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After holding the second of two on-campus practices following the Christmas break, the University of Alabama football team arrived in New Orleans on Saturday afternoon for next week’s Sugar Bowl.
Alabama’s plane touched down at approximately 4:45 p.m., about 20 minutes after Ohio State’s landed.
Injured running back Kenyan Drake immediately tweeted: “Plane just landed in Nola. Touchdown to cause hell.”
Alabama's plane is … Coming right at us. pic.twitter.com/ApeSDbyMUP
— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) December 27, 2014
The Crimson Tide will face the Buckeyes in a national playoff semifinal on Jan. 1 (8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN). The winner advances to the national championship on Jan. 12, while the loser’s season is over.
“Every player understands what they are playing for,” Coach Nick Saban said last week.
In addition to daily practices, players will have media requirements in the mornings and the team will visit a children’s hospital on Monday. Tuesday is Sugar Bowl media day, when everyone is supposed to be available for an hour.
Two years ago when Alabama last played for a national championship it sent two players home from Miami. Last year, though, there didn’t appear to be an major issues in New Orleans, even though both Bourbon Street and a casino are easily within walking distance of the team hotel.
“I like to stay away from that area and concentrate on the task at hand,” senior safety Nick Perry said.
Christopher Walsh has covered Alabama football since 2004 and is the author of 19 books. In his free time, he writes about college football.
