Alabama and Clemson got together for a rematch of last years National Championship, this time in Tampa, FL. And this time we were treated to another classic showdown.
After taking a 14-0 lead in the first quarter, it was looking like the Crimson Tide would run over the Tigers and easily win back-to-back national titles. The defense was suffocating and ferocious, the Bama ground game was eating up chunk yards, including 2 first half TDs from RB Bo Scarbrough, and Clemson’s star QB Deshaun Watson looked timid and off of his game. Bama got 2 first half turnovers, but was unable to convert them into TDs. Not being able to take over the game, proved costly as Watson and the Clemson offense finally got on track and scored before halftime.
The 2nd half turned into sheer classic drama. Bama got a huge score from last year’s championship hero, O.J. Howard, on a 68 yard reception from Jalen Hurts. Then the Bama offense went dormant, as Clemson began to pick up the pace. Not sure if it was by design or simply a case where Clemson’s defense got stingier, but the Bama offense could do nothing. Was it the fact that the moment maybe proved to be too big for Bama’s freshman QB Hurts? Or was it the fact that newly anointed OC Steve Sarkisian was entering his first game as the play caller? I think it was a bad time to make that kind of switch before the biggest game of the year.
Scarbrough got hurt, Hurts couldn’t complete any passes, and Clemson had the momentum, taking their first lead of the game at 28-24 with about 3:30 left to play. Bama was able to march down and snatch the lead back with a 30 yard scamper by Hurts, but there were 2 minutes left on the clock, plenty of time for Watson to pull off the unthinkable against the might Crimson Tide.
In what can only be called epic, Watson marched the Tigers down the field, methodically picking apart the vaunted Bama defense. Clemson could taste victory, and Bama was reeling. With 1 sec left on the clock Watson throws the winning TD to his favorite receiver.
After 36 years, the college football national championship returns to Clemson, SC. Many of those who watched didn’t really have a dog in the fight, many believed that this would simply be a coronation for Alabama, and expected Nick Saban to tie the great Bear Bryant with his 6th national title as a head coach. But I think Saban’s cockiness came front and center. After having Lane Kiffin as his OC for the past 3 seasons, Kiffin was relieved of his duties after the semi-final game against Washington, and told to move on to his job as the new head coach at Florida Atlantic University. A strange move, but who’s to question Saban, who has one of the most successful programs in the country over the last several years.
Even though Sarkisian had been part of the staff all season, you don’t change play callers the week before the big game. Saban thought that he could win this game with defense, and he almost did. But when you’re on the field for 90+ plays, even the best get tired.
