The 2015 college football season has only been over for one day, as Alabama took down Clemson in an instant class of a National Championship game, with a 45-40 win.
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Ultimately, the Crimson Tide refused to be beaten, prevailing over Clemson on the strength of several huge plays in that explosive fourth quarter, including a surprise – and gutsy – onside kick that will be mentioned whenever this game is talked about in the years to come.
“When you play players like (Watson), the whole team has to win”, Saban said.
In the fourth quarter after Alabama tied the game up at 24 Saban did the unthinkable, and kicked an onside kick that totally caught Clemson off guard.
“I think as long as he’s in Alabama, Alabama is going to be up at the top”, Coker said of his head coach. Although the game looked close, Heisman Trophy victor Derrick Henry plunged into an crowded end zone to take the game 45-33 Bama lead. Two plays later Jake connected with O.J. Howard for a 51-yard touchdown and 10 points in a 49 second span. Although Clemson answered with a 31-yard field goal two minutes later, Alabama’s Kenyan Drake scored a 95-yard touchdown off of Clemson’s kick off return to put Alabama up 38-27, with seven minutes left in the game. Sixty-three yards later Howard had Alabama at the Clemson 14-yard line setting up Henry’s game-clinching scored with 1:07 on the clock. Watson threw four touchdown passes, and Clemson recorded far more first downs (31) than Alabama (18).
Watson gave the Tide all it could handle, throwing for 405 yards and four touchdowns.
But Saban’s still taking a backseat to Bear Bryant, the former Alabama head coach who won six national titles in the ’60s and ’70s.
“It was a lot to stay in Dallas (for the semifinal) for a week, come back home for five days, and then come here for three or four days”, Alabama tight end O.J. Howard said. Even though this did not lead to a touchdown, it did lead Alabama deep into the Tigers’ territory. By the time it was over, the fans of both teams were exhausted, never mind the players.
“Words can’t really describe how I really feel right now”, he said. He made big play after big play. He finished the title game with five receptions for a game-high 208 receiving yards and two touchdowns, earning Offensive Player of the Game honors in the process.
Clemson, though, could not back up its quarterback.
Schlabach also pointed out that Clemson’s schedule appears “more manageable” than it was this season, though the Tigers will be tested with a road game against Florida State.
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Quarterback Deshaun Watson’s 24-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jordan Leggett with 12 seconds remaining brought Clemson to within a score, but the ensuing onside kick went out of bounds. And Saban, the quintessential CEO coach, showed he had a little riverboat gambler in him. And the Crimson Tide were simply too special.
