Last year in the one of the College Football Playoff Semi-Final games, Clemson lost to Alabama 24-6 and the offense struggled under Kelly Bryant who had to replace the legendary Deshaun Watson who the season before led Clemson to a National Championship in thrilling fashion against Alabama. Clemson going into the season had a quarterback competition between Kelly Bryant who led Clemson to the College Football Playoff during the 2017 season or Freshman sensation Quarterback Trevor Lawrence who many consider a once in a generation talent. After four games were played Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney decided to go with freshman superstar quarterback Trevor Lawrence the rest of the season and boy did that decision payoff on Monday Night in the National Championship Game in Santa Clara as Clemson dominated Alabama 44-16 to finish the season 15-0. The last college football team to do that was Penn in 1897. I personally think this is the best team in College Football I have ever seen since probably the 2001 Miami Hurricanes who were loaded with so much talent and blew out everyone on their schedule which led to a National Championship.Trevor Lawrence became the first true freshman quarterback to start and win a national championship since Jamelle Holieway of Oklahoma during the 85-86 season. Dabo just won his second national championship in 3 seasons while giving Nick Saban his worst loss ever as a head coach at Alabama. Both the Clemson and Alabama senior classes went 55-4 over a four stretch which is just amazing with each school winning two national championships during that time which is a College Football record for a senior class. Clemson beat both Notre Dame and Alabama in the College Football Playoff by a score of 77-19 which is mind boggling. Trevor Lawrence became the first true freshman quarterback to start and win a national championship since Jamelle Holieway of Oklahoma during the 85-86 season.
Going into the game on Monday night both the Tigers and Crimson Tide were 14-0. Everyone was wondering how true freshman quarterback Trevor Lawrence would do on the biggest stage in College Football and he played like a fifth year senior. I picked Clemson to win the game but I didn’t see this blowout coming. Clemson and Alabama were clearly the two best teams after Clemson routed Notre Dame 30-3 in the Cotton Bowl while Alabama won a shootout with Oklahoma 45-34 in the Orange Bowl setting up for the third time in four years the Tigers and the Tide playing each other for the National Championship and the fourth straight year they have played each other in the College Football Playoff. The Clemson and Alabama rivalry over the years has been a lot of fun even though the last two games, the one from Monday night and the 2018 Sugar Bowl weren’t thrilling finishes they still produced great games in the first two National Championship games during the 2015 and 2016 seasons.
Trevor Lawrence was simply amazing against Alabama going 20-32 for 347 yards with three touchdown passes and 0 interceptions while being sacked 0 times against the Alabama defense. I will say this though this wasn’t Nick Saban’s strongest defense in years past but Dabo, Trevor and Clemson were able to pick on the secondary which was the weak link most of the year for the Alabama defense even though the Alabama offense was so explosive all season long. Clemson superstar running back Travis Etienne scored three total touchdowns, two of them on the ground and one through on shovel pass from Lawrence as he had 86 yards rushing. Freshman stud receiver Justyn Ross a native of Alabama was amazing against both Notre Dame and Alabama in the College Football playoff. In the Cotton Bowl against Notre Dame Ross had six catches for 148 yards and two touchdowns. In the National Championship game against Alabama he picked up where he left off catching six passes for 174 yards and one touchdown. His 74 yard touchdown in the third quarter he made a great move on the Alabama corner and outraced everyone in the end zone. Ross also in the third quarter made two amazing one handed catches which were sick.
Most of the Clemson offense will be coming back next season and that’s so scary for defenses trying to stop them. I have never seen a Nick Saban team on the defensive side of the ball get dominated like that in a very long time. Meanwhile the Clemson defense made a very loud statement on Alabama Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa who all season long was dominating whatever defense he faced, but Monday was a different in Santa Clara at the National Championship Game. Remember in last season’s National Championship game he started the second half off the bench and made an amazing comeback to win against Georgia which got him going for the 2018 season. He did suffer an ankle injury in the SEC Championship game against Georgia and maybe that might of played a factor or he went up against a really good defense. Without a doubt for next season Trevor and Tua will be the top two candidates for the Heisman Trophy next season. On the game’s third play he threw a pick to A.J. Terrell who ran it back 44 yards for the games first score. Alabama did tie the game up on the next possession and at the end of the first quarter it Clemson up 14-13. After Alabama scored a field goal to up 16-14, Clemson finished the game on a 30-0 run.
One of the reasons I picked Clemson to win the National Championship this season was because of how strong that defensive line is. When I saw that Clelin Ferrell, Austin Bryant and Christian Wilkins were coming back on that scary defensive line with Junior Dexter Lawrence already on the starting defensive line for one more season I was like oh my gosh that’s probably the best defensive line I have ever seen in a very long time where they will give offenses big headaches, plus they got other studs on that defensive line like Freshman sensation Xavier Thomas at defensive end and Albert Huggins at defensive tackle who filled in nicely for Dexter Lawrence who didn’t play in the College Football Playoff because he and two other players on the Tigers failed a drug test. Clemson may of only sacked Tua twice but they were in his face all game long as he threw a season high two interceptions, he also threw two interceptions in the SEC Championship game against Georgia as well.
In the second half as Alabama was driving towards a touchdown in the red zone they came up empty handed three times. One of them was surprising fake field goal where the kicker was the lead blocker on the play for the holder who was the backup quarterback and Clemson stopped them stone cold. Another was on a fourth and goal play in the fourth quarter Clemson superstar defensive end Clelin Ferrell got through the Alabama offensive line and made the play on Tua for another fourth down stop. Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables called a great game where they limited Alabama to 4-13 on third down the while the Clemson offense was 10-15 on third down.
Dabo just won his second national championship in 3 seasons as Clemson is on it’s way towards a dynasty while giving Nick Saban his worst loss ever as a head coach at Alabama. Nick Saban at Alabama has won five National Championship in nine seasons which is incredible and he did win one at LSU during the 2003-04 season which was a split National Championship with USC that season. I still think Nick Saban is the best College Football head coach I have ever since but they just ran into a better Clemson team. In a heavyweight fight Clemson knocked off the defending champs and don’t be surprised if these two teams meet up again in another National Championship next season. I personally think Trevor Lawrence is the best Freshman Quarterback I have ever seen in all my years watching College Football and it’s scary that he has two more left of College ball.