College Football Playoff National Championship Game: Famous alumni of Alabama and Georgia

The College Football Playoff National Championship Game takes place Jan. 8 between SEC powers Alabama and Georgia. There have been dozens of famous NFL players to come out of these universities, but what about the non-football alumni?

Here's a look at famous alumni from both schools outside of the gridiron.

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Mel Allen

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One of the most famous baseball play-by-play voices ever, Allen is synonymous with the New York Yankees after announcing the team's games beginning in 1939. He graduated from the University of Alabama School of Law in 1937.

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Kim Basinger

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A native of Athens, Ga., Basinger attended UGA before dropping out to model. The actress's credits include "L.A. Confidential" and "Batman."

3 of 20

Alton Brown

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Brown studied film at the University of Georgia before enrolling at the New England Culinary Institute. The celebrity chef is best known for the shows "Good Eats," "Iron Chef America," "Feasting on Asphalt" and "Cutthroat Kitchen."

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Rece Davis

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The host of ESPN's "College GameDay," Davis graduated from Alabama in 1988 with degrees in broadcast news and public affairs.

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Winston Groom

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The author of the book "Forrest Gump," Groom graduated from Alabama in 1965.

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Josh Holloway

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Holloway made his name as an actor by playing James "Sawyer" Ford in "Lost" and Gabriel Vaughn in "Intelligence." He attended Georgia for one quarter before dropping out.

7 of 20

Wayne Knight

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"Hello, Newman!" Knight played the iconic mailman in "Seinfeldand also appeared in "Jurassic Park." He left UGA just before he was able to graduate but finally earned his degree in 2008.

8 of 20

Harper Lee

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Lee won the Pulitzer Prize after authoring "To Kill a Mockingbird." She studied law at Alabama but didn't complete her degree. Lee passed away last February.

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Bernie Madoff

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Madoff attended Alabama for one year before transferring to Hofstra. The former non-executive chairman of the NASDAQ stock exchange, Madoff is currently in federal prison after pleading guilty to 11 felonies after running a Ponzi scheme.

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Jim Nabors

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Nabors played Gomer Pyle in "The Andy Griffith Show" and later the spin-off, "Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C." He's an alumnus of Alabama.

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Deborah Norville

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Known as the host of "Inside Edition," Norville is a Georgia native who graduated with a bachelor's in journalism in 1979 from UGA.

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Joe Scarborough

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Scarborough was a Republican in the House of Representatives from 1995-2001 but is now best known for co-hosting "Morning Joe" on MSNBC. He attended undergrad at Alabama, graduating in 1985.

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Ryan Seacrest

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Seacrest's career took off as the host of "American Idol," and the iconic TV host permanently replaced Michael Strahan as half of the new duo on "Live with Kelly and Ryan." He briefly studied journalism at Georgia before dropping out and moving to L.A.

14 of 20

Michael Stipe

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The development of the rock band R.E.M. occurred at the University of Georgia. Stipe met fellow band members Peter Buck, Bill Berry and Mike Mills while in school, and the group dropped out of school in 1980.

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Gay Talese

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Talese attended Alabama before going on to a notable journalism career at The New York Times and Esquire magazine.

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Jimmy Wales

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The co-founder of Wikpedia, Wales earned a master's degree in finance from Alabama.

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George Wallace

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Wallace graduated from Alabama before his political career as governor of Alabama, and he also ran for president in 1968.

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Bubba Watson

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A two-time winner of the Masters, Watson attended Georgia and played golf at the school for two years. The school won an SEC title in golf in 2000.

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Sela Ward

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Ward attended Alabama, where she was a cheerleader and double majored in fine art and advertising. The actress's screen credits include "Sisters," "The Day After Tomorrow" and "CSI: NY."

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Trisha Yearwood

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A native Georgian, Yearwood dropped out of school at the University of Georgia before her music career started. Her long list of accomplishments includes three Grammy's, three CMA Awards, two Academy of Country Music Awards and one Emmy.

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