Frustrated again by a spread offense and a superstar dual-threat quarterback that kept Alabama on its heels most of the night, the Crimson Tide found a deep reserve of guts and guile in the fourth quarter at University of Phoenix Stadium, securing Alabama’s fourth championship in the last seven years.
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The Alabama coach took one of the biggest gambles of his career in the fourth quarter of Monday night’s national championship game against Clemson. For Nick Saban, it was his fifth national title overall and his fourth with the Tide.
Saban’s five ties Howard Jones, who saw most of his success in the 1920s and ’30s with USC, and Bernie Bierman, who won five with Minnesota in the ’30s and ’40s.
“‘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. Did team X win the game or did team Y lose it? Overnight ratings for the Alabama-Clemson game were down 15 percent from last season, according to the Sports Business Journal.
“The one thing I’ve always said is I’ve been a part of a team since I was 9 years old”, the 64-year-old Saban said Tuesday. “I told the players, ‘Look, hard practice, easy game”. J Howard had two long touchdown catches and had 208 total receiving yards. “Championship football is a game of a few plays, and that’s what this game came down to, just a few plays”, Swinney said. He destroyed a defense considered one of Saban’s all-time best, passing for 405 yards and four touchdowns and rushing for 73 yards.
“We’re a complete team”, said senior running back Kenyan Drake, whose 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown with 7 minutes 34 seconds to go in the game put Alabama up 38-27.
Henry scored twice, including on a 50-yard run, and Watson fired two pretty touchdown passes to freshman receiver Hunter Renfrow.
They’ll be back, too. Clemson scored on a pass from Watson to tight end Jordan Leggett with 12 seconds left, but Alabama recovered the onside kick. “It’s good to be an Alabama fan – of course, I still would be no matter what”, Shirley said, clutching a jersey and magazine that he hoped to get autographed.
Quarterback Jake Coker finished 16-for-25 for 235 yards.
Clemson will wait until game time to see if top cornerback Mackensie Alexander will play against Alabama.
Alabama had just made it 24-24 on an Adam Griffith field goal when Saban called for the onside kick, or “pop kick”, as he termed it.
The Tide finish 14-1, with the lone loss coming at home against MS on September 19.
“I think that changed the momentum of the game, and our guys finished it”, Saban said.
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DeShaun Watson and his Clemson Tigers did everything they needed to do to beat the mighty Alabama Crimson Tide, and it still was not enough.
