"Roll, Tide!"
"Hail to Washington!"
"Roll, Tide!"
"Hail to Washington!"
Waves of roaring cheers echoed through the Georgia Do, clashing back and forth with imnse energy. The entire city of Atlanta seed to tremble slightly as the crowds reached a fever pitch.
The fans of Washington University scread their support at the top of their lungs. Even when facing the top-seeded Alabama, they showed no signs of backing down, exuding a fierce determination and will to win.
In the opening drive, Washington indeed displayed their strength. Their underestimated and often overlooked offense suppressed the Crimson Tide's dominant defense, scoring first and igniting the excitent of the fans.
"7-0."
Clearly, this unexpected start was beyond everyone's predictions.
In the broadcast booth, the comntator couldn't help but marvel:
"Indeed, a bowl ga is different. The atmosphere, the intensity, and the entire state of play are on another level. Washington University isn't content to be a re supporting act; they ca here to compete for the championship, and they're proving that they're not just playing around at the Georgia Do. The defending champions should be careful; their only competition isn't just Clemson."
Before the ga, nearly all the dia focused on Alabama and Clemson, eagerly speculating if the two teams would et again in the national championship ga. But now, Washington University was making its presence felt, loud and clear:
Don't count us out.
The flas of battle were officially lit.
Humphrey, though, was frustrated.
In the first defensive series, he was overly excited, but that was the thing with sports—too much tension could lead to mistakes, and being overly hyped could do the sa. Humphrey never quite found his rhythm, missing crucial tackles twice.
As he stood there, he noticed Lance waiting on the sideline with his helt in hand. Feeling a bit embarrassed, Humphrey's cheeks flushed slightly.
Lance bumped his helt against Humphrey's shoulder and offered a smile, "It's okay, Humphrey. Watch us. We'll show them the full force of the Crimson Tide. Rember, we're a team."
The playful, teasing tone made Humphrey roll his eyes in exasperation and turn to the defense captain for help.
Alan just shrugged with a look of helplessness.
Frustrated, Humphrey glanced back at the field, where Browning and Ross were gleefully fist-bumping in celebration. Humphrey clenched his teeth in determination.
The Crimson Tide's offense took the field.
At the beginning of this season, nobody would have expected Coach Saban's team to show such dominance on offense, even surpassing last season's performance. Last year, they primarily relied on Derrick Henry, but this year, with Lance, Jacobs, and Hurts all playing key roles, they had beco a fully upgraded force—a truly elite team in the NCAA.
But Washington's defense also radiated confidence and proactivity.
Budda Baker was ready for his breakout mont on the national stage. He wanted everyone in the NCAA and NFL to see his abilities and hoped that professional teams were prepared for his arrival.
With light steps, Baker moved into position and imdiately spotted the heart of Alabama's offense: Lance.
At the sa mont, Lance noticed him too, and their eyes t.
Sparks flew.
Baker's smile turned sinister, and he ran a thumb slowly across his throat before raising his index finger, wagging it in a gesture of pity and scorn.
Lance, the running back, didn't have the stereotypical look of one—he wasn't overly muscular, fierce, or intimidating. Instead, he had a more refined, scholarly deanor, and his clean-cut, handso appearance had won the hearts of many fans. Rumor had it that love letters addressed to Lance had filled up the Crimson Tide's mailbox, and major dia outlets often complinted his deanor.
At the mont, Lance hadn't yet put on his helt, and the sounds of shrieking girls pierced the air in the Georgia Do, making it seem more like a pop concert than a football ga.
Too bad.
Baker intended to thoroughly trample and punish Lance today. His teammates were going to make sure that pretty face got roughed up a bit. It would be a sha for the girls, really.
But showing any rcy? No chance. Baker planned to "take good care" of this rookie.
"Heh," Baker chuckled darkly as he jogged towards the line of scrimmage.
"Lance?" Hurts, noticing the interaction, patted Lance on the shoulder, "Is that guy actually crushing on you?" Hurts rarely joked around, but it showed the relaxed confidence of the Crimson Tide's offense—
From inexperience to maturity, from unfamiliarity to cohesion, the young offensive squad had faced severe tests throughout the season, erging stronger and more confident as a result.
Hurts trusted Lance, even if Lance was still technically the "rookie." As long as Lance was in the backfield, Hurts knew they were ready for any challenge.
Lance shrugged casually, "Ah, the downside of being too charming."
"Ha!" Hurts burst out laughing.
It was clear to everyone watching that the Crimson Tide offense was in complete control of the mont.
As both sides lined up, the tension thickened in the air.
So, how would the Crimson Tide begin their drive?
In the early part of the season, Alabama usually started with the ground ga, thodically establishing their rhythm. However, as their rushing attack gained a reputation, they had begun occasionally starting with the passing ga. Hurts' passing had visibly improved, giving Saban more confidence to take risks.
But against Washington, would Alabama dare to challenge them with a passing attack?
"Attack!"
Hurts called the play, and the field shifted—
An all-out blitz!
Washington didn't care about Alabama's strategy. Just like their opening offensive drive, their first defensive move was aggressive. They took the initiative, blitzing with all their might.
Undoubtedly, Washington was both brave and well-prepared, demonstrating their readiness and determination to win the championship.
It was certainly a surprise—
Both Washington and Alabama employed a "3-4" defensive sche, with three down linen and four linebackers, which usually isn't conducive to frequent blitzing.
Especially not at the start of the ga.
Generally, teams stick to their core ga plan to open, without relying on surprise tactics. But Washington's bold strategy aid to seize control of the ga from the outset.
A five-man rush.
Washington leveraged their numbers like a tiger pouncing from the mountain, breaking through Alabama's offensive line.
For a mont, it almost felt like Washington, not Alabama, was the undefeated top seed this season.
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