“But championship football is a game of a few plays, and that’s really what this one came down to, just a few plays”, he said.
Advertisement
Humphrey’s reaction to the call, he said: “We’re doing this in the national championship game?”
Running back Derrick Henry, who won the 2015 Heisman Trophy, capped his spectacular season last night by finding the end zone three times.
Watson led Clemson to a field goal to make it 31-27, and boom, another Alabama big play. This was Clemson’s first shot at a national title since 1981, and the ACC’s second appearance in a title game in three years.
Facing the stout Alabama defense, Watson threw for 405 yards and four touchdowns, adding 73 more yards on the ground.
“All the stats don’t really matter to me”, Watson said. It was the biggest play of Drake’s career at Alabama and couldn’t have come at a better moment. “But just to put this in perspective … if this was the first game of the season instead of last, what would we be talking about now?” It was the unexpected call Saban had to make if he wanted to win a fifth national championship to tie ‘Bama legend Paul “Bear” Bryant. In defeating the Oklahoma Sooners in the December 31 Orange Bowl, they secured a ticket to Glendale, Ariz., to face the Crimson Tide.
Fans cheered, chanted and waved pompoms as the team’s buses arrived and the players got off. Many in the crowd held their cellphones in the air to capture photos and video of the arrival, some stood on tip toe and hopped up and down to catch a glimpse of their favorite player. “It won’t be 34 years before we’re going to be back, I guarantee you that”. Saban didn’t mind the company of his offensive coordinator. The drive was set up with quarterback Deshaun Watson’s scrambling ability as the Clemson star gashed Alabama with runs of 20, 16 and 5 yards.
With Alabama badly needing a defensive stop, Eddie Jackson reached up and grabbed an interception. Alabama’s Derrick Henry celebrates after the NCAA college football playoff championship game against Clemson Monday, Jan. 11, 2016, in Glendale, Ariz.
“Look, we have fakes in every – we have a fake field goal, we have a fake when we punt, we have an onside kick, a surprise onside kick”, Saban said. The effect was enormous – an onside kick that sparked a 45-40 win over Clemson – even if the play itself was simple.
“Once I sit down with Coach Saban and my family, Coach will help us make the right decision”, Howard said. “We’ve got the right ingredients from a toughness standpoint, talent standpoint, and then just, again, the will to win and the culture that we have in our program”. A daring on side kick with the score tied 24-all led to an Alabama points explosion, with quarterback Jake Coker throwing for two long touchdowns to tight end O. “That was a huge play”.
Advertisement
Key play: O.J. Howard’s 57-yard touchdown catch to give Alabama the lead. Kickoff coverage, which also hampered Clemson this season, cost the Tigers as Kenyan Drake returned a kick 95 yards for a score.
