Big plays, gutsy call carry Tide to title

Its the Crimson Tides sixteenth national championship in school history, and a fifth national title for Saban, further cementing his status in college football history.

Clemson, a 6½-point underdog at kickoff, had a big offensive game against the vaunted Alabama defense, outgaining the Crimson Tide 550 yards to 474.

In the end, the Tide had the luck – most of which they made – although they turned the game’s only turnover, an interception thrown by Watson, into a touchdown.

He meant it: After Alabama tied the game at 24 with 10:34 left in the fourth quarter, Saban took a risk and called for one, and it worked marvelously.

Klatt also said that there is a program more dominant than Alabama right now in Ohio State but did they make the CFB Playoff?

In the bowels of University of Phoenix Stadium, Tigers coach Dabo Swinney, whose backstory is a sort of inspiring fairy tale itself, sat down before reporters in downbeat fashion, something that no one had seen during a 17-game winning streak dating back to last season. Kenyan Drake returned the kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown to extend the Tide lead to 38-27 with 7:31 on the clock. It blanketed Clemson’s receivers and forced Watson to either place the ball in teensy windows or scramble until teensy windows came open. Clemson kicked their chances of a National Title away to Alabama and led them to win the game with a score of 45-40 and the Championship National Title.

Heisman Trophy victor Derrick Henry carried 36 times for 158 yards and three touchdowns. While Clemson’s Jordan Leggett managed to catch a 24-yard touchdown pass from Watson with 12 seconds left in the championship game, this final touchdown was too late for the Tigers. Coker took a knee and after a two-year drought that felt like eternity in Tuscaloosa, Alabama was back on top. Colin Cowherd is the host of his sports radio show “The Herd” and earlier this year he had Joel Klatt as a guest to talk about Alabama after their Ole Miss loss. They were the best team this year.

“Great play by them, it was a great kick”, Swinney said.

For about three-and-a-half quarters, Alabama-Clemson looked like it was destined to finish as one of the all-time great national championships.

Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson starred in the defeat, passing for 405 yards and four touchdowns and rushing for 73 yards.

The sophomore quarterback, who was third in the Heisman voting, was on point most of the night with his passes.

That pop kick helped the Tide get it rolling with the defense tiring against the constant onslaught from Watson & Co. Every year, other teams from around the nation head into the football season with hopes of a national title.

Alabama was a unanimous No. 1 in the final AP poll and Clemson finished No. 2.

When the ball rolled into a line of photographers in the back of the end zone, Watson’s disbelief also provided the TV telecast’s first Surrender Cobra of the evening. He finished with five catches for 208 yards, the most receiving yards for an Alabama player in a bowl game.

Go back and read that again. Did team X win the game or did team Y lose it?

“Just some little things like that is going to really force yourself in a hole, and it’s hard to beat a team like Alabama if you make those mistakes”. But despite the Tigers’ inexperience in the title game, the moment was clearly not too big for them.