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Alabamas stingy defense will face perhaps its toughest test against Jake Browning and Washington.The top-ranked Crimson Tide, fresh from facing teams with pedestrian passing games, will play the Huskies Dec. 31 in the Peach Bowl in Atlantas Georgia Dome. Thats where Alabama (13-0) just dispatched Florida 54-16 in the Southeastern Conference championship game.The defending national champs are trying to go wire-to-wire No. 1 and become the first NCAA team to go 15-0. Alabama has made each of the first three College Football Playoffs and won 25 straight games.There was a lot of talk out there about the playoffs and not much talk about the SEC championship game, which was a little concerning to me as a coach, Tide coach Nick Saban said Sunday on ESPNs selection show. I was really proud of the maturity that our players showed of competing in that game and wanting to win that championship.The next step is what do we create as a legacy for this team in terms of how they do in the playoffs.The Huskies (12-1) rose from a No. 14 preseason AP ranking to earn a national title shot.This is not at all a surprise to me, Saban said on a teleconference, speaking of his respect for Petersen.They routed Colorado 41-10 for the Pac-12 championship. Washington won a share of the 1991 title under Sabans mentor and college coach, the late Don James.I think its awesome, third-year Washington coach Chris Petersen said. I think its awesome for the school. I think its awesome for Seattle and I think its awesome for our guys. There are a lot of guys in there that have been here for a while -- not a lot of them -- but there are some and their commitment and persistence and focus, I think its spectacular.He joked that he feels like he knows Saban well because hes on TV so often, but said this will be the biggest challenge the Washington players and coaches have faced.I think everybody knows about Alabama and its not just one year, its every year, how dominant they are, Petersen said. Well prepare hard and fortunately the Seahawks are here in town. Maybe theyll scrimmage us to get us ready for those guys. I dont know.The Huskies rank fourth nationally in scoring offense, averaging 44.5 points per game. Browning is the nations fifth-rated passer, and his 42 touchdowns are one shy of Jared Goffs Pac-12 record.Alabama leads the nation in total, scoring and rushing defense. But the Tide hasnt faced a Top 25 scoring offense since Week 2 against Western Kentucky, which ranks second. The Tide won 38-10 and held Tennessees No. 26 scoring offense to 10 points as well.Florida ranks 84th in passing offense and Auburn, which faced Alabama in the regular-season finale, stands 112th.Saban downplayed any benefit of having been through the playoff preparations and atmosphere twice before. The Tide lost to eventual champion Ohio State two years ago and last season beat Michigan State and Clemson.I do know that we did it better one year than we did it the other, Saban said.Here are some things to know about the Peach Bowl matchup:CLASHING STYLES: Browning has passed for 3,280 yards and been intercepted just seven times. Alabamas passing game, led by freshman Jalen Hurts, has sputtered at times but Hurts is a dangerous runner.HEISMAN HOPEFULS: The different styles of these teams is illustrated by their respective candidates to be Heisman Trophy finalists, Browning and Alabama defensive end Jonathan Allen. Allen has recorded 8.5 sacks while returning two fumbles for a touchdown.QBS ON REBOUND: Browning and Alabamas Hurts have both been huge playmakers for their offenses, but neither posted big numbers in their league championship games. Browning was just 9 for 24 for 118 yards with two touchdown passes. The freshman Hurts was 11 of 20 for 138 yards with a touchdown and was mostly a nonfactor as a runner.SARKISIAN VS. HUSKIES: Former Washington and USC head coach Steve Sarkisian is facing one of his former teams. The Alabama offensive analyst coached the Huskies from 2009-13, so was involved in recruiting some of the veterans. Hell have the same role in this game hes had in every other game, Saban said.---AP Sports Writer Tim Booth in Seattle contributed to this report.---More AP college football: www.collegefootball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25 Corey Harris Jersey . 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The 2016 County Championship came to a gripping conclusion over the final round to bring an end to a season of twists and turns. We asked our regular county writers to name their Championship XIs for the summer and the votes were compiled into the team below. There was a degree of flexibility allowed over batting positions, one overseas player could be selected, and a minimum of six matches was the cut-off to be considered. Most of the choices were clear from the votes with only a couple of debatable slotsKeaton Jennings (Durham) 1548 runs at 64.50 The leading run scorer in the country, Jennings made a strong claim to be included in Englands Test squad. His seven Championship centuries - including two unbeaten double-hundreds, one carrying his bat against Surrey - were a Durham record