College Football Championship 2018: Top Breakout Stars From Alabama vs. Georgia
The introduction of Alabama freshman quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to a national audience will go down in college football lore.
The left-handed signal-caller replaced sophomore Jalen Hurts at the start of the second half and led the Crimson Tide to a 26-23 overtime victory over the Georgia Bulldogs in the College Football Playoff National Championship on Monday.
However, Tagovailoa wasn't the only breakout star in one of the most thrilling sporting events in recent memory. The freshman from Hawaii had plenty of teammates step up to make big plays, and while it'll get lost in the shuffle, the Bulldogs had help from a few unexpected players to get to overtime.
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Below is a look at the biggest breakout stars from Monday's game, a list headlined by Alabama's newest star.
Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama
After Hurts struggled to get anything going in the first half, Alabama head coach Nick Saban tabbed Tagovailoa as the man under center for the second half.
Although he looked a little shaky on his first drive, the left-handed freshman ignited a fire under the Crimson Tide offense with an elusive nine-yard scamper on third down that kept their second drive of the third quarter alive.
Four plays later, Tagovailoa hit Henry Ruggs III in the end zone for Alabama's first score of the contest. The native Hawaiian went on to throw two more touchdowns, including the game-winning pass to fellow freshman DeVonta Smith.
Tagovailoa didn't have a perfect game by any stretch of the imagination, as he showed his youth by making a few key mistakes, including an interception that he should have thrown away and taking a sack on the penultimate play of the game.
But good outweighed the bad by a large margin on Monday night, and the quarterback's performance gave Crimson Tide fans a glimpse into the future.
After his heroic showing against Georgia, it's hard to see Tagovailoa not starting for Alabama in 2018.
Riley Ridley, WR, Georgia
A member of the Ridley family was expected to make an impact on Monday night, but it wasn't supposed to be Georgia sophomore Riley.
The younger brother of Alabama star wideout Calvin Ridley turned into the most reliable option for quarterback Jake Fromm, especially on third down.
Ridley entered the game with eight receptions in the regular season, and he nearly doubled his total by catching six balls for 82 yards and ending up as Georgia's top receiver.
With two years left to make an impact in Athens, Georgia, and a budding chemistry with Fromm entering the offseason, expect to see more of the younger Ridley as Georgia vies to get back to the national championship next year.
Da'Ron Payne, DL, Alabama
The defensive breakout star of the entire College Football Playoff was Alabama defensive lineman Da'Ron Payne.
Although he didn't intercept a pass and catch a touchdown like he did in the Sugar Bowl, Payne was still a massive force at the line of scrimmage.
The junior's pressure on Fromm in the third quarter led to the Georgia quarterback throwing a pass off a helmet and into the arms of defensive lineman Raekwon Davis.
Payne also played a major role in limiting the powerful Georgia ground game led by running backs Sony Michel and Nick Chubb to 133 yards.
The final stat column may say Payne had six tackles, but his impact was immeasurable throughout Alabama's run to its fifth national title in nine years.
Mecole Hardman, WR, Georgia
With Chubb and Michel struggling to make an impact on every drive, Fromm turned to his entire receiving corps and they answered the call.
Sophomore Mecole Hardman was called upon in the second quarter to take a direct snap at the 1-yard line and run the ball into the end zone with all of the attention on Sony Michel.
Fromm turned to Hardman in the third quarter through the air, as he perfectly hit him for an 80-yard passing touchdown that separated the Bulldogs from the Crimson Tide by 13 points.
Hardman started to play more of a role in the Georgia offense at the end of the season, as he had seven combined catches against Georgia Tech and Auburn.
The sophomore will only benefit from Fromm's continued development in the offseason, and between he, Ridley and junior Terry Godwin, the Bulldogs could have one of the best receiving groups in the nation.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.
All statistics obtained from ESPN.com.
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