Georgia fans will have to wait a little longer for Kirby Smart to be their full-time head coach. He's still a little busy now at his old job as Alabama's defensive coordinator.
Smart's defense led the Crimson Tide to a 38-0 win over Michigan State in the Cotton Bowl in a College Football Playoff semifinal in Arlington, Texas, Thursday night.
Alabama (13-1) will play Clemson (14-0) for the national championship on Monday, Jan. 11 in Arizona. Smart, who Georgia hired to replace Mark Richt as its head coach, committed to first finishing the season with the Crimson Tide, but he's said he is splitting his time between the two roles for now. But it was all Alabama Thursday night, on the field and for Smart.
Alabama 38, Michigan State 0: QB Jake Coker played the game of his career, hooking up with Calvin Ridley for two touchdowns, as the second-ranked Crimson Tide aired it out to beat the No. 3 Spartans.
The Tide looked like a team with no weaknesses against overmatched Michigan State (12-2). Coker, the promising Florida State transfer who sat the bench most of last season, was nearly perfect. The senior completed 25 for 30 for 286 yards.
Clemson 37, Oklahoma 17: Gainesville native Deshaun Watson turned in another stellar two-way performance, running for one touchdown, passing for another and accounting for 332 yards to lead the top-ranked Tigers in the Orange Bowl in Miami Gardens, Fla.
Jeff Schultz on Alabama
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