Peach Bowl Preview and Prediction: Alabama vs. Washington
The third edition of the College Football Playoff officially begins on Saturday in Atlanta, Ga., as Alabama takes on Washington in the Peach Bowl. The Crimson Tide are the defending national champions and have earned a trip to the CFB Playoff for the third consecutive year. Washington is making its first appearance in a playoff and finished 12-1 in 2016. The Huskies won the Pac-12 title for first time since 2000. Alabama went 13-0 with a true freshman quarterback (Jalen Hurts) and only one victory came by single digits (Ole Miss). Lane Kiffin is leaving to become the head coach of FAU.
Washington vs. Alabama is a Peach Bowl game. Kickoff is at 3 p.m. ET on Saturday.
Washington's hopes of advancing to the national championship hinge on the offensive line. Alabama's defensive front is the best in the nation. Washington's offensive linemen have to protect quarterback Jake Browning and open up running lanes for Myles Gaskin. If Alabama dominates the Washington offensive lines, the game could be over early in first half. Alabama ranked first nationally against the run by limiting opponents to 63.4 rushing yards per game. The Crimson Tide ranked fourth nationally by recording 45 sacks and tied for sixth by generating 105 tackles for a loss.
Jake Browning is the starting quarterback for Washington. He is a rising star at the quarterback position. John Ross returned from a knee injury that forced him to miss all of 2015. Washington needs Browned to play at a high level on Saturday afternoon. Alabama's secondary is not as deep as it has been in recent years.
Alabama and Washington are playing in the Peach Bowl on Saturday. Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts is a freshman, but he has a good rushing ability. Washington's defense led the Pac-12 by holding opponents to just 17.2 points a game. The Huskies' secondary is one of the best in college football.
Both teams want to establish the run behind a stable of talented running backs. Washington's offensive line has to generate a better push than it did against USC to beat Alabama. Myles Gaskin and Lavon Coleman are valuable weapons for Chris Petersen.
Alabama is going to play in the Peach Bowl. Damien Harris, Joshua Jacobs and Bo Scarbrough are the team's top three running backs. Washington's defense ranked 19th nationally in rush defense. The Crimson Tide's offensive line features two standout tackles in Jonah Williams and Cam Robinson.
The recipe for an upset for the Huskies is to start on offense and win the turnover battle. Chris Petersen's team has a month to prepare. Alabama is the best team in the nation. The Crimson Tide wins the game and books a trip to Tampa, Florida for national championship.
