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Alabama Crimson Tide's Emil Ekiyor Jr., Chris Owens start College Football Playoff championship game after injuries

INDIANAPOLIS -- Alabama starting offensive linemen Emil Ekiyor Jr. and Chris Owens are playing Monday night against Georgia in the College Football Playoff National Championship Presented by AT&T.

Both players were injured in the Cotton Bowl semifinal win over Cincinnati. Ekiyor, a redshirt junior, has started every game at right guard. He left the game last week in the first quarter with a shoulder injury. Owens, the Tide's right tackle, left the Cincinnati game in the fourth quarter with a foot injury.

In addition, redshirt junior cornerback Jalyn Armour-Davis started the game. Armour-Davis has played sparingly the past few weeks with a hip injury. He left the game against Cincinnati in the first quarter, and freshman Kool-Aid McKinstry and junior college newcomer Khyree Jackson played most of the game at cornerback for Alabama.

The Tide lost senior cornerback Josh Jobe to foot surgery prior to the Cincinnati game.