and he scored more runs in 2016 than his previous two seasons combined. Resisted the temptation to move counties and will have a huge role to play in the post-Stoneman-Borthwick era of Durhams battingHaseeb Hameed (Lancashire) 1198 runs at 49.91 A new star of English cricket after becoming the youngest Lancashire batsman to make 1000 runs in a season and the first to score two centuries in a Roses match. Born to play for England, was the assessment of many and the call came when he was included for the Bangladesh tour. Im a modern-day Boycott, Hameed has said, but even during this season his range of strokeplay has broadened out. Batting time, though, remains his strength and a skill not to be forgotten in the modern age.Nick Gubbins (Middlesex) 1409 runs at 61.26 The season began with most of the attention on his opening partner, Sam Robson, who has already had a taste of Test cricket but by September it was Gubbins closer to a call-up. A left-hander who has often drawn comparisons with Andrew Strauss, Gubbins began the season without a first-class hundred but scored four Championship tons including one in the final match of the season against Yorkshire.Ben Duckett (Northamptonshire) 1338 runs at 60.81 The most exciting uncapped batsman in English cricket. After a difficult period when Duckett struggled to adapt to the disciplines - on and off the field - needed for professional cricket, 2016 was a remarkable success story for the left hander. Churning out the runs from start to finish with breathtaking flamboyance, his returns included an unbeaten 282 against Sussex - the highest score of the season - which would surely have been a triple-century but for two days of rain. His first-class strike of 79.35 was also the fastest for the summer.Tom Westley (Essex) 1217 runs at 52.91 Westleys most prolific season against the red ball saw him pass 1000 runs for the first time and was capped with a career-best 254 against Worcestershire as Essexs promotion campaign approached fulfilment. In imperious form at No. 3, he began with a century in the opening-round victory over Gloucestershire and followed that up with scores of 86, 16, 64 and 125, his leg-side whip and cover drive in full working order as Essex took an early grip on top spot in Diivision Two.ddddddddddddBen Foakes (Surrey) 759 runs at 42.16, 43 catches and 3 stumpings Regarded by Andy Flower and Alec Stewart as the best gloveman in English cricket, Foakes started to flourish having been given the chance as Surreys first-choice wicketkeeper. Could not force his way past Jos Buttler as the reserve Test keeper - despite Buttler playing just one first-class matche in a year - but remains in the mix longer-term alongside Sam Billings.Keith Barker (Warwickshire) 608 runs at 32.00; 59 wickets at 23.13 Another impressively consistent all-round season for Barker, ending with his best Championship haul for a campaign. He only played four games of white-ball cricket in the season which meant he was able to put his efforts into the four-day game and he was ever-present in the Championship. His hundred against Nottinghamshire was his sixth in first-class cricket with all of them coming at Nos. 8 or 9. Graham Napier (Essex) 298 runs at 22.92; 63 wickets at 23.17 In his final season as a professional, Napier produced his best-ever Championship analysis before hobbling out of his last game, promotion secured. Essexs Division Two title was won by batting big and then letting their seamers get to work and while there were honourable mentions for Jamie Porter, David Masters and Ravi Bopara, Napier consistently led the way. Joe Leach edged ahead of him in the final week to top the Division Two tally, but the King of Colchester took a five-for and scored a hundred on his Castle Park farewell to boot.Jeetan Patel (Warwickshire) 69 wickets at 24.02 Remained the standout spinner in domestic cricket - it was also his most prolific season - although was pushed closer for that tag than the previous summer when a few of his home truths about English spin had hit a nerve. A better bowler now than he was during his international career, Patel has firmly said his New Zealand days are behind him even though he has been asked back.Jake Ball (Nottinghamshire) 49 wickets at 23.12 Started the season with a bang, under the gaze of the selectors, and was often remarked on as looking a Test match bowler. By the time the first England squad of the summer was announced he had 19 wickets at 21.15. He sustained his form to the end, following his Test debut against Pakistan, and took nine wickets in the match against Middlesex - including a hat-trick - but it was not enough to save Nottinghamshire from relegation.Jack Leach (Somerset) 65 wickets at 21.87 This was the tightest call in selection with Leach tying on three votes with Jack Brooks. The chairman of selectors opted for a balanced, varied attack of three seamers and two spinners, plus it was a magnificent campaign for Leach who pushed himself close to England recognition. Enjoyed the change of tactics at Taunton, with a spin-friendly surface, but it was his performance at Headingley in the penultimate round which showed how rapid his rise had been. ' ' '