Clemson averaged 38.4 points per game and took the big, bad Alabama defense to the limit in the championship game. Those spells were enough to defeat Clemson, but the only thing that could stop Deshaun Watson was time. The only drawback? Watson and the Tigers couldn’t pull out a victory, falling to Alabama 45-40 in the national championship game Monday night.
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It was a roller coaster of a season for Drake personally, who was expected to contribute more than he was able to in the 2015 season.
ESPN “Sport Science” went into detail to break down the Crimson Tide’s perfectly-executed onside kick during Monday night’s title game. Watson also had 73 yards on 20 carries. With this leading to four touchdowns, Watson’s offense was one touchdown short from winning the game.
In no way, shape or form was this the traditional Alabama formula relying on dominant defense and its running game.
Between the two teams, though, there was not one other player that had a better night than Alabama’s tight end, O.J. Howard. Henry opened the scoring with a 50-yard TD scamper in the first quarter. Howard caught his second touchdown of the game to put Alabama ahead for good.
Last year, the four-team playoff replaced the Bowl Championship Series in which the top two teams were selected to play in the final game.
“Getting that onside kick, I think, did change the momentum of the game”, said Saban, who pocketed his fifth national championship – four coming at Bama – as a head coach. With a national title on the line?
Physically, I thought Clemson could hang with Alabama, and that proved to be the case. However, unless they are the Crimson Tide, they may not necessarily like what they see. After a 1-yard loss on a run, Alabama’s Jake Coker passed 51 yards to tight end O.J. Howard for a touchdown and a 31-24 lead. Adam Griffith then kicked the football in for Alabama’s extra point to put them in the lead with a score of 31-24.
In the first quarter, Alabama’s coaching staff in the booth recognized an opportunity for a potential future onside kick after seeing Clemson’s alignment for its kick return that followed Derrick Henry’s 50-yard touchdown run. He holds the record for most rushing yards in SEC history with 2,219 and 28 touchdowns.
Saban, knowing it was hard for his team to properly focus, made the point to his players before the game the mark they could leave behind. Yet there he was completely uncovered on a 63-yard touchdown pass up the right sideline early in the third quarter that gave the Crimson Tide a 21-14 advantage. The win for Alabama marked their fourth national football title in seven seasons. The Tide had never been challenged like this in a championship game under Saban.
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That Smart’s defense couldn’t handle Watson will be of importance only if Georgia faces Clemson next season, which would probably come only in a playoff game, and if you’re Georgia and you haven’t played for a national title since 1982, you’ll take that matchup and glad.
