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sports Wednesday 13 January 2021

Perfect Alabama finishes No. 1 in AP Top 25 for 12th time

By RALPH D. RUSSO Iowa State were joined by
AP College Football Writer No. 19 Texas and No. 20
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) Oklahoma State in the fi-
— Alabama finished the nal rankings from that con-
season No. 1 in the AP Top ference. The ACC’s post-
25 for the 12th time, ex- season was a dud at 0-6.
tending its record by com- Clemson, Notre Dame, No.
pleting the program’s first 18 North Carolina and No.
perfect season since 2009. 22 Miami gave the ACC
The Crimson Tide were a four ranked teams.
unanimous No. 1 in the final The odd season in a pan-
poll, getting 61 first-place demic put a spotlight on
votes, after beating Ohio teams outside the Power
State 52-24 in the College Five conferences as never
Football Playoff champion- before, and the final poll
ship game Monday night. treated the upstarts well.
Alabama was the pre- Cincinnati, the Ameri-
season No. 3, but when it can Athletic Conference
started playing this strange champ, was one of eight
season amid a pandemic non-Power Five teams to
in late September it moved land in the Top 25.
up to No. 2. The Tide jumped Independent BYU finished
to No. 1 in early November No. 11, the Cougars’ best
and finished as major col- Alabama head coach Nick Saban and offensive lineman Alex Leatherwood hold the trophy after final ranking since they fin-
lege football’s only unde- their win against Ohio State in an NCAA College Football Playoff national championship game, ished the 1995 season fifth.
Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021, in Miami Gardens, Fla. Alabama won 52-24.
feated team. Associated Press Sun Belt rivals Coastal Car-
“We set this as a goal, to olina and Louisiana-Lafay-
potentially be the greatest The Fighting Irish made the has four more than Notre tory. ette were Nos. 14 and 15,
team to ever play,” Tide playoff but slipped to No. 5 Dame, in second place Iowa State was No. 9, its respectively. That confer-
quarterback Mac Jones after losing to Alabama in with eight. best final ranking and only ence had never finished
said. “I think we made a the semifinals. Big 12 champion Oklaho- the third time the Cyclones with two ranked teams. Lib-
valid statement in winning For the Crimson Tide, it is ma finished No. 6, Georgia have finished the season erty, another independent,
the national championship the sixth national title under seventh and Cincinnati ranked. Northwestern fin- was 17th.
tonight.” coach Nick Saban in the was eighth. ished 10th, the Wildcats’ Rounding out the bottom
The Buckeyes were second, last 12 seasons. No other The Tide, Aggies and Bull- best final showing since of the poll were No. 23 Ball
followed by Clemson at No. team has won more than dogs give the Southeastern they went to the Rose Bowl State, the Mid-American
3. Texas A&M was fourth, fi- two during that time. With Conference three teams in 1995 and were eighth in Conference champ, No. 24
nally passing Notre Dame 12 AP titles overall — Paul in the top seven. The SEC the last poll. San Jose State, the champ
for the Aggies’ best finish in “Bear” Bryant was coach finished 7-2 in the bowls, The Big 12 finished with a of the Mountain West, and
the AP poll since they won for five and Gene Stall- counting Alabama’s na- perfect record in five bowl No. 25 Buffalo, another
the national title in 1939. ings for one — Alabama tional championship vic- games. Oklahoma and MAC school.q

Belichick won’t get Presidential Medal of Freedom after all

By JIMMY GOLEN on Sunday, four days after The Associated Press by
AP Sports Writer the riots, that Trump would the Patriots. “Subsequent-
New England Patriots be awarding Belichick the ly, the tragic events of last
coach Bill Belichick an- nation’s highest civilian week occurred and the
nounced Monday night honor — part of a late flurry decision has been made
that he will not accept the of presentations that also not to move forward with
Presidential Medal of Free- included golfers Annika So- the award. Above all, I am
dom, saying “remaining renstam, Gary Player and an American citizen with
true to the people, team the late Babe Zaharias. great reverence for our na-
and country I love out- Sorenstam and Player ac- tion’s values, freedom and
weigh the benefits of any cepted their awards in democracy. I know I also
individual award.” a private ceremony the represent my family and
In a delicately worded, day after Trump support- the New England Patriots
one-paragraph statement, ers stormed the U.S. Senate team.”
the six-time Super Bowl-win- and House of Representa- Although he describes him-
ning coach did not say ex- tives. self as apolitical, Belichick In this Thursday, Dec. 10, 2020, file photo, New England Patriots
plicitly that he had turned Five people died in the has waded into politics on head coach Bill Belichick yells from the sideline during the
down the offer from Presi- mayhem, including U.S. occasion. Although Trump second half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles
dent Donald Trump, whom Capitol Police officer Brian said the letter offered “best Rams in Inglewood, Calif.
he has called a friend. In- Sicknick. Belichick was to wishes for great results” on Associated Press
stead, Belichick explained, be honored on Thursday. election day and “the op- White House in 2015 when nian descent. Last month,
“the decision has been “I was flattered ... out of portunity to make America the team celebrated its Belichick called on the U.S.
made not to move forward respect for what the honor great again,” Belichick said fourth Super Bowl victory government to take action
with the award” in the represents and admiration it was it was merely to sup- — believed to be a sign against Turkey and Azer-
wake of last week’s deadly for prior recipients,” the port a friend. of support for the team’s baijan for “unprovoked
siege on the U.S. Capitol. coach said in a statement, Belichick also wore an Ar- director of football, Berj and violent attacks against
A White House official said which was forwarded to menian flag pin to the Najarian, who is of Arme- Armenians.” q