Forristall, Bama reach another title game; Lawrence, Clemson fall in semifinals
ATHLETES BEYOND BARTOW
One of the two local college football stars playing in last weekend's College Football Playoff semifinals has reached the national championship, while the other saw his team's season come to a close.
Miller Forristall and Alabama defeated Notre Dame 31-14 in the Rose Bowl to advance to play Ohio State in the national championship game next Monday. Meanwhile, Trevor Lawrence and the Clemson Tigers were on the wrong end of the other semifinal in a 49-28 loss to the Buckeyes in the Sugar Bowl.
Forristall was an active part of the Crimson Tide's 2017 national championship victory, but an injury kept him out of the national title game against Georgia. The former Cartersville High quarterback and tight end is expected to be at full strength for this year's championship game in Miami. He started at tight end in the Rose Bowl game and had three catches.
Lawrence won a national title in January 2019 when he led Clemson past Alabama, but he likely played his final collegiate game in the Sugar Bowl loss in New Orleans. Lawrence, a Heisman Trophy finalist, is expected to declare for the upcoming NFL draft and skip his senior season at Clemson. He graduated with his degree in December. The New Orleans site was a collegiate nemesis for the former Cartersville High quarterback. If he does not return to Clemson, he will finish his career 0-2 in the SuperDome and 34-0 in all other locations.
PRO FOOTBALL
Vic Beasley (Adairsville; Las Vegas Raiders) — Beasley closed out the season by playing 10 snaps in Las Vegas’ 32-31 comeback win Sunday at Denver. Over the course of 10 games this year — split evenly between the Raiders and Titans — Beasley managed just three tackles and a forced fumble.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Isaiah Chaney (Wake Forest R-Fr., Cartersville) — Chaney made the participation report but didn’t record any statistics in a 42-28 loss to Wisconsin in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl Wednesday in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Miller Forristall (Alabama R-Sr., Cartersville) — The starting tide end for top-ranked Alabama totaled 31 yards on three receptions in a 31-14 win over No. 4 Notre Dame in the Rose Bowl Friday in Arlington, Texas. Forristall and Co. will meet third-ranked Ohio State in the CFP championship game next Monday in Miami.
JaCorey Johns (Wake Forest R-So., Cartersville) — A starting defense end, Johns finished with a pair of tackles in the season-ending defeat to the Badgers.
Trevor Lawrence (Clemson Jr., Cartersville) — In likely the final game of his collegiate career, Lawrence threw for 400 yards and accounted for three touchdowns, but it wasn’t enough to lead the Tigers back to the national title game for the third straight season. Instead, second-ranked Clemson fell to No. 3 Ohio State by a 49-28 final score in the Sugar Bowl Friday in New Orleans. Lawrence, who is the presumptive top pick in the upcoming NFL draft, went 33-for-48 passing, with his two touchdown passes going to Cornell Powell (10 and 26 yards, respectively). He also recorded a 2-yard TD run on the game’s opening drive. Lawrence’s final pass was intercepted in the end zone, and he lost one of his three fumbles. If Friday’s game marked the end of his time at Clemson, Lawrence will have finished with a 34-2 overall record, three ACC titles and a national championship.
-- Special thanks to Nicholas Sullivan, The Daily Tribune News
