From The Trussville Tribune staff reports
TRUSSVILLE –The big three in-state universities all have some more football ahead of them before closing out the 2018 season.
The University of Alabama returns to the College Football Playoff where they they will face the Oklahoma Sooners on Dec. 29 at 7 p.m. in the Orange Bowl. Clemson will face Notre Dame in the other semi-final game.
The Sooners are the No. 4 seed in the playoffs and led by the dynamic Kyler Murray, one of the favorites for the Heisman Trophy. OU is 12-1 with only an October loss to Texas blemishing there schedule. The Sooners avenged that loss Saturday, defeating Texas 39-27 in the conference championship game.
Auburn is headed to the Nashville’s Music City Bowl where the 7-5 (3-5) Tigers will face the Purdue Boilermakers on Dec. 28 at 12:30 p.m. CST.
Purdue brings a 6-6 (5-4) record into the game and a resume that includes the total destruction of Ohio State. The game will be held at the 50,000 seat Nissan Stadium and will be televised by ESPN.
The UAB Blazers, just two years removed from the cancellation of football, are the Conference USA champions and headed to the Boca Raton Bowl in Florida.
The Blazers will face Northern Illinois on Dec. 18 at 6 p.m. The game will be televised by ESPN.
The NIU Huskies are the MAC champions and bring an 8-5 (6-2) record into the game. Coach Bill Clark’s Blazers are 10-3.