By outreach@cw.ua.edu (Matthew Speakman)

ATLANTA – On Saturday, No. 1 Alabama made history when it became the first school to advance to the final round of the College Football Playoff after it defeated the No. 4 Washington Huskies 24-7 in the 2016 Chick-fil-a Peach Bowl.

The victory gives Alabama a 5-0 advantage in the series against the Huskies, and ensures the Crimson Tide’s season will continue in Tampa, Florida when Alabama attempts to secure its 17 national championship overall and its fifth under coach Nick Saban in his 10 year career in Tuscaloosa.

The Crimson Tide will take on the winner from the Fiesta Bowl (either No. 3 Ohio State or No. 2 Clemson). Both the Tigers and the Buckeyes have advanced to the final round of the playoff before. Ohio State took home a national championship in 2014 in a playoff run that included a 42-35 victory over the Crimson Tide. Clemson advanced to the final round last season only to fall to Alabama in a 45-40 thriller.

Moment of the game:

With 11:56 left in the game, running back Bo Scarbrough broke a 68-yard touchdown run after breaking two ankle tackles to give Alabama a 24-7 lead.

Offensive player of the game:

Tyler Waldrep- Bo Scarbrough

Matthew Speakman- Bo Scarbrough

Defensive player of the game:

Tyler Waldrep- Ryan Anderson

Matthew Speakman- Ryan Anderson

Additional notes:

Alabama running back Damien Harris became the Crimson Tide’s first 1,000-yard rusher on the season.Washington took the lead early on a 64-yard touchdown drive that featured a 16-yard touchdown pass from Jake Browning to Dante Pettis. Alabama then managed to shut down the Huskies for the rest of the game. Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and defensive lineman Dalvin Tomlinson both left the game with injuries on the same play. Both returned in the second half at their respective positions.Ryan Anderson intercepted Jake Browning with 1:13 left in the second quarter. He then returned it 26 yards for Alabama’s 15th non-offensive touchdown of the season and became the seventh Alabama defender to score this season.Running back Bo Scarbrough got Alabama’s offense rolling early. The freshman had 80 yards on nine carries heading into halftime, including a bruising 18-yard touchdown in the first quarter.Penalties were a problem in the first three quarters for the Crimson Tide. Alabama had eight penalties at the end of the third and many of them backed the team into tough third-down situations. …read more

Source:: The Crimson White Sports