Since the scrapping of the Bowl Championship Series and the BCS National Championship Game in 2014, the College Football Playoff National Championship has been held, which is a post-season bowl game. They determine the national champion by the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS).
The College Football Playoff National Championship is a bracket tournament in which the top four teams in the country, as determined by a selection committee, square off; it acts as the playoff final.
The College Football Playoff National Championship Trophy, which is sponsored by a century-old carbonated drink, Dr. Pepper, was designed as a new championship trophy because officials wanted a new trophy that had nothing to do with the previous BCS championship system.
The College Football Playoff (CFP) organization, not the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), is responsible for awarding the College Football Playoff National Championship. The Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) is the highest category of collegiate football in which championships are awarded by the NCAA.
2018 College Football Playoff National Championship Winner
The 2018 College Football Playoff Nation Championship was won by the Alabama Crimson Tide (UA).
Even though the fourth-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide lost in the 2018 Iron Bowl and nearly missed the College Football Playoff, they were the 2018 College Football National Champions. The third-ranked Georgia Bulldogs were defeated 26–23 by Nick Saban's team in an overtime match that will go down as one of the best in CFB history.
With the victory, Nick Saban earned his seventh national championship as the head coach of the Crimson Tide. The game was played at home for the Bulldogs in front of 77,430 spectators at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
The 2018 Alabama football team won their 17th national championship overall and their second since the College Football Playoffs began, following their defeat by Clemson in the previous season. Georgia's defense held the Crimson Tide scoreless in the first half, while their offense secured the half despite giving up an interception on the game's third play.
Alabama started true freshman quarterback Tua Tagovailoa at quarterback despite trailing the Bulldogs 13-0 at halftime. The nominee for Offensive Player of the Game, Tagovailoa, led the team to a comeback with 20 points over two quarters to force overtime. A 41-yard touchdown pass to rookie wide receiver DeVonta Smith sealed the victory for the backup quarterback, who also passed for three other touchdowns
College Football Playoff Format
The semifinals of the College Football Playoff are hosted alternately by six bowl games: the Peach Bowl, Rose Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Orange Bowl, Cotton Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, and Fiesta Bowl. The following combinations are part of the rotation, which is based on a three-year cycle: fiesta/peach, orange/cotton, and rose/sugar.
The winner of the College Football Playoff is determined by a four-team knockout bracket, and this format will not change until the conclusion of the 2023 season. In a four-team arrangement, the top-ranked team faces the bottom-ranked club, and vice versa.
The New Year's Six comprises the two semifinal bowls and the four bowls. The Rose and Sugar Bowls are held annually on New Year's Day, following the terms of the contract. There were initially six games played: three on New Year's Eve and three on New Year's Day.
Several games that were initially scheduled for New Year's Eve were, however, shifted to as early as December in a few years due to low TV ratings in the first rotation. In addition to assigning teams to the at-large bowls (Cotton, Fiesta, and Peach) in years when they do not host the semifinals, the selection committee also seeds the top four teams.
To avoid putting its opponents in a "road" game, the No. 1 seed selects its bowl game, which decides which semifinal bowl game each team gets to play in. The maximum number of teams in each conference is unspecified.
2018 College Football Playoff National Championship Venue
The 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship was held at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.
In August 2017, Mercedes-Benz Stadium officially opened to take the place of the Georgia Dome. The major league soccer team Atlanta United FC plays their home games there, as do the National Football League's (NFL) Atlanta Falcons.
Atlanta United and the Falcons' parent company, AMB Group, run the stadium, which is owned by the state of Georgia through the Georgia World Congress Center Authority. The entire building cost was projected to be US$1.6 billion in June 2016.
Though the retractable roof mechanism was not yet complete, the stadium was officially opened on August 26, 2017, with a Falcons preseason game versus the Arizona Cardinals. Mercedes-Benz Stadium replaced the Georgia Dome as the site of several events, including the Peach Bowl and the SEC football championship game.
It hosted the MLS Cup in 2018 and the College Football Playoff National Championship in 2018 (with Atlanta United having home field advantage). In 2019, it hosted Super Bowl LIII. Several FIFA World Cup matches in 2026 will take place at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
2018 College Football Playoff National Championship Stats
Both Teams Statistical Comparison
| Statistics | Alabama | Georgia |
| First downs | 20 | 22 |
| Plays–yards | 71–371 | 77–365 |
| Rushes–yards | 39–184 | 45–133 |
| Passing yards | 187 | 232 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 17–32–1 | 16–32–2 |
| Time of possession | 26:17 | 33:43 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Alabama | Passing | Tua Tagovailoa | 14/24, 166 yds, 3 TD, 1 INT |
| Rushing | Najee Harris | 6 car, 64 yds | |
| Receiving | Calvin Ridley | 4 rec, 32 yds, 1 TD | |
| Georgia | Passing | Jake Fromm | 16/32, 232 yds, 1 TD, 2 INT |
| Rushing | Sony Michel | 14 car, 98 yds | |
| Receiving | Riley Ridley | 6 rec, 82 yds |
FAQs
A. The Alabama Crimson Tide (UA) won the 2018 College Football National Championship.
A. The College Football Playoff (CFP) organization awards the College Football Playoff National Championship Trophy.
A. The championship was held at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.
A. The format involves a four-team knockout bracket, with semifinals hosted alternately by six bowl games.
A. Despite trailing, Alabama started with Tua Tagovailoa, who led a comeback and secured victory with a 41-yard touchdown pass in overtime.
