However, when you watch a game like we saw on Monday night from Alabama and Clemson, that one question always pops into your mind as you’re trying to process what you just consumed on the television: Was this the best college football game that we have ever seen contested for a National Championship? His long, college football journey has reached the ultimate high note.
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The loss of either could be a huge blow to Clemson’s national title hopes when it takes on Alabama at University of Phoenix Stadium.
It turned to fine trickery.
Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson explains how miscues and missed opportunities contributed in the loss to Alabama.
Undefeated Clemson has been the nation’s top-ranked football team for two months, but everyone keeps telling the Tigers they are underdogs. He directed a drive that ended on a field goal before giving Clemson its last lead of the game, 24-21, after directing a 60-yard touchdown drive. Kicker Adam Griffith, the 192-pound teammate of all the fleet 300-pound giants, executed an artful popup to the right side. This game was an instant classic – and it turned on maybe the boldest call of Saban’s career. “This was a great challenge for us and I’m so proud of how our players competed, especially in the second half”, Saban told ESPN after the game. Howard had 208 yards and two touchdowns in five receptions.
A game with several turns in it had seen another. Then there was the time late in the fourth quarter when Watson hit running back Wayne Gallman for 39 yards, which set up another Tigers’ touchdown a few plays later that put Clemson within five points.
As soon as Kenyan Drake broke to the left on a fourth-quarter kickoff return, ESPN announcer Chris Fowler knew something special was about to happen.
“Getting that onside kick did change the momentum of the game”, Saban said.
The Tide hit Clemson early with Henry, who scored the game’s first touchdown on a 50-yard burst through the middle.
The crowd of more than 75,000 settled back into its seats, eagerly anticipating what the response would be from Deshaun Watson and the Tigers.
Watson had two scoring passes to Hunter Renfrow in the opening half, the first coming as he sweetly dropped the ball into his receiver’s arms between two Alabama defenders. He made the game’s students think of Vince Young, the quarterback who, in possibly the sport’s greatest performance, ran for 200 and threw for 267 in Texas’ 41-38, national-title win over Southern California. That’s when he made a decision to call the play of the game.
“We stand toe to toe with everybody in the country”, Swinney said.
The quarterback from Gainesville, Ga., had shone as the third-place finisher in the Heisman Trophy voting, even as the Heisman victor, Derrick Henry, shone also, with 158 rushing yards on a hefty 36 carries.
In the 50th game matching the No. 1 vs. the No. 2 team, Alabama (14-1) outscored Clemson 24-16 in a frantic fourth quarter to win and earned all 61 first-place votes from the AP panel.
Title celebration: Alabama may have won its fourth national championship in seven seasons, but for the students in Tuscaloosa, the party never gets old.
Still – for Bama – it was yet another trip to the mountaintop, augmenting a college football history that is unparalleled in its success. Watson finished 30-for 44 and 405 yards with four touchdowns.
From the outset, the game was a showcase for Heisman victor Henry and Heisman finalist Watson. Eventually, when he escaped a thicket for 18 yards in the third quarter, he prompted Saban to hurl his headset in frustration.
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Moments later, Alabama took back the lead for good. Clemson safety Jayron Kearse, the man on the far left end of the Tigers’ return team, was prone to turning and running before the ball was kicked.
