For Saban, it is his fifth national championship – four in his nine seasons at Alabama – leaving him only one short of Bryant. But with Alabama nabbing the title, its name is attached to a historic win for the school and its coach, Nick Saban.
Advertisement
Alabama scored 24 points in the final period and held on for a 45-40 win as the Crimson Tide captured their fourth national title in seven years.
Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson starred in the defeat, passing for 405 yards and four touchdowns and rushing for 73 yards. He called for a high-bouncing onside kick that Tide defensive Marlon Humphrey caught over the shoulder at midfield.
I thought that the crowd was incredible tonight.
Jackson and Howard are two of a number of draft-eligible Alabama juniors who had outstanding finishes, a group that includes Heisman victor Derrick Henry and defensive linemen A’Shawn Robinson and Jonathan Allen, among others. With 4:40 on the time clock, Clemson’s Artavis Scott caught a 15-yard touchdown pass from Watson.
Even at that, Alabama had to recover an onside kick after Watson’s fourth touchdown pass with 12 seconds remaining before it could celebrate its first championship since 2012. The Tide players made it easy for their coach with the plays they pulled off. Let’s take a look at a few of the biggest Alabama national championship highlights from the night.
In a game that had five lead changes, special teams proved to be the X-factor. The Tigers’ decision to attempt an on-side kick indefinitely set the mood for the rest of the night and was most likely a decision the whole team wishes they could have taken back.
Watson, who finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting, had carried the Tigers (14-1) all season.
Alabama had never been challenged like this in a championship game under Saban.
“It was really, really hard after a long season for us to maintain the sore of intensity that we had, ” he said.
A year ago when Ohio State routed OR 42-20 to win the national championship, the Buckeyes emerged from the game feeling as if they wouldn’t have had enough left if there had been another round of the playoffs.
Clemson fans at least have something to hang their hat on, a consolation prize (if there is such a thing), as Watson, the Tigers’ dynamic quarterback, had a record 478 all-purpose yards which surpassed the previous record-holder Vince Young’s 467 yards. Drake dealt with hamstring issues early in the year and, just when he started to gain some momentum after a 100-plus all-purpose yard game against LSU on November 7, he broke his arm against Mississippi State the following week and missed the next two games.
Advertisement
Less than a minute later, Alabama took the lead with an easy pitch and catch touchdown from QB Jake Coker to OJ Howard thanks to broken coverage by the Clemson secondary. After this point, Clemson kicked their chances of a National Title away to Alabama. The lead went back and forth with the Tigers going ahead 31-27 with 1:19 left.
