Alabama edges Clemson in National Championship

Alabama beat Clemson 45-40 Monday night for its fourth national title in the last seven seasons, and this verdict was courtesy of a daredevil.

The Tide can become just the third school in college football’s poll era, dating back to the creation of The Associated Press media poll in 1936, to win four championships in a 10-year span.

Saban is on a quest to win his fifth title as a coach and his fourth with the Crimson Tide – should he reach that next upper echelon of college football glory, he’ll prove to be one of the best, if not the best, of all time at that level.

Clemson was seemingly in control of the game early in the fourth quarter.

Clemson had taken a 24-21 lead on a 1-yard run by Wayne Gallman.

Clemson followed with Watson hooking up with his receiver for an 11-yard score on the final play from scrimmage of the first quarter.

The Crimson Tide’s other touchdown came on Kenyan Drake’s 95-yard kickoff return in the fourth quarter, which followed a Clemson field goal. The absence of the brash-talking Alexander might have paid off for Alabama when blown coverage by Clemson left tight end O.J. Howard wide open down the deep sideline.

The teams traded touchdowns and Clemson pulled to within 45-40 on Watson’s final scoring pass, but the onside kick went out of bounds. Chip Kelly visited Tuscaloosa and one of the things they talked about is what tempo can do to a Clemson defense. Watson was one of three Heisman finalists this season (along with the trophy victor, Alabama running back Derrick Henry).

But Saban, whose team had rarely been challenged since losing to Ole Miss in September, made a series of brilliant calls that quickly turned a game seemingly headed toward an epic finish.

Greg Huegel’s field goal cut it to 31-27, but Drake took the kickoff back the distance and Alabama led 38-27. Two plays later they scored on Howard’s aforementioned second TD. The Tigers attempted a two-point conversion, but Watson was unable to get into the end zone.

“We stand toe-to-toe with everybody in the country”, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said.

Looking confused, Coker was sacked four times in the first half.

“He’s special. He really is”, Swinney said of Watson.

But the Crimson Tide sealed the win after Coker located Howard yet again on another pass completion, setting up a Derrick Henry 1-yard touchdown with a minute left.

Howard seemed to run free after Alexander’s departure with three catches of at least 51 yards, two of them for scores and the last leading to Henry’s third rushing TD.

“I felt if we didn’t do something to change the momentum of the game we wouldn’t have a chance to win, ” Saban would later admit.

Alabama is taking part in its 10th 1 vs. 2 game – and is ranked No. 2 going in for the eighth time.

But then came the latest item on the list of insane football plays that the University of Phoenix Stadium has produced. “But when it comes to competing and making plays when we have to have them, it was probably as good as it gets”.

Watson, the Clemson sophomore, tap-danced around the tankerships on Alabama’s line and picked apart the Crimson Tide’s secondary to the point that Clemson was eyeing its first national title since 1981.