Alabama Football: 5 takeaways from Tide’s win vs. Notre Dame

What did we learn from Alabama football winning the Rose Bowl?

After failing to reach the College Football Playoff last year, Alabama football would not be denied in the Rose Bowl vs. Notre Dame. Alabama put on a great performance and punched their ticket to Miami for the national championship.

CFP semifinals carry more weight when you tell the story of this season. Nothing from the regular season matters if the Tide fail to execute against Notre Dame. So, what did we learn in this year’s Rose Bowl?

Here are the top takeaways from Alabama’s win vs. the Fighting Irish.

5. Jahleel Billingsley is the X-factor

You always wonder who will step up in the postseason. While Alabama’s tight end Jahleel Billingsley saw his role increase over the regular season, he is not done growing as a receiver.

Billingsley caught Alabama’s second touchdown of the game after slipping past the defense. When teams worry too much about Najee Harris and DeVonta Smith, other players are bound to fall through the cracks. When a defense disrespects Billingsley and lets him fall through the cracks, he will take advantage of it.

Billingsley is known for what he can do with the football in his hands, but he has also improved at the catch point. He made an impressive snag while being draped in coverage. It could have been a pass-interference penalty, but Alabama’s new star still found a way to make the catch and get the first down.

We’ll see how Billingsley is used in the Tide’s next game, but he is clearly a versatile weapon who can do many different things.