Alabama beats Clemson 45-40 for national championship
GLENDALE, Ariz. | History favors the bold.
It is remembered for the dramatic.
The University of Alabama bested gritty and determined Clemson 45-40 on Monday night, giving the Crimson Tide its fourth national title in the last seven years, extending a dynasty of domination of college football.
Alabama's 16th national championship had the boldest of decisions and all the drama that a crowd of 75,765 could stand.
It was head coach Nick Saban's bold call that turned the contest in UA's favor after Adam Griffith's 33-yard field goal with 10:30 to go tied the score at 24-all, electing to go for a surprise onside kick. Griffith booted it over a surprised Clemson front line, and Marlon Humphrey ran under it and caught the ball like a receiver running a pass pattern.
"It was a tie game. I thought we needed to do something to change the momentum, and that certainly did," Saban said.
Two plays later, Jake Coker heaved a 51-yard touchdown pass to tight end O.J. Howard, Alabama's unexpected star, for a 31-24 lead.
Alabama fans in University of Phoenix Stadium began to cheer as if the matter was decided, but Clemson (14-1) wasn't done.
Heisman Trophy finalist Deshaun Watson led the Tigers right down the field, but Alabama's defense made a crucial stop to hold Clemson to a field goal that cut UA's lead to 31-27.
That set the stage for the dramatic, and Kenyan Drake supplied it with a flourish. He returned the ensuing kickoff 95 yards, diving to reach the goal-line pylon for a touchdown that put UA up 38-27 midway through the final period.
But even the 11-point lead wasn't safe. Watson, who finished with 405 passing yards, completing 30 of 47 attempts with four touchdowns and one interception to go with 73 rushing yards on 20 carries, took Clemson back for a quick score, hitting Artavis Scott for a 15-yard touchdown. A two-point try failed, leaving Alabama up 38-33 with 4:40 still to go.
All that remained for the Crimson Tide was to run out the clock, but that's not how it played out. A less bold decision turned into yet more drama when UA elected to pass on second-and-12. Coker flipped a short toss to Howard, who galloped 63 yards to the Clemson 14. Derrick Henry, the Heisman Trophy winner, finally pushed it across the goal line six plays later with just over a minute to go.
Clemson gave itself a final chance, with Watson passing for another score, this one 24 yards to tight end Jordan Leggett with 12 seconds still remaining. A failed onside kick left Alabama with the victory.
Howard, who hadn't caught a touchdown pass in two seasons, had five receptions for 208 yards and two scores to be named the game's offensive most valuable player.
"I knew I had a chance to make plays tonight," he said.
Coker was good on 16 of 25 attempts for a career-best 335 yards and two scores. Henry gained 158 yards on 36 attempts.
"We came in prepared and got the job done," Coker said.
Howard made his first big strike early in the third quarter after the first half ended in a tie. He ran wide open on a busted coverage and hauled in a 53-years touchdown reception to give Alabama a 21-14 lead.
The Tigers, however, weren't daunted by an Alabama defense that was ranked tops in the land coming into the title game. Clemson drove to a field goal to cut that lead, and took a 24-21 lead on Wayne Gallman's 1-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter.
Alabama, which finished 14-1 with a 12-game winning streak after a September loss to Ole Miss, tied things up with Griffith's field goal in the final period, setting the stage for the onside kick and all the fireworks that followed.
"At least the nation saw tonight the heart of our team," Clemson coach Dabo Swinney, a former UA player and assistant coach, said. "I'm just proud of our team because they kept playing, kept fighting, all the way to the end.
"This is a great experience for our team against a team that represents the best."
The first half was a duel between Alabama's Heisman Trophy winner and Clemson's finalist for college football's biggest prize, Watson.
Henry scored on runs of 50 and 1 yard and Watson passed to Hunter Renfrow for touchdowns of 30 and 11 yards, and the half ended tied at 14.
Alabama took a 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter when Henry burst through a huge hold for a 50-yard touchdown run.
By intermission Henry had 128 yards on 20 carries and Watson had thrown for 162 yards and rushed for 45 more.
Eddie Jackson intercepted a pass and was named the game's defensive MVP.
Reach Tommy Deas at tommy@tuscaloosanews.com or at 205-722-0224.
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