Alabama’s Crimson Tide has won the national college football championship, led to victory by a young man who says everything in life is centered around God, even football. Freshman Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa led the Tide in a second-half comeback against the Georgia Bulldogs, throwing an amazing 41-yard touchdown pass in overtime for the 26-23 win.
Going into the second half, Georgia was leading 13-0. That’s when Alabama replaced its quarterback, putting Tagovailoa in the game. And that’s when their rally began.The left-handed QB threw two touchdown passes to put Alabama back into the game. Then the game went into overtime, and Georgia took the lead with a remarkable 51-yard field goal.
Right after that, Georgia sacked Tagovailoa for a 16-yard loss. But he shook it off, and on the next play he connected with freshman wide receiver DeVonta Smith in the end zone to win the championship, giving the Crimson Tide its fifth national championship under Coach Nick Saban.
Minutes after throwing the game-winning touchdown pass, Tagovailoa wasn’t hesitant to give God the credit. “I was praying,” Tagovailoa says. “I was speaking in tongues. It kept me calm.” He continued: “I would say my poise comes from my faith. I just pray for peace.”
Tagovailoa told SB Nation Recruiting last year that his decision to play for Alabama was solely based on the team’s focus on God. “First and foremost it was their belief in God. Their belief in God was one of the biggest things that kind of struck me, and that kind of lines up with everything in my life,” he said.
Not an uncommon occurrence for some athletes, but Tagovailoa’s thankful words especially caught the attention of Evangelist Franklin Graham, who praised the 18-year-old freshman for his boldness on ESPN’s national telecast. ESPN isn’t exactly kingdom friendly, with a host of liberal broadcasters on its roster.
“In case you missed it, freshman Alabama Football quarterback Tua Tagovailoa used his moment in the spotlight to testify to the glory of God and His Son Jesus Christ after last night’s #NationalChampionship game,” Graham posted on Facebook Tuesday morning. “He told the world, ‘First and foremost, I’d like to thank my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ … All glory goes to God. I can’t describe what He has done for me and my family. Who would’ve ever thought I would have been here at this moment.’
“It’s great to see a young athlete like this use his platform to acknowledge what God has done in his life in front of millions of people. That’s a win-win. Tremendous job Tua!”