Alabama kicked a field goal to tie the score at 24 with 10 minutes remaining and Nick Saban went to his bag of tricks, calling an onside kick that was executed perfectly.
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Following Alabama’s 45-40 win over Clemson in the National Championship Game on Monday night, the team bus left without offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin late Monday night when the Crimson Tide departed from University of Phoenix Stadium. Clemson didn’t fold. Watson’s 11-yard touchdown pass to Artavis Scott cut the Tide lead to 38-33 with 4:40 to play.
It took two long touchdown plays to rarely targeted tight end O.J. Howard, plenty of special teams magic and dodging daggers from Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson, who accounted for 473 of Clemson’s 550 total yards.
William Hill US Sports Books have released the first odds list for the 2017 national title and, unsurprisingly, the two teams that faced off in this year’s title game lead the way. As the final seconds ticked off the clock, Henry rushed for another touchdown to seal Alabama’s victory. Turner Gill’s pass was swatted away by Ken Calhoun, and Miami benefited when higher ranked teams lost in earlier bowl games and rose from fifth to No. 1 in the final AP poll.
Saban’s gutsy call to go for an onside kick, the “pop kick”, with 10:34 left in the contest – after Alabama had just tied it up at 24-24 – was stuff of genius. J Howard broke for a 51-yard touchdown to make it 31-24 Bama lead. After spending last season backing up Blake Sims, Coker took over the starting role and helped lead Alabama to a 14-1 record and a national title.
Alabama’s Derrick Henry gets to keep his Heisman after carrying 36 times for 158 yards and three touchdowns.
“I don’t think (making a decision) will be hard at all once I sit down with coach Saban and my family”, Howard said during a Tuesday press conference. While Dabo Swinney and his Clemson Tigers fought valiantly, the team from Tuscaloosa proved to be too much for the ACC champs. Moments later, Tide safety Eddie Jacksonintercepted a Watson pass to set up the tying touchdown as Alabama moved 42 yards to a 1-yard dive by Henry to tie the score at 14-14.
Alabama joins Notre Dame, which won four titles from 1943-49, but those Fighting Irish never even played in bowl games, nevertheless two playoff games.
Clemson (14-1) entered the game with the No. 1 ranking and finished at No. 2.
After Clemson pulled within 31-27, Alabama’s Kenyan Drake returned the ensuing kickoff 95 yards for a score. Howard didn’t catch a pass in several games, including the regular-season finale against Auburn and the SEC championship game against Florida. “It probably wasn’t one of our best games when it just comes to flat execution”. He passed for 405 yards with four touchdowns and an interception and rushed for 73 yards.
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“‘It was tough. It really was”, said Saban, who now has more national titles than every other coach but Bear Bryant, the man who first made Alabama synonymous with college football greatness.
