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Nick Saban praises Brian Robinson Jr., Alabama defense after win over Cincinnati
By Adam Spencer
Published:
Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide are going to another College Football Playoff National Championship Game after beating Cincinnati 27-6 in the Cotton Bowl on Friday night.
The Tide’s defense played well, and RB Brian Robinson Jr. ran for 204 yards (averaging 7.4 yards per carry) in the win.
After the game, Saban spoke with ESPN’s Laura Rutledge and said he was happy with the team’s effort:
“I was really pleased with the way we played in the game,” Saban said. “We knew it was going to be a tough game, did a great job running the ball offensively, defense came up with some really big stops, big plays in the game. I’m really proud of this group. To come this far, they’ve got an opportunity now. Now’s not the time to be relieved. But, it’s also a time to enjoy what we accomplished tonight.”
He added that the defense came up big in situations where Cincinnati had a chance to get back in the game;
“We got a fourth-down stop, we stopped them in the red zone a couple of times,” he said. “After the turnover, that was big because they could have gotten right back into the game. I think the guys really competed well in the game tonight.”
He also added that Robinson is a special player who has created a ton of value for himself by coming back for his super-senior year:
“We love it when BRob gets going and we knew we were going to have to run the ball against this 3-3 stack stuff these guys play,” Saban said. “He did a fantastic job. The offensive line did a really good job in the run game. I’m really proud of BRob. He’s a fine young man, and to come back and play this year, he’s really proven a lot of value for himself.”
Now, the Tide will rest up and see who they’ll face in the title game. Michigan and Georgia kick off at 4:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
