Deshaun Watson certainly did his share for Clemson. He wants them to get on the field and think about the immediate future. Alabama’s Derrick Henry gives a Heisman pose after rushing for a touchdown during the second half of the NCAA college football playoff championship game against Clemson Monday, Jan. 11, 2016, in Glendale, Ariz.
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If anyone though Watson would be rattled by Alabama’s huge, fast defensive line, they were quickly proven wrong.
Not sure they were even a top-10 team when all is said and done. “All the stats don’t really matter to me”. “We can’t let him extend plays like he has because that’s when they made a lot of big plays”. Upper-level seats on the Clemson and Alabama sidelines are going for around $100. Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said after the game. “He’s special, he really is”.
That’s when Alabama coach Nick Saban did something few coaches, at any level, would have the stones to do – nevertheless in a game for all the literal marbles.
“We didn’t always play pretty in this game”, Saban said. “He did a fantastic job in the game”. Watson, who finished third in the Heisman voting, threw TD passes of 31 and 11 yards to redshirt freshman Hunter Renfrow. Howard for a 51-yard touchdown, giving Alabama the 31-24 lead. The Tigers had a chance to take the lead at the end of the half, but Greg Huegel’s 44-yard field goal attempt was tipped by D.J. Pettway and fell short. Watson was 12 of 18 for 162 yards and an interception. He also ran for 73 yards. Henry’s 50-yard run gave the second-ranked Crimson Tide an early 7-0 lead.
Kiffin was referring to his involvement in USC’s national title game against Texas in 2006, when he was part of the questionable play-calling that led to the Trojans’ defeat. On offense, star rusher Leonard Fournette returns for what could be his final college season, and QB Brandon Harris will be back, improved and with a wealth of playing experience to draw on.
“You can’t get frustrated when you’re not getting the ball, ” Howard said.
Watson passed for two touchdowns in the first half, which ended with the score tied, 14-14, and set the stage for an exciting finish. And – oh yeah – J.T. Barrett will be back to start at quarterback with none of the distractions he faced in 2015 about whether he would be the starter. A play earlier, he ran six yards on third-and-4 as the Tigers converted a second third-down for the drive. He came into the season a question mark, a superbly talented dual-threat quarterback with a history of injuries.
Watson had surgery last December to fix the ACL in his left knee. When a reporter asked the diligent Watson where he needed to improve for next season, guard Eric Mac Lain jumped ahead of Watson’s answer, leaned into a microphone and said, “Nowhere”. By then, it was too late and Clemson will have to wait a bit longer for its first national title since 1981.
Watson’s play, though, could not make up for Clemson’s mistakes on defense and special teams.
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If Alabama beats the Tigers to win a fourth national title in seven seasons, the argument may be settled.
