Georgia fans will have to wait a little longer for Kirby Smart to be their full-time head coach. He's still a little busy now at his old job as Alabama's defensive coordinator.

Smart's defense led the Crimson Tide to a 38-0 win over Michigan State in the Cotton Bowl in a College Football Playoff semifinal in Arlington, Texas, Thursday night.

Alabama (13-1) will play Clemson (14-0)  for the national championship on Monday, Jan. 11 in Arizona. Smart, who Georgia hired to replace Mark Richt as its head coach, committed to first finishing the season with the Crimson Tide, but he's said he is splitting his time between the two roles for now. 

Alabama 38, Michigan State 0: QB Jake Coker played the game of his career, hooking up with Calvin Ridley for two touchdowns, as the  second-ranked Crimson Tide aired it out to beat the No. 3 Spartans.

The Tide looked like a team with no weaknesses against overmatched Michigan State (12-2). Coker, the promising Florida State transfer who sat the bench most of last season, was nearly perfect. The senior completed 25 for 30 for 286 yards.

Clemson 37, Oklahoma 17: Gainesville  native

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Tony Barnhart speaks into the microphone during a broadcast of his and Wes Durham's radio show in the 790/The Zone studios in Buckhead. Barnhart, a journalist for more than four decades, announced Thursday that he will retire after this upcoming football season. (AJC 2010)

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A new poll from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution explored what Georgians thought about the first 100 days in office of President Donald Trump’s second term. Photo illustration by Philip Robibero/AJC

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