2037 Week 17

#2 Alabama (13-0) is A+ across the board. We are #1 in everything except pass offense (38th), rush defense (3rd), and turnover differential (30th). #1 Northwestern (12-0) has a B+ offense, a B+ defense, and is A- overall. They are #2 in pts/gm, #5 in total offense, and #12 in total defense. Herbstreit and Corso both pick the Wildcats to win. Interesting. Weather: Clear.

QB Jesse Russ throws a 15 yard TD pass to WR Ian Edmonds, 7-0 Bama. NU QB Respress was knocked out of action for two quarters shortly after our first score. QB Russ throws a 44 yard TD pass to WR Lance Carter, 14-0.

On the kickoff to start the 2nd quarter, Mullins strips the NU returner and SS Demarcus Amadi recovers the ball. On 1st down from the NU 17, QB Russ drops back and goes for the kill to WR Joe Tyler, but the NU DB barely steps in front of the pass and picks it. I'm talking inches from a TD. NU QB Stokes then immediately throws an 80 yard TD pass to Levine, 14-7. QB Russ throws an 11 yard TD pass to HB Jonas Barnes, 21-7. With :04 left in the 1st half, NU has a 3rd and 14 from their 41 and they go with 5 wide WR. The NU QB rolls right, but he's sacked and stripped by LOLB Kevin Stegall. CB Clint Armstrong comes toward the play, recovers the ball, and goes 26 yards for the score, 28-7 with no time left on the clock. This was an absolutely huge play!!!

NU K Lilly blasts a 48 yard FG, 28-10.

NU QB Respress throws a 27 yard TD pass to WR McCoy. They go for two, but SS Amadi almost picks it and they fail, 28-16. HB Jonas Barnes scores on a 10 yard TD run with :23 left to seal this victory.

Northwestern played very hard, but our offense kept chugging along and our defense kept crushing their ball carriers. HB Nick Brown was injured and so was both of Northwestern's starting QBs. However, after Respress came back, he went from a -6 to a +2 on his injury. Northwestern had 46 pancakes to our 7. This makes our 27th National Championship during my reign. I will say with little doubt that this was my best team ever overall. I've had better players, and better offensive lines, and better defensive lines, and better kickers, etc., but this team played as one all season.