DeVonta Smith is unquestionably the best wide receiver this college football season and one of the best players the game has ever seen. His speed is unbelievable, his athleticism is on its own level and when he makes monster play after monster play, he’s absolutely captivating. You can’t look away.
The Alabama senior is one of four Heisman Trophy finalists this year — joining teammate Mac Jones, Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence and Florida’s Kyle Trask — and the favorite. He’s the kind of player you want to get the ball just so you can see what ridiculous play he’ll make with it. He entered the game leading the nation in total receiving yards (1,511), and he was second nationally with 17 receiving touchdowns on the seasons and with 137.4 yards per game.
And his (unsurprisingly) impressive game against Notre Dame in the Rose Bowl for the first College Football Playoff semifinal on Friday perfectly encapsulated his dominance throughout the 2020 season.
Even in a playoff game against the No. 4 Fighting Irish, Smith found a way to out-do himself with a performance that helped propel the No. 1 Crimson Tide into the national championship game, set for Monday, January 11, with a 31-14 victory.
CHAMPION. #RollTide pic.twitter.com/RhBpjtzp6W
— CFP Semifinal-Rose Bowl Game pres. by Capital One (@rosebowlgame) January 2, 2021
Smith finished with seven catches for 130 yards and three touchdowns, which tied the record for most touchdown catches in Rose Bowl history (even if the game wasn’t actually at the Rose Bowl). He was also named the Rose Bowl’s offensive MVP after the game.
This was Smith’s eighth game this season with at least 100 receiving yards, which is the most in a single season in Alabama history, per ESPN Stats & Info.
“He does a great job,” Alabama coach Nick Saban told ESPN after the game. “He’s a talented guy, he’s a hard worker, he does everything exactly right. He has a great understanding of what he needs to do to be able to make plays, and he makes them every chance he gets.”
Smith had so many outrageous plays in this semifinal matchup that it was too challenging to simply highlight one. So instead, here’s a look at four explosive plays from the senior wide receiver that helped lift Alabama to another national championship game appearance.
Note: These are in chronological order, not ranked because, really, who could pick the best?
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