2016 Peach Bowl

2016 Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl
CFP Semifinal 49th Peach Bowl
2016 Peach Bowl logo
Washington Huskies Alabama Crimson Tide (12–1) (13–0) Pac-12 SEC 7 24 Head coach:  Chris Petersen Head coach:  Nick Saban AP Coaches CFP 4 4 4 AP Coaches CFP 1 1 1
1 2 3 4 Total Washington 7 0 0 0 7 Alabama 7 10 0 7 24
Date	December 31, 2016
Season	2016
Stadium	Georgia Dome
Location	Atlanta, Georgia
MVP	Offense: Bo Scarbrough Defense: Ryan Anderson
Favorite	Alabama by 14[1]
Referee	Dan Capron (Big Ten)
Halftime show	Million Dollar Band University of Washington Husky Marching Band
Attendance	75,996
United States TV coverage
Network	ESPN and ESPN Radio
Announcers	ESPN: Joe Tessitore (play-by-play) Todd Blackledge (analyst) Holly Rowe (sideline) ESPN Radio: Steve Levy, Brian Griese, Todd McShay
Nielsen ratings	11.5 (19.8 million viewers)[2]
International TV coverage
Network	ESPN Deportes
Announcers	Kenneth Garay, Alex Pombo, Sebastian Martinez-Christensen

The 2016 Peach Bowl was a college football bowl game played on December 31, 2016, at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia. It was one of the 2016–17 bowl games concluding the 2016 FBS football season. The 49th Peach Bowl was a College Football Playoff semifinal, with the winner of this game advancing to play the winner of the 2016 Fiesta Bowl in the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship. This was the final edition of the Peach Bowl (and final college football game) contested in the Georgia Dome, as the stadium was demolished on November 20, 2017, after its replacement, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, opened on August 26 of the same year.

Sponsored by Chick-fil-A, the game was officially known as the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. The game was televised on ESPN with a radio broadcast on ESPN Radio. The winner of the game received the George P. Crumbley Trophy, named for the founder of the original Peach Bowl.^[3][4]

Teams

On December 4, 2016, the CFP Semifinals were announced, with #1 Alabama vs. #4 Washington playing in the Peach Bowl.^[5]

This was the fifth meeting between the schools, with Alabama having won all four previous encounters. Their most recent meeting was at the 1986 Sun Bowl, where the Crimson Tide defeated the Huskies by a score of 28–6.^[6]

This was the first bowl game between a Pac-12 team and an SEC team (or a predecessor conference) since the 2011 BCS National Championship Game when the Auburn Tigers defeated the Oregon Ducks by a score of 22–19 on a last-second field goal, and the second since the 1989 Freedom Bowl when the Washington Huskies defeated the Florida Gators 34–7. This was also Alabama's first appearance in the Peach Bowl, as well the first appearance of a Pac-12 team (although Arizona State appeared in the 1970 Peach Bowl as a member of the Western Athletic Conference).

Game summary

View of the game from the upper deck of the Georgia Dome

Both teams went three-and-out to start the game. Washington scored a touchdown on an eight-play, 64-yard drive that culminated in a 16-yard receiving touchdown pass from Jake Browning to Dante Pettis to make the score 7–0. Alabama answered on a nine-play, 78-yard drive that resulted in a Bo Scarbrough 18-yard rushing touchdown to tie the game. On the next drive, Washington got one first down before a John Ross fumble gave the ball to the Crimson Tide on the Washington 40-yard line. Alabama ran six plays for 17 yards and scored on an Adam Griffith 41-yard field goal to make the score 10–7. Washington and Alabama traded punts over the next six drives. On Washington's next drive, they earned a first down before Browning threw a pick six to Ryan Anderson, which was returned 26 yards for a touchdown to make it 17–7. On the next drive, Washington ran six plays to close out the first half. Alabama started the third quarter with the ball but punted. Washington went three-and-out on their first possession of the second half. The teams traded punts over four possessions before Alabama got the ball back early in the fourth quarter on their own 2-yard line. Alabama made it to their own 32-yard line over five plays, which included a 12-yard run from Scarborough and a 16-yard reception from O. J. Howard. On the next play, Scarborough broke free on a 68-yard rushing touchdown to make the score 24–7. The teams traded punts over the next three possessions. In an effort to run some clock, Alabama ran six plays and burned two of Washington's timeouts before turning the ball over on downs. On their final possession, Washington was able to get the ball into Alabama territory after a 16-yard reception and a 12-yard reception by Aaron Fuller. However, a sack by Rashaan Evans on Browning halted their momentum. On their final play, Browning was intercepted by Minkah Fitzpatrick. After committing two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, Alabama ran out the clock on a kneel down to end the game with a 24–7 victory.^[7][8][9]

Scoring summary

Scoring summary

Quarter Time Drive Team Scoring information Score Plays Yards TOP WASH ALA 1 8:01 8 64 3:52 WASH Dante Pettis 16-yard touchdown reception from Jake Browning, Cameron Van Winkle kick good 7 0 1 5:01 9 78 3:00 ALA Bo Scarbrough 18-yard touchdown run, Adam Griffith kick good 7 7 2 14:55 6 17 2:27 ALA 41-yard field goal by Adam Griffith 7 10 2 1:13 6 28 1:03 ALA Interception returned 26 yards for touchdown by Ryan Anderson, Adam Griffith kick good 7 17 4 11:56 6 98 2:54 ALA Bo Scarbrough 68-yard touchdown run, Adam Griffith kick good 7 24 "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. 7 24

Statistics

Statistics	Washington	Alabama
First Downs	14	16
Total yards	194	326
Third down efficiency	6–17	4–14
Rushing yards	44	269
Passing yards	150	57
Passing, Comp-Att-Int	20–38–2	7–14–0
Time of Possession	29:15	30:45

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Washington	Passing	Jake Browning	20/38, 150 yds, 1 TD, 2 INT
	Rushing	Myles Gaskin	10 car, 34 yds
	Receiving	Myles Gaskin	5 rec, 40 yds
Alabama	Passing	Jalen Hurts	7/14, 57 yds
	Rushing	Bo Scarbrough	19 car, 180 yds, 2 TD
	Receiving	O. J. Howard	4 rec, 44 yds

References

1. "College Football Las Vegas Sportsbook Odds". Vegas Insider. Archived from the original on December 28, 2011. Retrieved December 28, 2016.
2. Russo, Ralph (January 1, 2017). "College Football Playoff viewership on ESPN rises slightly". dailyherald.com. The Associated Press. Retrieved December 29, 2019.
3. Makrides, Alex (December 29, 2017). "Three ways the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl changed college football". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved November 23, 2018.
4. "CHICK-FIL-A PEACH BOWL COMMISSIONS NEW TROPHY". Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. November 11, 2014. Retrieved November 23, 2018.
5. "College football's 2016 playoff teams announced". CBS News. Associated Press. December 4, 2016. Retrieved November 23, 2018.
6. "Football History vs University of Alabama". Washington Huskies. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
7. "Peach Bowl – Washington vs Alabama Box Score, December 31, 2016". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
8. "Washington vs. Alabama – Play-By-Play – December 31, 2016 – ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
9. "Complete coverage: Huskies get outmuscled in 24–7 Peach Bowl loss to Alabama". The Seattle Times. December 31, 2016. Retrieved November 23, 2018.