2018 College Football Playoff National Championship

2018 College Football Playoff National Championship presented by AT&T
4th College Football Playoff National Championship
1234OT Total
Alabama 0010106 26
Georgia 013703 23
DateJanuary 8, 2018
Season2017
StadiumMercedes-Benz Stadium
LocationAtlanta, Georgia
MVPOffensive: #13 QB Tua Tagovailoa, Fr. Alabama
Defensive: #94 DT Daron Payne, Jr. Alabama
FavoriteAlabama by 3.5
National anthemZac Brown Band
RefereeDan Capron (Big Ten)[1]
Halftime showGeorgia Redcoat Marching Band
Million Dollar Band
Attendance77,430
United States TV coverage
NetworkESPN and ESPN Radio
AnnouncersChris Fowler (play-by-play)
Kirk Herbstreit (analyst)
Maria Taylor and Tom Rinaldi (sideline) (ESPN)
Sean McDonough, Todd Blackledge, Holly Rowe and Ian Fitzsimmons (ESPN Radio)
Nielsen ratings16.7 (28.44 million viewers)[2]
International TV coverage
NetworkESPN Deportes
ESPN Deportes Radio
AnnouncersLalo Varela and Pablo Viruega (ESPN Deportes)
Kenneth Garay and Sebastian Martinez (ESPN Deportes Radio)
College Football Playoff National Championship
 < 2017  2019

The 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship was a college football bowl game played on January 8, 2018, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, and was televised nationally by ESPN. The fourth College Football Playoff National Championship, the game determined a national champion in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision for the 2017 season. It was the final game of the 2017-18 College Football Playoff (CFP) and, aside from the all star games following this, was the cumulating game of the 2017-18 bowl season. Sponsored by telecommunications company AT&T, the game was officially known as the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship presented by AT&T.

The Alabama Crimson Tide came back from a 13–0 deficit at halftime to defeat the Georgia Bulldogs 26–23. This was the first CFP National Championship game to be decided in overtime, and the first overtime National Championship game since the 2003 Fiesta Bowl. True freshman quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and defensive tackle Daron Payne were respectively named the offensive and defensive players of the game.

The College Football Playoff selection committee chose the semifinalists following the conclusion of the 2017 regular season. Alabama and Georgia advanced to the national championship after winning the semifinal games hosted by the Sugar Bowl and Rose Bowl Game respectively on January 1, 2018.

  1. ^ Kirshner, Alex (January 8, 2018). "A Big Ten officiating crew is working the all-SEC National Championship". SBNation.com. SB Nation. Retrieved January 8, 2018.
  2. ^ Volner, Derek (January 9, 2018). "Epic College Football Playoff National Championship Delivers Massive 16.7 Overnight, Up 9% Year-Over-Year". www.espnmediazone.com. ESPN MediaZone. Retrieved December 4, 2018.