Carolina State’s 51-10 rout of Morgan State on Thursday behind four touchdown passes from Keely Watson, the Bulldogs and Eagles are tied atop the MEAC at 2-0, and they meet head-to-head on November 14 at South Carolina State in the game that will likely send one of them to the Celebration Bowl on December 12 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

In the SWAC, Alabama A&M beat Alabama State 31-28 in the 85th Magic City Classic at Legion Field in Birmingham. Cornelius Brown IV threw for 216 yards and two touchdowns and Kolton Nero ran for 81 yards and a score for the Bulldogs (7-2, 4-1 SWAC), who strengthened their hold on the SWAC East and remain the conference’s Celebration Bowl projection leader. Arkansas-Pine Bluff scored the game’s first 56 points and led 49-0 at halftime in a 63-21 rout of Bethune-Cookman, forcing five interceptions, returning two for touchdowns and rushing for 333 yards, with Jaylen Jennings running for 103 yards and two scores. Southern beat Florida A&M 42-14 in Tallahassee behind 204 rushing yards and two touchdowns from Trey Holly, Alcorn State piled up 585 yards in a 52-17 win over Mississippi Valley State as Jaylon Tolbert threw for 320 yards and three touchdowns, and Texas Southern beat Grambling State 23-20 in overtime in Houston, erasing a 17-3 deficit on Athean Renfro touchdown runs of 75 and 86 yards in the fourth quarter before Cam’Ron McCoy’s 6-yard touchdown run won it in overtime. Renfro finished with more than 230 rushing yards. In other Division I HBCU action, North Carolina A&T beat Elon 13-10, Towson beat Hampton 44-13 and Lindenwood shut out Tennessee State 27-0.

In the CIAA, Johnson C. Smith beat Virginia State 39-33 in the conference game of the week, with Fabian Duncan rushing for 203 yards and two touchdowns and Damien Mazil throwing three touchdown passes, overcoming 476 passing yards and three touchdowns from Virginia State’s Rahsaan Matthews Jr. Virginia Union routed Lincoln (Pa.) 62-0, Elizabeth City State edged Winston-Salem State 5-0 in a game with no touchdowns, Bluefield State outlasted Shaw 45-42 behind six total touchdowns from Rishon Holmes, Fayetteville State beat Bowie State 21-17 and Livingstone beat Virginia University of Lynchburg 37-14.

In the SIAC, Benedict shut out Savannah State 23-0 to improve to 8-1, and Central State held off Edward Waters 35-28 behind three touchdown passes from Jackson Wasik and 154 rushing yards from Isaiah Thompson. Benedict, Central State and Kentucky State are all 6-1 in the conference, and Benedict hosts Central State next Saturday with the winner advancing to the SIAC championship game. Allen edged Morehouse 26-23, Tuskegee beat Lane 27-14 and Albany State beat Clark Atlanta 21-17 on Cameran Loyd’s second touchdown catch, a one-handed game-winner. Miles beat Fort Valley State 35-28 on Thursday.