The 2018 national championship game was in Atlanta, at Georgia's back door, and for a half it belonged to Georgia. The Bulldogs' defense kept Alabama off the scoreboard, and they led 13–0 at halftime.
The switch
Nick Saban made a decision almost no coach would make in a title game. He pulled his starter, Jalen Hurts, and sent in Tua Tagovailoa, a true freshman who had spent the season as the backup.
Tagovailoa played like he'd been there all along. Alabama scored 20 points in the second half to tie the game. With the clock running out in regulation, Alabama lined up for a 36-yard field goal to win it. Andy Pappanastos missed, and the game went to overtime.
The worst possible start
Georgia got the ball first in overtime and Rodrigo Blankenship made a 51-yard field goal. Alabama needed only a field goal to keep playing.
On the first snap, Tagovailoa held the ball too long and was sacked for a 16-yard loss. That made it second down and 26 from the Georgia 41, which pushed Alabama nearly out of field goal range.
One throw
On the next play, Tagovailoa threw deep to another freshman, DeVonta Smith, for a 41-yard touchdown. Alabama won 26–23, and the game ended right there.
Tagovailoa threw three touchdown passes and was named offensive player of the game. Da'Ron Payne won the defensive award. It was Saban's sixth national title and Alabama's fifth in nine seasons.
Three years later, Smith won the Heisman Trophy. But no catch he ever made topped that one, from a freshman quarterback on 2nd and 26.