Shocker: Clemson Tigers rout Alabama Crimson Tide to win national championship
After one quarter of the College Football Playoff national championship game, Alabama had amassed 224 total yards. And a few seconds into the next quarter, the Crimson Tide would take their first lead in the game.
On came Clemson, like an avalanche, and the Tigers didn’t stop until it they had applied a 44-16 beatdown.
This was a stunning conclusion to the season, and it’s natural to wonder if it signals a changing of the guard in college football.
Clemson has now defeated the Crimson Tide twice in the past three years in championship games and Monday’s outcome squares their CFP series after four games.
Clearly, they’ve been the top-shelf programs of recent years, but this outcome was the most dominant.
Although both teams entered the game 14-0, Alabama was top-ranked and a 5 1/2-point favorite. Tigers coach Dabo Swinney contributed to the perception by characterizing his team as inferior to the Tide.
There was Alabama, Swinney said, and the “rest of y’all.”
But Clemson traded punches with Alabama early and pounded it late. The Tigers scored the game’s final 30 points to become the first team among modern major college football programs to finish 15-0. And Swinney may have revealed some true feelings afterward.
“I felt like we were the better team,” Swinney said.
Monday proved Clemson had a better available roster. The defensive line largely lived up to its reputation and the offense line played exceptionally well. Cornerback A.J. Terrell got things started with a pick-six less than two minutes in.
But the game will be remembered mostly for freshman quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
He was the high school star that everyone wanted but Clemson landed. But Lawrence didn’t start immediately. That came in late September, when he replaced Kelly Bryant, who transferred to Missouri.
Lawrence was steady and effective beyond his years, passing for 347 yards and three touchdowns Monday. He was at his best on third downs, completing his longest passes of 74 and 62 yards in obvious passing situations.
He became the first freshman quarterback to start and win a game that resulted in a national championship since Oklahoma wishbone specialist Jamelle Holieway in 1985.
Still, teams don’t blast Alabama like Clemson did. The losing margin was the worst for coach Nick Saban in his 12 years at Tuscaloosa. The 44 points allowed was the most since Oklahoma beat the Tide 45-31 in the 2014 Sugar Bowl.
Saban wasn’t interested in the broad perspective of defeat. Asked what he was thinking as the final minutes were ticking away and a lopsided loss became inevitable, the answer was dedication to the moment.
“Nothing going through my head except what could I do to help our team play better the next play,” Saban said.
Alabama has succeeded at a mind-boggling rate: five national championships in the last decade and ranked No 1 in more than half the polls during that time, that’s a dynasty.
And this season was statically among program’s greatest. Led by quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who came off the bench to win the national championship as a freshman last year, Alabama set a school record with 85 touchdowns.
But …
“Five words,” Tide safety Xavier McKinney said. “Good is not good enough.”
At Alabama, good had often been enough to get win a championship. Monday, the Crimson Tide fell as hard as they’ve fallen in years. The other side had the better team and players who delivered big moments.
The Crimson Tide? Mistake-prone. Tagovailoa tossed a pair of interceptions. The defense blew coverages. A fake field goal attempt failed.
These are the things that have happened to Alabama’s opponents for years. When they lost to Clemson and Deshaun Watson two years ago, the epic clash ended on the game’s final play.
This one was over much sooner. Less than a minute into the second quarter, Alabama kicked a field goal and didn’t score again.
Maybe it’s a one-off, a bad night for Alabama. But with two championships in three years with different quarterbacks, it looks more like a great night and a great future for Clemson.
This story was originally published January 7, 2019 at 10:59 PM.