“If I get a chance to play in a national championship game”, he said in the tweet, “Imma go ham”.
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The exciting matchup between the ACC and SEC champions featured a number of big plays and a gutsy onside-kick call and recovery that changed the entire game. The teams combined to score 40 points in the fourth quarter and 57 in a wild second half.
“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. The Tide will have to reload at the quarterback position and maybe at running back, if Heisman Trophy victor Derrick Henry declares for the National Football League draft, and could lose its majority of defensive starters. Alabama’s Jake Coker celebrates after the NCAA college football playoff championship game against Clemson, Monday, Jan. 11, 2016, in Glendale, Ariz.
Alabama won its 16th national championship thanks to incredible special teams play and the reemergence of stars who spent most of the 2015 season in the shadows. “I owe them our best as coaches and people who can support them to give them the best opportunity to be successful in the next challenge that they have”. Key play: Adam Griffith’s flawless onside kick that stole the momentum and set up the win. Their quarterback, Deshaun Watson is considered a victor although his team didn’t win.
Saban, without any question, is the greatest college football coach of all time because he has won four national titles in seven years, creating the best dynasty college football has ever seen. Alabama had the lead now and would never give it back.
“We want to be a program that is competing at this level on a consistent basis and I think to do that, you’ve got to be a top-10, top-15 type program year in and year out”, Swinney said.
In October, Scarbrough finally lined up in the backfield, and he gained five yards on his first two career carries against Georgia. Even though the Tigers lost to Alabama, Watson still showed himself to be a superstar, with 400 yards passing and four touchdowns to go with 73 rushing yards in the title game. O.J. Howard hauled it in – again with no one around – for a 51-yard touchdown that put Alabama ahead to stay. The Fighting Irish were rarely challenged during their dominating run, going four straight seasons without losing a game. That depth could be tested because All-America defensive end Shaq Lawson sprained his knee against Oklahoma and missed most of the Orange Bowl.
“I am concerned about how does a playoff and a bowl system co-exist”, Saban said.
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Alabama tied the game after safety Eddie Jackson’s interception at the Clemson 42.
