Alabama Defeats Clemson, 45-40, to Win National Championship

From the outset, the game was a showcase for Heisman victor Henry and Heisman finalist Watson. Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson, a Heisman runner-up, threw early touchdowns to freshman wide receiver Hunter Renfrow and scrambled for first downs.

Alabama’s field goal defense also had an impact.

The Tigers had won 51 consecutive games when leading after three quarters but could not hold on against Alabama after taking a 24-21 lead into the final period.

“You know, Saban is basically a conservative coach”, Drake said, in a locker room choking with cigar smoke and Instagram shots and a lot of understated satisfaction. Henry had one of those, on the first of his three touchdowns, but his other 35 carries went “only” 108 yards. But Watson kept finding a way to scamper free and get a first down or big gain with his feet.

College football’s team of the century just picked up more hardware for the trophy case. The National Championship lived up to all the hype, as it was an exciting fast paced game that had no shortage of action on Monday evening. At age 64 and heading into his 10 season with the Crimson Tide, Saban shows no signs of slowing down.

Howard caught a TD pass two plays later to give the Tide 14 points in 49 seconds. A miscommunication on defense allowed O.J.

A big play by Howard (sensing a trend here?), in which Coker connects with him for a 53-yard score. The Tigers and Crimson Tide continued to go back-and-forth and went back into the lockers tied up at 14.

The Tigers looked strong through most of the game, repeatedly sacking Alabama quarterback Jake Coker. Alabama trailed after the third in their only loss of the season to the Ole Miss Rebels. They competed. We out-gained them.

It is Nick Saban’s fifth national championship, one shy of former Tide coach Bear Bryant for the most all-time. “I think that changed the momentum of the game”. Howard had two touchdowns on his career coming into the game, but by midway through the fourth quarter he added two more to his name.

Clemson ran 85 plays.

The unit had already been refueling before Griffith capped an eight-play drive with a 33-yard field goal. By the fourth quarter, Alabama doesn’t usually need the football.

Drake’s kick return was the third in a national title game.

Where the Tigers faltered badly was special teams. Clemson’s onside kick went out of bounds. His 15-game average of 147.9 a game was second nationally behind Leonard Fournette’s 12-game average of 162.8 for LSU.

But Coker wouldn’t let the game slip away. The duo connected for a 63-yard reception to the 14-yard line of Clemson, which helped give the Crimson Tide another score. However, after some early jitters, Coker settled down nicely and made the plays he needed to in order to win the game, including a huge scramble on a third down in the final few minutes to set up Henry’s final touchdown.

Clemson was playing for the national title for the first time in 34 years.

He completed 30 of 47 passes for 405 yards and four touchdowns, and he ran 20 times for 73 yards.

That’s why Saban has five national titles to his name.

“What a year. What a year”, said Clemson coach Dabo Swinney. “This program doesn’t take a back seat to anybody”.

“I would say it’s bad coaching on my part that he didn’t have the opportunity to do that all year long, because he is a really good athlete and he’s improved tremendously as a player this year”. The difference, however, was that Clemson made crushing mistakes, and Alabama didn’t.

But Saban tried it anyway, and Marlon Humphrey caught the kick on a dead run.