Newspaper Page Text
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
The Times, Gainesville, Georgia | gainesvilletimes.com
Saturday, December 1,2018 3B
SEC CHAMPIONSHIP
Alabama loss would throw
playoff picture into chaos
If Alabama wins the
Southeastern Conference
championship game, there’s
little suspense.
Nick Saban’s dynasty —
probably the greatest in
college football history —
heads back to the College
Football Playoff as the No. 1
seed and an overwhelming
favorite for its sixth national
title in the past decade.
But what happens if the
Crimson Tide loses to No. 4
Georgia ?
That’s where things could
get very, very interesting.
Alabama has clearly
been the nation’s best team
since the first week of the
season, a juggernaut on both
sides of the line with Heis-
man Trophy winner-to-be
Tua Tagovailoa guiding a
dynamic offense to go along
with another of those typi
cally stout Saban defenses.
The Crimson Tide’s closest
game so far was decided
by 22 points. The average
margin of victory is a whop
ping 35 points — the sort of
numbers that put this group
firmly in the discussion for
best team ever.
But No. 4 Georgia is no
slouch. The Bulldogs slipped
up once this season, losing
badly at LSU, but they eas
ily dispatched their other 11
opponents to earn another
shot at Alabama, the team
that beat them in last sea
son’s dramatic national
championship game.
While Alabama is a hefty
13 '/2-point favorite, it’s not
beyond the realm of pos
sibility that Georgia could
pull off an upset.
That scenario would be a
nightmare for the selection
committee, which would
have to award Georgia one
of its four coveted berths
but would be hard-pressed
not to give one to Alabama
as well — especially if it’s
another tight game.
For those suffering from
SEC fatigue — see: the rest
of the country — that would
be hard pill to swallow.
“I certainly think the
committee will be chal
lenged in their evaluation”
if Georgia beats Alabama,
SEC Commissioner Greg
Sankey speculated Friday,
not passing up a chance to
do a little lobbying. “The
SEC champion will clearly
be one of the four teams,
and I think if there are two
12-1 teams in this league,
then it is clear you can jus
tify both being two of the top
four teams.”
Three playoff spots are
almost surely accounted
for: the Alabama-Georgia
winner, No. 2 Clemson and
No. 3 Notre Dame.
Clemson has to go
through the formality of
playing the Atlantic Coast
Conference championship
game Saturday night, but
that shouldn’t be a problem
against 271/2-point under
dog Pittsburgh. Notre Dame
made its case by wrapping
up a 12-0 regular season last
weekend. If Alabama wins
the SEC title, the fourth
spot should go to either No.
5 Oklahoma or No. 6 Ohio
State.
Oklahoma faces Texas in
the Big 12 title game, giv
ing the Sooners a chance
to avenge their only loss
of the season. Ohio State
takes on Northwestern for
the Big Ten title, coming
off a dominating win over
Michigan that helped cover
the blemish of that stunning
loss to Purdue earlier in the
season.
But an Alabama loss
could bump both from play
off consideration, no matter
how impressive they look in
their conference champion
ship games.
It’s hard to envision any
scenario where the Tide
gets left out.
Remember, it was only
last season that top-ranked
Alabama suffered its first
loss against Auburn in
the regular-season finale,
knocking the Tide out of the
SEC championship game.
Then, after watching from
the sideline as Georgia beat
Auburn for the conference
title, Saban’s team landed a
playoff invite anyway.
The Bulldogs did, too,
making the SEC the first
conference in the playoff
era to take up two spots.
While there was plenty
of grumbling about the SEC
getting favorable treatment,
it was hard to argue with
the committee’s logic. Ohio
State won the Big Ten title,
but the Buckeyes had a pair
of losses on their resume.
The Pac-12 had no one
of consequence. Central
Florida barked loudly about
deserving a chance with its
perfect record, but no one
in their right mind thought
the Knights were a better
team than the Crimson
Tide.
