5 things Alabama must do to beat Washington today in Peach Bowl semifinal
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Alabama’s quest for back-to-back national titles continues today in the Peach Bowl against No. 4 Washington.
The Huskies are 14-point underdogs but led the Pac-12 in scoring and fewest points allowed. Their quarterback, Jake Browning, threw 42 touchdown passes, most among Power 5 quarterbacks.
We broke down the five major keys for the Crimson Tide in order to leave the Georgia Dome with yet another victory.
1. Win at the line of scrimmage: It’s obvious, but Alabama’s dominance relies on superiority at the line of scrimmage. If a team can’t hold its own in the trenches against the Crimson Tide, it has no chance.
Alabama’s defensive line shouldn’t have too much trouble against Washington’s offensive line. The Huskies have allowed 21 sacks, but face a Tide rush that ranks fourth nationally with 45.0 There should also be a considerable size advantage for Alabama, which is always important at the line of scrimmage.
Both teams seek balance on offense, but that philosophy is likely more important for the Huskies. Still, Alabama wants to have success running the football and will look to establish that aspect of its offense early on. Should the Crimson Tide force Washington to become one-dimensional while also finding room to run the ball on offense, this game could be over quickly.
2. Contain WR John Ross: Ross is easily the player most capable of giving Alabama’s defense the most trouble. The Huskies’ star wide receiver has 76 catches for 1,122 yards and 17 touchdowns this season, and he runs a 4.25 40-yard dash.
No player in Alabama’s secondary is capable of matching Ross’s speed on the perimeter, and he could have a big game if Browning has enough time in the pocket. Minkah Fitzpatrick has shown he can make big plays for the Crimson Tide’s secondary, but it will likely take a group effort to keep Ross in check.
No. 5 Washington remains undefeated thanks to plays like this in their 66-27 win over Cal pic.twitter.com/jD9Jm4re4m
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 6, 2016
Alabama’s pass rush could prevent Ross from getting the ball downfield very often, but he’s one of the best individual player the Crimson Tide have faced this season. He should be a main priority for this defense.
3. Get O.J. Howard involved: Washington’s secondary is one of the best in the country, and the Huskies will likely be able to cover Alabama’s receivers one on one. If ArDarius Stewart and Calvin Ridley are held in check, Howard might become the Crimson Tide’s best option in the passing game. He certainly was in last season’s championship game victory over Clemson.
Washington might choose to roll one of its talented safeties over top of Howard, but the Alabama tight end could be moved around into a more favorable matchup. If Howard finds himself lined up with a linebacker, he should be a primary target for Jalen Hurts.
4. Limit the explosive plays: For all of Alabama’s strengths, its one relative weakness is a propensity to give up explosive plays. A good portion of the scoring drives against the Crimson Tide this season have involved at least one play of 20 yards or more.
Washington is capable of creating explosive plays, especially through the air. The Huskies have 30 passing plays of 30 yards or more this season, tied for ninth nationally. Alabama, meanwhile, has given up 18 such plays, which is tied for 53rd.
Big plays need to be part of the equation for any team looking to take down Alabama, and Washington has proven it can generate them.
5. Avoid the turnovers: Again, this is obvious, but opponents need help to beat Alabama.
And as great as Alabama’s defense was this year in forcing turnovers, Washington’s was better.
The Huskies forced 33 turnovers — best in the nation. They recovered 14 fumbles and intercepted 19 passes. Their best shot at the upset is to force Hurts into mistakes. Hurts has thrown 9 interceptions and lost five fumbles. He accounted for 14 of Alabama’s 19 turnovers.
Logic suggests Washington has to win the turnover battle to have any chance.
We know what Alabama’s defense can do if it gets its hands on the ball. They lead the nation with 10 defensive touchdowns.
William McFadden covers the University of Georgia and the University of Alabama for Saturday Down South. For insight on these two SEC powerhouses, follow him on Twitter @willmcfadden.
