Alabama cruised past Ohio State 52-24 in the 2020-21 College Football Playoff national championship. The Crimson Tide piled up 621 yards of offense as Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith recorded 12 catches for 215 yards and three touchdowns in the first half. QB Mac Jones threw for 464 yards and five touchdowns.
Alabama finishes the season a perfect 13-0 with its third CFP title in six years.
MORE: Alabama wins 2021 CFP title behind DeVonta Smith's record-shattering first half
Here was the complete 2020 Alabama football schedule, including opponents, results and players to watch.
2020 Alabama football schedule: Dates, times, opponents, results
Here was the full, detailed schedule for Alabama's 2020 football season, with results.
| OPPONENT | DATE | TIME (ET) | TV | LOCATION | RESULT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| at Missouri | Saturday, Sept. 26 | 7 p.m | ESPN | Columbia, MO | W, 38-19 |
| Texas A&M | Saturday, Oct. 3 | 3:30 p.m. | CBS | Tuscaloosa, AL | W, 52-24 |
| at Mississippi | Saturday, Oct. 10 | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN | Oxford, MS | W, 63-48 |
| Georgia | Saturday, Oct. 17 | 8 p.m. | CBS | Tuscaloosa, AL | W, 41-24 |
| at Tennessee | Saturday, Oct. 24 | 3:30 p.m. | CBS | Knoxville, TN | W, 48-17 |
| Mississippi State | Saturday, Oct. 31 | 7 p.m. | ESPN | Tuscaloosa, AL | W, 41-0 |
| at LSU — POSTPONED | Saturday, Nov. 14 | POSTPONED | N/A | POSTPONED | N/A |
| Kentucky | Saturday, Nov. 21 | 4 p.m. | SEC Network | Tuscaloosa, AL | W, 63-3 |
| Auburn | Saturday, Nov. 28 | 3:30 p.m. | CBS | Tuscaloosa, AL | W, 42-13 |
| at LSU | Saturday, Dec. 5 | 8 p.m. | CBS | Baton Rouge, LA | W, 55-17 |
| at Arkansas | Saturday, Dec. 12 | 12 p.m. | ESPN | Fayetteville, AR | W, 52-3 |
| Florida (SEC Championship) | Saturday, Dec. 19 | 8 p.m. | CBS | Atlanta, GA | W, 52-46 |
| No. 4 Notre Dame (College Football Playoff) | Friday, Jan. 1 | 4 p.m. | ESPN | Arlington, TX | W, 31-14 |
| No. 3 Ohio State (National Championship) | Monday, Jan. 11 | 8 p.m. ET | ESPN | Miami Gardens, FL | W, 52-24 |
Note: Due to the coronavirus pandemic, all games, dates and times are subject to change.
2019 results
The Crimson Tide went 11-2 in 2019, beating Michigan in the Citrus Bowl after missing out on the College Football Playoff for the first time in its six-year existence.
Here’s what happened in every game of Alabama's 2019 schedule:
| Opponent | Date | Time (ET) | Location | RESULT | SCORE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duke | Saturday, Aug. 31 | 3:30 p.m. | Atlanta, GA | W | 42-3 |
| New Mexico St. | Saturday, Sept. 7 | 4 p.m. | Tuscaloosa, AL | W | 62-10 |
| South Carolina | Saturday, Sept. 14 | 3:30 p.m. | Columbia, SC | W | 47-23 |
| Southern Miss | Saturday, Sept. 21 | 12 p.m. | Tuscaloosa, AL | W | 49-7 |
| Ole Miss | Saturday, Sept. 28 | 3:30 p.m. | Tuscaloosa, AL | W | 59-31 |
| Texas A&M | Saturday, Oct. 12 | 3:30 p.m. | College Station, TX | W | 47-28 |
| Tennessee | Saturday, Oct. 19 | 9:00 p.m. | Tuscaloosa, AL | W | 35-13 |
| Arkansas | Saturday, Oct. 26 | 7:00 p.m. | Tuscaloosa, AL | W | 48-7 |
| LSU | Saturday, Nov. 9 | 3:30 p.m. | Tuscaloosa, AL | L | 46-41 |
| Mississippi St. | Saturday, Nov. 16 | 12 p.m. | Starkville, MI | W | 38-7 |
| Western Carolina | Saturday, Nov. 23 | 12 p.m. | Tuscaloosa, AL | W | 66-3 |
| Auburn | Saturday, Nov. 30 | 3:30 p.m. | Auburn, AL | L | 48-45 |
| Michigan (Citrus Bowl) | Wednesday, Jan. 1 | 1 p.m. | Orlando, FL | W | 35-16 |
MORE: Programs with the most national championships
Top returning players
Alabama lost four key players to the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa went No. 5 to the Dolphins, offensive tackle Jedrick Wills went No. 10 to the Browns while wide receivers Henry Ruggs III and Jerry Jeudy went Nos. 12 and 14 to the Raiders and Broncos.