Alabama backed up the
committee’s decision by
cruising past Clemson in the
semifinals, setting up an all-
SEC national championship
against Georgia. That game
PAUL NEWBERRY
pnewberry@ap.org
was one of the ages, the
Tide rallying from a pair of
13-point deficits to beat the
Bulldogs 26-23 in overtime
on Tagovailoa’s 41-yard
touchdown pass.
If Alabama stumbles
again, it might tougher
to give the Tide a second
chance — especially if
Oklahoma and Ohio State
both win impressively. But
the committee has shown
its willingness to overlook
Power Five conference
champions in favor of what
it views as the stronger
team, also picking Ohio
State in 2016 even though
the Buckeyes didn’t even
quality for the Big Ten title
game. (That one didn’t work
out so well; Ohio State was
blitzed by eventual national
champion Clemson 31-0 in
the semifinals).
Saban shrugged off any
speculation about his team’s
playoff future during Fri
day’s final news conference
before the SEC champion
ship game.
“Our total focus is on this
game,” he said. “I don’t
really spend a lot of time
worrying about what-ifs. ”
Sankey tried to make
a case for his conference
deserving two teams in the
playoff — no matter who
wins Saturday.
“I actually think there’s
an argument that Geor
gia is still one of the four
best teams, even with two
losses,” he said, pointing out
that the SEC has eight of 25
teams in this week’s CFP
rankings. “I go back to that
unique rigor of our sched
ule. I know that the com
mittee has indicated deep
respect for the competition
in this conference. They still
merit consideration.”
Sorry, commish, now
you’re just getting greedy.
But if Alabama loses?
You’ll probably get your
wish.
Paul Newberry is a
sports columnist for The
Associated Press. Write to
him at pnewberry@ap.org
or at www.twitter.com/
pnewberryl 963.
GEORGIA TECH
Players share
memories playing
for Paul Johnson
It was Synjyn Days’ first
road trip as a member of the
Georgia Tech football team.
He had earned the invitation
to make the October
2010 trip to Wake
Forest as a reward
for his standout
work on the scout
team that week.
However, Days
made a critical mis
take on the trip -- he
was late for a team
meeting. It was only
by a couple of minutes, but
when he arrived, the doors
were locked. Teammates
were texting him, asking
him where he was. He was
just outside the meeting
room, panicked.
“I’m like, goodness,
they’re about to kick me off
the team,” Days recalled
Thursday. “I had no clue
what the consequence was. I
had no clue at all.”
Thankfully for Days, the
discipline was not dismissal,
but coach Paul Johnson and
quarterbacks and B-backs
coach Brian Bohannon “ran
me like crazy” the following
Monday.
“That was the last time I
was late,” said Days, who
can now laugh about the epi
sode with teammates.
Days is a member of a
group that is now finite in
number - Tech football play
ers who played for Johnson,
who this week stepped down
after 11 seasons as the Yel
low Jackets coach. For those
in that circle, the stories,
experiences and lessons are
many.
Five of them, including
Days, shared with the AJC
their perspective on what it
was like to play for Johnson,
a coach who was uncom
promising and voluble, but
also showed a side that few
fans and outsiders ever
witnessed, a combination
that has engendered deep
appreciation.
“He’s definitely going to
be missed,” Days said.
Johnson’s searing can
dor was among the
traits that players
recalled most. In
video-review ses
sions after games,
for instance, there
was little chance
that he would gloss
over something like
a missed block.
“He definitely
didn’t hold back and let
you know you missed your
assignment, but it was
always to make you better,
never to beat you down,”
said Marcus Allen, a B-back
who played 2013-16.
After spring practice in
2014, Jamal Golden met
with Johnson in his office, as
was standard for all players.
Golden had begun the
2013 season as a starting
safety but missed the final
10 games with a shoulder
injury.
Johnson had no interest in
coddling him as he worked
his way back.
“He let me know, ‘Hey,
you didn’t perform as
well as I wanted you to in
the spring,”’ Golden said.
“’Come fall camp, I don’t
want you to think that any
thing’s going to be guaran
teed for you. You’ve got to
come out here and work.’”
