The college football season is down to one final game and a big part of the drama will be the Alabama quarterback situation. As a result, BetDSI Sportsbook has posted lines on whether Jalen Hurts will get into the game and play at least a snap in the College Football Playoff Championship Game?
Will Jalen Hurts Play In The CFP National Championship Game?
Yes -150
No +120
Hurts led Alabama to the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship Game against Clemson. He led a go-ahead touchdown drive in the final minutes to put Alabama on the doorstep of victory, but Clemson and Deshaun Watson took the moment away from Hurts by going downfield and scoring in the last 10 seconds. Hurts then led Alabama to the 2018 national championship game, but with Alabama trailing Georgia by two scores and the Crimson Tide’s offense struggling in the third quarter, Hurts was benched in favor of a freshman named Tua Tagovailoa, who led Alabama to a fourth-quarter surge which forced overtime. Georgia kicked a field goal in overtime to take the lead and then pushed Alabama into a 2nd and 26 from the Georgia 41. Alabama was in deep trouble in that very moment. Yet, Tagovailoa responded by throwing a 41-yard strike on a go route down the left sideline. Alabama won the national title in thrilling fashion. Hurts had been displaced as the Alabama starter heading into the next season. Many players would have transferred, but Hurts stayed put and waited for his next chance.
Related: College Football Betting Guide
The SEC Championship Game
Hurts did play in plenty of games throughout the 2018 season after Tagovailoa took over the starting job. Alabama scored big blowouts which enabled Hurts to play the whole fourth quarter in several games, plus portions of third quarters in a few games. He got playing time, just not when any games were competitive … until the final game of the SEC season and Alabama’s regular season.
Tagovailoa was injured and ineffective in the SEC Championship Game against the same Georgia team which lost to Tagovailoa 11 months earlier. The game was also played in the same building – Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta – where Bama had defeated Georgia to win the national title back in January of 2018. Who replaced Tagovailoa? Of course, it was Hurts. Alabama was down by two scores, just as it was when Tagovailoa replaced Hurts 11 months earlier. The script had been rewritten in the same way, merely with the roles being reversed.
Incredibly, Hurts – who was not that good as a downfield passer in 2016 and 2017 – had one of the very best performances in his career. The Alabama offense came to life behind his accurate downfield throws. Alabama overcame a 28-14 deficit to win, 35-28. Alabama might have made the playoff regardless of whether it beat Georgia or not, but the key here is that if Alabama had lost, Clemson would have had to play Georgia, not Notre Dame, in the semifinals, and Alabama might have had to play Georgia in this game instead of Clemson.
Will He Play Monday Night?
The game should be close, which means Tagovailoa should play all four quarters. However, Alabama coach Nick Saban will probably try to throw a bone to Hurts at some point. He might come in for one or two plays at quarterback, or he might come in as a wide receiver in spot duty. He probably won’t play a full series or possession, but he will probably get a few plays at some point. Moreover, if Alabama takes the victory formation very late in the game, Hurts might take that snap. It might not be much of an appearance, but it would officially count as playing in the game for betting purposes. That will probably happen.
