No. 2 Alabama won its fourth national title in the past seven seasons, outlasting the dynamic play of Deshaun Watson and No. 1 Clemson in a 45-40 victory on Monday night in the College Football Playoff championship game.
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Alabama joins Notre Dame, which won four titles from 1943-49, as the only school since 1936 to win four national championships in five years.
Alabama head coach Nick Saban claps after a punt return during the first half of the NCAA college football playoff championship game against Clemson Monday, Jan. 11, 2016, in Glendale, Ariz.
With the score 24-24 and 10:34 remaining, the Tide’s Adam Griffith surprised the Tigers with an onside kick that was plucked out of the air by Marlon Humphrey. Howard had five catches for 208 yards and two touchdowns, his first scores since the 2013 season. The Tide pushed their lead to double digits on Kenyan Drake’s 95-yard kickoff return touchdown. Heisman Trophy victor Derrick Henry added three touchdowns and surpassed Shaun Alexander as Alabama’s career rushing leader.
Alabama coach Nick Saban was impressed, too.
The Tigers’ onside kick flew out of bounds and Bama kneeled to run out the clock.
Howard gashed the Tigers’ defense again with a 63-yard gain on a pass from Coker. It was Alabama’s sixth special teams touchdown this season, tied with Tennessee for most in the nation.
“There were times when as Jake was developing we were protecting sort of what we did, and I think that affected O.J. maybe a little bit in terms of what his projection was”, Saban said. Watson threw for four touchdowns and accounted for 478 yards of offense, the Tigers topping the Crimson Tide nearly everywhere but on the scoreboard. “He’s one of the best players in the country, he’s proved that all year and he proved that tonight, against one of the best defenses in the country”.
Watson gave the Tide all it could handle, throwing for 405 yards and four touchdowns, and conjuring up memories of Vince Young’s miraculous performance for Texas in the 2006 Rose Bowl that derailed Southern California’s dynasty.
While the Heisman victor didn’t exactly have his way with Clemson otherwise (at least by his standards), he did finish with 158 yards and three touchdowns on 36 carries.
“We try to emphasize with our players that if you’re a first-round draft pick, the business decision is you should go out for the draft”, Saban said on Tuesday. They kept shaking off Alabama’s big plays and came within an onside kick of hoisting a Hail Mary to win it. The Tigers also scored 40 points on the Tide without a takeaway. He responded to Alabama’s game-changing onside kick and seizure of the lead with a nerve-calming drive to set up a field goal.
“We made mistakes and they capitalized on our mistakes, ” Clemson safety Jayron Kearse said.
Alabama’s fireworks on offense were enough to offset a brilliant effort from Watson, who dazzled with his arm, his legs and dizzying improvisation skills. “A couple of those special teams plays were momentum plays”. He was the Offensive MVP and the key piece to a closely contested national title game.
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After Alabama’s Adan Griffith missed a 44-yard field-goal attempt, Clemson took over and Watson went to work.