Tackling was a particular
issue.
“He was like, if you can’t
get ‘em on the ground, we’re
not going to be able to play
you,” Golden said.
It was a sobering moment
for Golden, but the mes
sage came through clear.
Golden said Johnson’s warn-
Johnson
ing changed his game. He
earned a spot in the start
ing lineup at safety and was
named third-team All-ACC.
He made one of the more
memorable plays in Tech’s
Orange Bowl victory at the
end of that season, a pun
ishing tackle that forced a
fumble recovered by Tech.
Will Jackson, an offen
sive lineman who played
from 2010-13, similarly
recalled what he called
Johnson’s “brutal honesty”
in words that he wasn’t sure
he could repeat for publica
tion. It could have been run
blocking, weight lifting or
some other aspect of play
ing for him -- Johnson was
unsparing.
“Anytime you’re in a situ
ation with a coach like that,
it probably rubs some peo
ple the wrong way,” Jackson
said.
David Sims, who played
quarterback and then
B-back from 2010-13, also
recalled the language, which
he described as “not neces
sarily PG-friendly.” John
son’s coarse language might
surface on the practice field
as he oversaw the offense.
Atlanta Journal Constitution
“Buy Direct from
the Manufacturer”
A
METAL
ROOFING
SALES, INC.
• 16 Colors in Stock
•Delivery Available
(770)886-3880
www.metalroofingsalesinc.com
82 Etowah River Rd.
Dawsonville, GA
Clemson’s Tavien Feaster (28) rushes for a touchdown
while defended by South Carolina’s R.J. , left, and D.J.
Wonnum during the second half of the game Nov. 24 in
Clemson, S.C.
ACC
CHAMPIONSHIP
No. 2 Clemson
facing underdog
Pittsburgh
George Aston has felt
the slights throughout his
career. That’s why he’s
not surprised so few give
Pittsburgh any chance to
topple No. 2 Clemson in the
Atlantic Coast Conference
championship game Satur
day night.
“We know nobody really
respects us or gives us any
credit even when we have
great game,” the senior
fullback said of the ACC
Coastal Division champi
ons. “Even after we win,
they’ll probably still find a
way to discredit us or (say)
Clemson had a bad game.”
Aston and the Panthers
(7-5) might be the only
ones who believe there’s a
chance to upset the surg
ing ACC Atlantic winners.
The Tigers (12-0, CFP No.
2), three-time defending
ACC champions, enter with
the conference’s top scor
ing offense and a defense
that’s No. 1 in the league
in keeping opponents from
scoring.
Clemson tailback Travis
Etienne, the ACC’s leader
with 1,307 yards and 19
touchdowns, was named
league player of the year.
The Tigers experienced
and heralded defensive
front of ends Clelin Fer
rell and Austin Bryant and
tackles Christian Wilkins
and Dexter Lawrence
have locked down the line
of scrimmage by allowing
less than 85 yards a game
rushing.
Clemson also has a huge
edge in big-game experi
ence. It has advanced to the
past three College Football
Playoffs following its ACC
title wins and has that 2016
national championship in
which many current Tigers
played.
Tigers receiver Hunter
Renfrew said becoming the
first to win four consecu
tive ACC crowns is a goal
they’ve sought all year.
“I think from here on out,
kind of, we just keep break
ing records, especially the
senior class,” Renfrow said.
“It’s something we shoot
for, being our best, being
the best we can be.”
Clemson has not lost
many games in that time,
although it knows what it’s
like to lose to Pittsburgh.
Among the two regular-sea-
son losses the Tigers have
had (they’ve gone 46-2 the
past four regular seasons),
one was a 43-42 stunner
unranked Pitt pulled on
No. 2 Clemson in Novem
ber 2016.
Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi
said that result won’t have
much bearing on this game,
although Aston said there’s
much the Panthers can
take from the win.
“We really do have good
luck playing No. 2 teams,”
he said.
Narduzzi said Friday that
as incentive the team sees a
picture of Bank of America
Stadium when it leaves the
locker room.
