Onside kick ‘changed the momentum’ as Alabama beat Clemson for NCAA football

“This was a great challenge for us”, Saban said. “It probably wasn’t one of our best games when it just comes to flat execution”, Saban said.

Quarterback Jake Coker overcame a slow start to throw for 335 yards and two touchdowns, while Heisman Trophy-winning running back Derrick Henry rushed for 158 yards and three scores on 36 carries.

Adam Griffith hit a 33-yard field goal, and Saban ordered an onside kick that his team recovered, setting up a 51-yard scoring pass to Howard, giving Alabama the lead for good.

Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images Kenyan Drake returns a kick 95 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter to give Alabama a 38-27 lead.

Add the title of Alabama’s all-time leading rushers.

Clemson followed with Watson hooking up with his receiver for an 11-yard score on the final play from scrimmage of the first quarter. It was Alabama’s sixth special teams touchdown this season, tied with Tennessee for most in the nation.

Alabama, which lost in last season’s playoff semifinals, was not done exerting its special teams superiority after the onside kick. The Alabama coach, who went into Monday’s College Football Playoff championship game seeking his fourth national title in Tuscaloosa and fifth overall, usually projects a perpetually grumpy persona.

It is the Crimson Tide’s 16 national championship, and it’s first in the College Football Playoff, which is now in its second year.

“There’s no doubt we’ll be back”, Clemson Coach Dabo Swinney said.

“I just wanted to contribute to the team, whatever it was”, Henry said.

From the outset, the game was a showcase for Heisman victor Henry and Heisman finalist Watson. Defensive back Eddie Jackson set up one of the touchdowns with an interception.

Watson made the Vince Young comparisons too easy, turning the even more hard task of dominating the country’s top defense look way too simple. His 63-yard reception on Alabama’s final drive set up Derrick Henry’s 1-yard touchdown run to give the Tide a comfortable 45-33 lead with just over a minute remaining.

An Alabama field goal tied it, 24-24, before the game’s key play – the onside kick. Clemson’s first line of blockers was aligned narrowly across the middle of the field, leaving an open gap on the sideline.

“We made mistakes and they capitalized on our mistakes”, Clemson safety Jayron Kearse said. This game was an instant classic – and it turned on maybe the boldest call of Saban’s career.

“That was a huge play in the game because I felt like we had all the momentum and we were getting ready to get the ball back”. Alabama had their share of wins on offense, including a pair of long touchdowns to tight end O.J. Howard and three scores from Henry, but what really sparked the Crimson Tide was how they played on special teams.

Howard led the Tide receiving effort with 208 yards on five receptions.

Watson threw another touchdown pass (and finished with 478 total yards), but would not get another chance.

Nick Saban isn’t most coaches.

Kiffin fully resurrected a career that hit its low point when he was sacked by University of Southern California Athletic Director Pat Haden after a 2013 loss at Arizona State. Howard didn’t catch a pass in several games, including the regular-season finale against Auburn and the SEC championship game against Florida.

After the game, Swinney asked where next year’s national title game will be.

Miami, which considered shutting down its program due to lack of interest several years earlier, pulled off one of the greatest upsets to win its first national title.