Bama outlasts Clemson 45-40 to win CFP national crown

The Crimson Tide (14-1) won their three previous championship game appearances in runaways. After spending last season backing up Blake Sims, Coker took over the starting role and helped lead Alabama to a 14-1 record and a national title. Watson threw for four touchdowns and accounted for 478 yards of offense, the Tigers topping the Crimson Tide nearly everywhere but on the scoreboard. They are one of only two major college teams to win at least 10 games five years in a row. Henry ran 36 times for 158 yards and three touchdowns, including a 50-yard romp to start the scoring. The team is loaded with young talent and good coaching.

Clemson will lose a few key players, particularly from its defense, but they lost a lot prior to this season and finished 14-1 nonetheless. He also did not have any touchdowns at all.

His biggest play of the game though and one that may be the biggest play of his career was a 61-yard catch in the final minutes of the fourth quarter.

When you win the national championship, you tend to get some perks of fame thanks to accomplishing something so huge.

Alabama joins Notre Dame, which won four titles from 1943-49, but those Fighting Irish never even played in bowl games, nevertheless two playoff games. But it was the fourth quarter that kept the scoreboard operator busiest.

Saban could relate. He said he often misses the bus after just about every game due to media and other obligations.

That last score gave Clemson the cover, and reportedly swung over million in Vegas alone.

Coker finished 16-for-25 for 335 yards and two touchdowns. Adam Griffith then kicked the football in for Alabama’s extra point to put them in the lead with a score of 31-24.

After a 33-yard Alabama field goal tied the game at 24-24, Humphrey caught the ball cleanly at the 50-yard line.

The Tigers stormed back on a 75-yard touchdown drive capped by a 15-yard pass from Watson to Artavis Scott with 4:40 on the clock.

The second five, in order, were Michigan State, TCU, Houston, Iowa and Mississippi.

As ESPN’s Bomani Jones pointed out, the play crucially denied the Tigers a possession in the final quarter. So when Derrick Henry scored from one yard out with 1:07 remaining in the game to give the Crimson Tide an 11-point lead, Bama bettors were feeling good after sweating out most of the game.

Not Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson, who threw for 405 yards, rushed for 73 more yards and had four touchdowns.

College football’s bowl- and playoff-system just created the path that led Nick Saban to his fourth national championship trophy, but he Alabama coach said Tuesday he’s not sure the system is right for college football as a whole.