Alabama football's Zabien Brown going home for Rose Bowl, but not alone
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Zabien Brown didn’t say exactly how many tickets for the Rose Bowl he’s been able to procure for his family, but whatever the number, it wasn’t enough to cover the demand.
The Alabama football cornerback is looking forward to something of a homecoming when the Crimson Tide takes on Indiana in Pasadena, Calif., on New Years Day in a College Football Playoff Rose Bowl quarterfinal (3 p.m. CT, ESPN). But he’s far from alone. UA cornerback Domani Jackson is a California native as well, along with freshman cornerback Dijon Lee — the trio makes up the Crimson Tide’s top three options at the position.
“I was just talking to Domani the other day how it’s similar for us not understanding what it’s like for these guys from Alabama to play in games against Auburn in the Iron Bowl,” Brown said. “We’ve got to get used to those type of things. For us it’s kind of the opposite. They might not know what it means for us to go back home and play in the Rose Bowl.”
Other UA players from California include backup quarterback Austin Mack, walk-on QB John Gazzaniga, OL Jackson Lloyd, TE Josh Cuevas, TE Kaleb Edwards, DL Fatutoa Henry, DB Chuck McDonald, WR MJ Chirgwin, P Alex Asparuhov, LB Abduall Sanders, LB Grant Johnson and K Reid Schuback. That’s 15 players, counting those who are non-scholarship, but there’s also Rose Bowl experience elsewhere on the roster.
Starting safety Keon Sabb played on the 2023 Michigan team that beat Alabama in the Rose Bowl in a CFP semifinal, then went on to win a national title. Mention of that game, of course, has come up in the UA locker room.
“It’s a little funny to some of the guys. We jab and poke at each other about it sometimes,” Sabb said.
Reach Tuscaloosa News columnist Chase Goodbread at cgoodbread@gannett.com. Follow on X @chasegoodbread.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Alabama football’s Zabien Brown going home for Rose Bowl, but not alone
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