But there's no need for the Crimson Tide, who finished second in scoring offense last year, to hit the reset button. Quarterback Mac Jones started four games in 2019 and threw for 14 touchdowns against just three interceptions. Jones is the veteran among Alabama's signal-callers but might have to fend off freshman Bryce Young to retain the starting job. Regardless of who is under center, there won't be a need to adjust as much as one might think.
Leading rusher Najee Harris could be the biggest name in the backfield after running for 1,224 yards and scoring 20 total touchdowns last year, 13 of which came on the ground. While Ruggs and Jeudy are gone, leading receiver Devonta Smith passed on the NFL and could be one of the top wideouts in all of college football after amassing 1,256 yards and 14 touchdowns on 68 receptions as a junior. Though Smith will likely take over as the No. 1 receiver, Jaylen Waddle could be poised for the bigger jump. Waddle's numbers dropped in 2019 given Alabama's depth at the position. With more targets available, it wouldn't be a surprise to see the junior bounce back in a big way.
On the other side of the ball, defensive back Patrick Surtain II is one of a few experienced players returning in the secondary. He came into his own as a sophomore, recording two interceptions, eight pass breakups and three forced fumbles. With Trevon Diggs and Xavier McKinney off to the NFL, Surtain could have a lot more responsibility this year.
Preseason ranking
We have Alabama sitting at No. 3 in our preseason Top 25. Here's that breakdown:
3. Alabama
Tua Tagovailoa is gone, but the offense should still be among the nation's best — no matter which player lines up at QB. Mac Jones passed for 327 yards and three touchdowns in the bowl win vs. Michigan, plus there's 5-star QB Bryce Young. On defense, linebacker Dylan Moses returns after missing last season with a torn ACL.
LATEST RANKINGS: AP Top 25
2020 College Football Playoff
The College Football Playoff era is entering its seventh season in the 2020-21 season. LSU won a national championship in its first appearance while Alabama was not among the top four teams for the first time in CFP history. Will LSU maintain its grip on the SEC? Can the Tide return to the pinnacle of college football? Or maybe 2020 is the year a new contender reveals itself.
Here are the dates and sites for the 2020 College Football Playoff semifinals and CFP national championship.
MORE: Burrow, LSU dominate Clemson to win 2020 CFP championship
When are the College Football Playoff semifinals?
The CFP semifinals are set for Jan. 1, 2021. One semifinal is the Rose Bowl at Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, Calif. The other semifinal is the Sugar Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans.
When is the 2021 College Football Playoff national championship?
The CFP national championship is a bit later in 2021. The two winners of the semifinals will meet on the second Monday of January in Miami on Jan. 11, 2020 at Hard Rock Stadium
Below is a complete history of the College Football Playoff national championship game.
| YEAR (OF GAME) | GAME |
|---|---|
| 2015 | No. 4 Ohio State 42, No. 2 Oregon 20 |
| 2016 | No. 2 Alabama 45, No. 1 Clemson 40 |
| 2017 | No. 2 Clemson 35, No. 1 Alabama 31 |
| 2018 | No. 4 Alabama 26, No. 3 Georgia 23 |
| 2019 | No. 2 Clemson 44, No. 1 Alabama 16 |
| 2020 | No. 1 LSU 42, No. 3 Clemson 25 |
2021-2024 CFP national championship locations and dates
2021: Miami-South Florida (Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida) - Jan. 11
2022: Indianapolis (Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana) - Jan. 10
2023: Los Angeles (Los Angeles Stadium at Hollywood Park, Inglewood, California) - Jan. 9
2024: Houston (NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas) - Jan. 8
