Refs, Freshmen, and Saban: 20 Goods and bads from the National Championship Game

hat Some people in Tuscaloosa are still up and drunk. Some people in Athens have kicked their wall, door and probably the cat. But whatever you have done, Alabama is the 2018 National Champion.

But not everyone on Alabama had a great day, and not everyone on Georgia had a bad one.

So here are your good days/bad days from yesterday….

GOOD DAY

1. Tua Tagovailoa: Came on in the second half in the place of an awful Jalen Hurts and immediately put UGA’s defense on its heels with some bullet throws. Threw the game-winning TD that looked identical to the one Todd Blackledge threw against Georgia in the 1982 National Championship Game.
2. Sony Michel: His 98 yards on 14 carries (that’s 7 yards a clip) at times embarrassed Alabama’s defense, and made him a lot more money when the NFL Draft comes alone. We are still wondering why in the hell Jim Chaney didn’t play him in the fourth quarter.
3. Nick Saban: Had half a good game and still won the National Championship. Oh, and his recruiting showed how good he was, since Tua, Najee Harris and DeVonta Smith are all freshmen.
4. The Ridley family: Calvin Ridley did nothing until catching the game-tying TD with a minute left, while Riley Ridley, his younger brother was fantastic. Kay Daniels, their 49-year old single mother, is going to get to retire after these two hit the NFL.
5. Freshmen: We’ve mentioned three of the Alabama freshmen, but how about also mentioning Georgia’s Jake Fromm, two-TD speedster Mecole Hardman two?
6. Roquan Smith: The UGA Butkus Award winner-soon-to-be-legend led the game 13 total tackles including 9 solo tackles. Mack Wilson of Alabama was impressive too with 12 tackles (7 solo).
7. Kirby Smart: In his second year Georgia played for a National Championship. Not bad, Kirby. Not bad at all. We think we’ll see you here again soon.
8. Alabama (second half): After an awful first half, Saban made the adjustments, came back beautifully, and silenced the home support. At times, it was relentless and the reason why everyone thought that Alabama would win the National Championship this year. But not in this dramatic manner….
9. Rodrigo Blankenship: GLASSES KICKER WAS PERFECT!
10. The SEC: Yeah, so our conference was down. But two of the best teams combined for one of the best games of the season and one of the greatest National Championship of all-time. So suck it, B1G!!

BAD DAY FOR…

1. The refs: It was like the B1G was getting their own back for Ohio State not getting in the play-off. Their refs were awful – so much so that they looked like SEC refs. Not only did they miss numerous horsecollars and facemasks, but they also missed a false start on the tying TD. They also missed late hits, holding, and numerous other things – including Hardman’s heel blatantly (after replay) touching the line. The most irritating part of it? The ref at the start of the game and at overtime making long, drawn-out speeches in an effort to put himself in the spotlight. Can we have Ed Hochuli for these big games please?
2. Jalen Hurts: Remember when we said that Hurts would be a problem for the Tide if he threw the ball? We were right. Hurts was TERRIBLE, overthrowing Calvin Ridley easily in the first quarter when there was a sure TD and going 3-8 for just 21 yards in the first half. Urgh.
3. Malkom Parrish: Got targeted and torched all day long by Alabama QBs, even if a lot of the throws weren’t great. He will get a lot of the blame from UGA fans, but they probably won’t see him after this year. He was beaten like he stole something. He’ll be replaced by Ryan Gosling’s character in ‘Remember The Titans’.
4. Jim Chaney: Went waaay too conversative in the second half and pretty much gifted the initiative to Alabama. Also, we still don’t understand why Sony Michel never had a touch in the fourth quarter – despite causing the Tide trouble all night long – and Nick Chubb (who didn’t seem to grind down the Tide’s front) held the ball not only for OT but the drive leading up to it.
5. Andy Pappanastos: Word has it that the Alabama kicker is still walking from Atlanta to Tuscaloosa. Nick Saban can’t take imperfection.
6. Mekhi Brown: Fighting one of the assistants on the sideline really isn’t a good look. He may have been very contrite afterwards, but he made an ass of himself. Oh, and his horror clothesline on Sony Michel should have gotten him a 15-yard penalty, too.
7. Georgia coverage for the game-winning TD: Dominik Sanders got fooled, and Parrish went wandering. Why be so aggressive on 2nd and 26 with a kicker who’s last kick nearly nailed someone on the sideline? As much as Tua’s throw will go into Alabama lore, it really wasn’t a difficult throw to make.
8. Nick Chubb: After all the highlights and talk, Chubb didn’t really manage to get anything against the Alabama front, running 18 times for 25 yards with a long of just 7. Sure, he’ll make money come Draft time, but Michel really shone when he didn’t.
9. Javon Wims: It was actually a poor day for Wims even before he made his catch. He dropped two easy throws from Fromm…and then injured his shoulder which ensured that the Bulldogs lost a huge weapon.
10. Mercedes-Benz Stadium/ Ticket holders: Locked out of the entrances because of Donald Trump’s motorcade (he left at half-time after creating the maximum possible disruption), fans missed kick-off, fought each other, and were generally really pissed off. Oh, and they all had to stand in the freezing rain while doing it. The only great story to come out of it was a member of the media meeting two elderly Alabama ticket holders who lost their tickets and he took them to guest services. Oh, and as for the stadium, there was a leak coming from the roof. Seriously, Atlanta?