“That’s where we want
to be,” he said. “And now
we’re here.”
Things to watch in the
ACC title game:
LOOKING FOR LOVE:
Clemson coach Dabo Swin-
ney has chastised fans
last Sunday, at least those
grousing that the Tigers
56-35 rivalry win over
South Carolina was not
dominating enough. Swin-
ney clarified it’s a small
percentage of the fan base.
Still, “I don’t want anything
RICHARD SHIR0 I Asociated Press
I On TV
When: 8 tonight
TV: ABC
to creep into the culture of
our program. I don’t want
players ever to walk off
the field with a win that so-
called felt like a loss,” he
said. The Tigers are looking
for a 13th win for the third
time in four seasons.
DUECES WILD: Pitt has
a penchant to topping No.
2 teams under coach Pat
Narduzzi.
The Panthers defeated
second-ranked Clemson
in 2016, then closed the
2017 regular season with
a 24-10 victory over No. 2
Miami. The Panthers have
won four straight games
as unranked opponents
against Top 3 competition
since 2002.
COACHING CAROU
SEL: It’s that time of year
when Clemson assistants
are part of the specula
tion for college openings.
Tigers defensive coordi
nator Brent Venables said
he’s recently talked with
Texas Tech AD Kirby
Hocutt— (the two were
linebackers together at
Kansas State. Both of Clem
son’s offensive coordina
tors Tony Elliott and Jeff
Scott have been discussed
in several openings, includ
ing recently vacant Geor
gia Tech. Expect that buzz
to continue as December
deepens.
BIG 12
CHAMPIONSHIP
No. 5 Oklahoma,
No. 9 Texas ready
for rematch
Texas players celebrated
on the field at the State Fair
of Texas, flashing “Hook
‘Em Horns” signs and pos
ing for pictures with the
“Golden Hat” trophy that
goes to the winner of their
Red River rivalry against
Oklahoma.
Soon after leaving the
field, though, the Long
horns were already think
ing about the possibility of
another meeting this sea
son against the three-time
defending Big 12 champion
Sooners — for a differ
ent trophy in a different
location.
“Absolutely. It was one
of the first things we said
after we got back to the
locker room,” Texas tight
end Andrew Beck said.
“Some of the senior guys
who walked in front of the
team said, be smart with
what you say because we’re
going to see those guys
again.”
Eight weeks after Texas
won 48-45, they do meet
again. Fifth-ranked Okla
homa (11-1, 8-1 Big 12, No.
5 CFP) plays the ninth-
ranked Longhorns (9-3,
7-2, No. 14 CFP) in the Big
12 championship game
Saturday.
For the Sooners, this
unusual rematch is about
more than avenging its only
loss. They can become the
first Power Five team since
Florida in the mid-1990s
to win four consecutive
outright conference cham
pionships, and a win could
get them into the College
Football Playoff for the
third time.
“It’s one of the greatest
rivalries in college football,
but this week is about win
ning a championship and
that’s what we’re focused
on,” said Oklahoma line
backer Kenneth Murray,
On TV
When: Noon today
TV: ABC
no relation to the Sooners’
Heisman Trophy-contend
ing quarterback Kyler
Murray.
“There’s always a lot rid
ing on this game when you
play it in October, no ques
tion about it, but there’s a
lot of season left,” Sooners
coach Lincoln Riley said.
“This one, I think, I’m sure
it’s gonna be heated. But I
think it would have been
heated no matter who the
two teams were in there,
just because of what you’re
playing for.”
This is only the third time
in the series that started in
1900 that the bitter border
state rivalry will be played
twice in the same season.
The last time was 115 years
ago. Every game in the
series since 1929 has been
played near the midway at
the State Fair of Texas.
Associated Press
Call Wolfman Charlie to
keep you warm this winter!
835 Oak Street, Gainesville, Georgia
http://lanier-hvac.net/
678-943-1351
o
LRNIER HVOC SERVICES
WE STRIVE TO SERVE YOU
