Grip on Sports: College football season ends on a rainy night in Georgia

A GRIP ON SPORTS • The college football season, which began in the heat of August, ended last night indoors in Georgia. We have a recap. Read on.

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• Washington State won nine games and went to a bowl. Where it lost. Again. Eastern Washington won some games but didn’t make the FCS playoffs. Idaho played its last season in the FBS and lost more than it won. Whitworth won more than it lost but not often enough to make the Division III playoffs.

That pretty much sums up the local college football scene.

Alabama didn’t win the one regular season game it wants to win the most, didn’t win its division of its conference and, yet, won the national title. Go figure. That pretty much sums up the national college football scene.

Given a do-over, the Crimson Tide ran over Clemson in the playoff semis. Given a do-over in the second half of the title game, the Crimson Tide passed over Georgia and won in overtime.

There were a lot of celebrations. Including one in Florida for UCF, but that seemed a bit like shouting into the wind.

There were a lot of proclamations about Monday night’s game being the best ever, but that seems to happen these days whenever a game has a decent ending.

Alabama has the trophy, its fifth under Nick Saban. It has the AP national title and it will have the coaches’ seal of approval when that poll is released.

The history books in Alabama will put this one right next to the titles the Tide claim they won in 1930, 1934, 1941. The most successful football program in the country did last night what it does almost every year: win when it matters most.

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WSU: On the day Ohio State announced Alex Grinch had officially joined its football staff, the Cougars moved to replace the defensive coordinator. Washington State hired Tracy Claeys, whose Minnesota team shut down Mike Leach’s offense in the 2016 Holiday Bowl. Theo Lawson has stories on both those developments. … Theo votes in the AP basketball poll. This week, voting wasn’t easy. … He also has videos of interviews taken after basketball practice, with Malachi Flynn and Jeff Pollard. … Pac-12 leading scorer Borislava Hristova was named player of the week. … Stefanie Loh has a story in the Times about Claeys’ hiring.

Elsewhere in the Pac-12, the final AP football poll results weren’t kind to the conference. Will next year be different? … With the talent Washington brought in this year at quarterback, this move wouldn’t make a lot of sense. … The exodus of offensive talent at USC continues. … Oregon is gaining a player, Arizona State is losing one and the Sun Devils have filled another coaching hole. So did California. … When will Arizona fill its head coaching position?… As basketball’s regular season hits the halfway point, Colorado has momentum, Oregon is looking for some and Utah is trying to bounce back from a couple of tough losses. … Arizona State’s success is paying off.

Gonzaga: All the carnage around the nation allowed the Zags to move up to 15th in the AP poll. Jim Meehan has a story.

Idaho: The decision to move back to the FCS ranks may rankle some but, financially, it makes sense for the Vandals. … Around the Big Sky, former Montana quarterback Dave Dickenson is headed to the College Football Hall of Fame. … Montana and UCLA are trying to reschedule their cancelled basketball game. It may be important to both. … North Dakota is interviewing candidates for its athletic director position. Eastern Washington’s Bill Chaves will interview Wednesday. … Weber State had a successful football season. … Idaho State is experiencing some football roster churn.

Seahawks: The offseason is in full swing for Seattle, and there are rumblings of changes in the coaching staff. … Michael Bennett is on a magazine cover and it’s not a sports magazine.

Sounders: A couple of Sounders will shake off the offseason rust early.

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• It is January 9, which seems like the middle of winter. It is the middle of winter, right? So why did it rain all night? Pardon me if I’m wrong, but I always thought it was supposed to snow in winter around here. I’m not complaining mind you, I’m just a bit confused. Until later …