Saturday's juxtaposition

Two snapshots from another autumn Saturday in America, revealing the sway of fortunes that make college football the absorbing spectacle it is:

Tua Tagovailoa on his hands and knees, head down, gold chain drooping across one cheek, his crimson helmet with the white "13" on the side lying discarded a foot or so away.

Jalen Hurts standing on the sideline in the Texas night, helmet off, hands behind his back, smiling a deeply satisfied smile as an Oklahoma interception caps the greatest comeback in OU football history.

Two quarterbacks.  Two crossed paths. A juxtaposition spinning out one fascinating narrative.

It begins in Atlanta, Ga., almost two years ago, with a football arcing across the plastic sky of  Mercedes-Benz Stadium and landing in posterity. That was Alabama freshman Tua Tagovailoa evading the hungry Georgia pass rush to find DeVonta Smith from 41 yards out for the touchdown that handed the national championship to the Crimson Tide.

Tagovailoa wound up throwing for 166 yards and three touchdowns in the second half of that game, leading 'Bama back from a 13-0 halftime deficit. And watching from the sideline?

Jalen Hurts, the quarterback Tagovailoa replaced at halftime.

The latter won the 'Bama starting job that night, while Hurts, who had himself led the Crimson Tide to a national title, played the good soldier from the sideline the next season. Never uttered a discouraging word as the Tide again reached the national championship game, where they lost to Clemson.

After which, Hurts, a graduate senior, transferred to Oklahoma for a final whirl as a college football player.

Fast forward to Saturday, and one more reversal of fortunes.

There was Tua down on the ground in Starkville, Miss., his hip dislocated, his season over, Alabama's shot at the College Football Playoff perhaps over, too. And there was Hurts in Waco, Texas, leading the Sooners back from a 28-3 deficit on the road at undefeated Baylor with four touchdown passes in the final three quarters.

Two quarterbacks. Two divergent paths. Two ships passing in the night again, one last time.