Go ahead and mark your calendars for Sunday, December 6, 2020. It’s a game you won’t want to miss. Former Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and former LSU quarterback and Heisman trophy winner Joe Burrow will once again face off, this time, in the NFL, as the Miami Dolphins will host the Cincinnati Bengals in Miami, Florida.
Let’s be honest. Last season’s Alabama vs. LSU game was nothing short of spectacular. Even with an injured ankle and young defense, Alabama only lost to the eventual national championship team, the LSU Tigers, by 5 points.
There’s no doubt that LSU was the better team last November in Tuscaloosa when the Tigers beat the Crimson Tide 46-41.
Burrow finished the game with an impeccable 393 yards passing and 3 TDs. But even with an injured ankle, Tagovailoa still managed to record 418 yards passing for 4 TDs and 1 interception. And had he not been recently injured, Alabama would have won that matchup, no doubt. After all, without an ankle injury, Tua would have never hesitated, then fumbled near the end zone during Alabama’s first series. That mistake was costly, but also unlike Tagovailoa to make such a mistake. If you watch the play, you can see Tagovailoa take his eyes off the end zone for a split second and look at a defender. Normally, Tua would’ve simply tucked the ball in and ran into the end zone.
6 plays and 92 yards later, LSU scores.
By the end of the first half, the score is 33-13 LSU, and all hope seems lost for Alabama. LSU dominated the first half, no doubt about it.
But Tagovailoa wasn’t going to let his team go down without a fight.
In Alabama’s first defensive series in the second half, Xavier McKinney makes Joe Burrow fumble the ball and it lands in Terrell Lewis’ hands.
Alabama eventually makes their way down the field to put up 7 to make the score 33-20.
But Alabama still wasn’t finished.
LSU had to punt their next series in which Alabama capitalized and went 78 yards on 9 plays for another touchdown.
At this point, Najee Harris was carrying this team on his back. He had a receiving touchdown for the first touchdown of the second half and then in the next series had a rushing touchdown.
Alabama would go on to score 2 more times, including an 85 yard bomb from Tagovailoa to Devonta Smith, but it wasn’t enough for Alabama.
LSU would only score 2 times in the second half, but the first half deficit was too much for Alabama to recover from.
But this time around, Tua Tagovailoa should be 100% healthy, and ready to show off his skills.
Joe Burrow not only won the Heisman, but he finished the season with 5,671 passing, 60 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions.
But, Tua’s injuries plagued the season. While he was healthy, he was not only the favorite to win the Heisman, he was also the projected first round pick. But after his ankle injury against Tennessee in October, Tagovailoa was never 100% again. Even against LSU, his ankle may have been “ok” physically, but it cost him mental errors, including a very costly fumble in the Tide’s first series.
If Tua can stay healthy, there’s a chance we could see Tagovailoa not only become Miami’s franchise quarterback, but we could see just how good he could have been last season 100% healthy.
Even with the injuries, Tagovailoa threw for 2,840 yards, 33 touchdowns and 3 interceptions before a season-ending injury against Mississippi State last season.
So mark your calendars. This game is going to be incredible to watch.
2 of the best college football quarterbacks will face each other again, this time in the NFL.
Butch Dill-USA TODAY Sports
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