It wasn’t the first touchdown of the game by Calvin Ridley, it wasn’t the first pick, it was Derrick Henry’s touchdown. No doubt, that will add fuel for a Tigers team that has been battling an inferiority complex at a school where big-game losses are described as “Clemsoning”.
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Alabama’s defensive front is that good.
Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban reacts in the third quarter against the Michigan State Spartans in the 2015 CFP semifinal at the Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium. The title decider will be played on January 11 in Arizona. It burned Alabama so badly to be beaten in the College Football Playoff semifinals past year that the Crimson Tide was determined to handle its business differently this time around.
Clemson shouldn’t starved for motivation. Taylor finished with eight points and seven rebounds. Its final and perhaps biggest will come in the national championship game against Alabama’s dominating defense. Saban said he thought big plays were the difference in the game.
What that talk was isn’t exactly known – you never know how or what players will use to motivate themselves – but UA players were quick to point it out after the game and didn’t shy away from saying that “talk” stopped during the game. That’s a bad sign for any opponent. Defense certainly played well. That type of clutter doesn’t permeate the locker room this season as it may have in the past. They were totally focused to win this game.
“I wasn’t surprised at all by the game [Coker] had tonight”.
Meanwhile, Connor Cook, playing in his last game as a Spartan, cemented the first Cotton Bowl shutout since 1963 with his second interception of the night just over 30 seconds before the gun.
“When he does that, he makes things a lot easier on me – a lot easier than it should be”.
Alabama will also try to unleash Heisman Trophy victor Derrick Henry on Clemson’s defense. The Tide defense registered four quarterback sacks, posted six tackles for loss, and intercepted two passes.
“Deshaun Watson is the best player in the country”.
All five of members of the offensive line received honors on one of the three all-Atlantic Coast Conference postseason teams. No. I’m not insane.
No. 14 MI completed its one-season turnaround under new coach Jim Harbaugh, routing the No. 19 Florida Gators 41-7 behind 278 yards passing and three touchdowns from quarterback Jake Rudock.
Watson won’t rush for 145 yards against the Tide as he did in Clemson’s 37-17 playoff win over the Sooners in Miami. Now, their season is not over and in fact, it has really only started.
“We are very confident”, wide receiver ArDarius Stewart said. “We were still in a quarterback situation, rotating guys and figuring that out”. “We had 13 assists [and] 13 turnovers, some careless turnovers, we’ll continue to get better, but another stellar defensive effort from our team”.
Saban is in the midst of the best coaching career in the game’s history. That might be his greatest accomplishment of all.
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“He is unbelievably talented and a great leader”, Smart said. “I can see it in my teammates’ eyes”. Alabama didn’t disclose the reason that Brown was sent home, but clearly to the team he had come a distraction. “So once you eliminate him, our D-line, of course, is going to limit the run game and basically shut down their offense”.
