Empty seat to be left open in press box during Alabama-Georgia title game

There will be one empty seat in the press box on Monday night during the national championship game between Alabama and Georgia. Ahead of the game, Nick Kelly of the Tuscaloosa News shared that Cecil Hurt will have a spot in the box, in memorium.

Hurt covered Alabama athletics for the Tuscaloosa News since 1982 and passed away in November at UAB Hospital in Birmingham, Alabama from pneumonia complications.

Hurt served as the local newspaper’s sports editor and columnist and was a regular guest on local, regional and national sports programs.

According to CFP national championship press box seating chart, there will be a seat reserved for @CecilHurt tonight. Thanks to the folks who made that possible. Miss him and so badly wish I could read his column tonight

— Nick Kelly (@_NickKelly) January 10, 2022

Cecil Hurt graduated from the University of Alabama in 1981 with a degree in English and a minor in psychology. He was born in the Tuscaloosa area, where he established himself as the premier authority on Alabama football and basketball.

Hurt played a major role in the Tuscaloosa News’ 2011 Pulitzer Prize win, providing unique coverage of the tornado which ravaged the city and claimed the lives of several residents. In addition, Hurt received the 2019 Mel Allen Media Award from the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame and was a two-time National Sports Media Association’s Alabama Sportswriter of the Year.

Finebaum backs Alabama for national title

It’s officially College Football Playoff national championship game day, as top-ranked Alabama and No. 3 Georgia will collide tonight (8 p.m. ET, ESPN) at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis in the final contest of the 2021-22 college football season.

In what will be a rematch of the Dec. 4 SEC championship game, which the Crimson Tide won 41-24 over the Bulldogs, Nick Saban’s club is surprisingly a 2.5-point underdog coming in. Although Vegas favors Kirby Smart, Paul Finebaum sure doesn’t think so.

Finebaum, ESPN’s college football analyst who hosts The Paul Finebaum Show, joined the network’s First Take show on Friday. He provided his prediction for Monday night’s College Football Playoff national championship game.

“I’m not going against Nick Saban,” Finebaum said. “I’ve done it once or twice in my life, and I’m not doing it again. I think he’s the better coach. I think Georgia might have the better team on paper, but I don’t think a lot has changed [since the SEC championship game]. You mention [John] Metchie [being out], but other than that, I think it’s the same two teams and I think we’ll get not a similar result in terms of a three or four touchdown win, but I think Alabama will win this game.”

According to ESPN’s Football Power Index, Georgia has a 58.4% chance to beat Alabama. If the Bulldogs can pull it off, it would be their first win over the Crimson Tide since 2007.

On3’s Tyler Mansfield contributed to this report.