The sequel is never as good as the original, or at least that\u2019s what they say.<\/p>\n
In what felt like d\u00e9j\u00e0 vu of last year\u2019s 2016 National Championship, the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Clemson Tigers battled in one of the greatest games of all time.\u00a0 Through four quarters of gridiron combat, final second heroics, and the memory of last year\u2019s anguish, Clemson rewrote the ending of last year\u2019s title game; defeating the best to become the best.<\/p>\n
Last year\u2019s College Football Playoff National Championship saw the Crimson in jubilation, while players in orange were helped off the field with tears in their eyes; those images were ingrained in the minds of this Clemson team.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll be back,\u201d said\u00a0Dabo Swinney<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0following last year\u2019s 45-40 loss last season. \u201cIt\u2019s been 34 years since we\u2019ve had an opportunity, but it won\u2019t be 34 years before we get back here.\u201d<\/p>\n Just 363 days later,\u00a0Dabo Swinney and his Tigers were back; determined to re-write their story. The Tigers were led by quarterback Deshaun Watson<\/a><\/strong>, who threw for 420 yards despite facing an Alabama defense argued to be the best in its programs\u2019 history.<\/p>\n Overcoming two early turnovers and an Alabama blitz at the end of the game that looked to all but hand Alabama the trophy, the Tigers remained.<\/p>\n With just under two minutes left, the Tigers trailed by three points. With the ball at their own 32-yard line, Watson led a commanding drive under center. Just nine plays later, the Tiger\u2019s advanced 68 yards with just one single second left on the game clock. There is no doubt that in that final second, images of last year\u2019s title game raced through the minds of Dabo Swinney and his players; a victory so close in sight, yet kept out of reach.\u00a0 With a snap and the clock at 0:00, Deshaun Watson connected with former walk-on Hunter Renfrow<\/a><\/strong> for a two-yard touchdown to win the Tigers’ their first National Championship since 1981.<\/p>\n \u201cYou can\u2019t make it up, man,\u201d Dabo Swinney said with tears in his eyes following the game.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m speechless right now, man,” said Watson. “We worked so hard for it. We fell short last year. This game is not just for me, it\u2019s for all the alumni, the fans, my family in Gainesville.”<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s been 35 long years. Clemson, y\u2019all been waiting 35 years. It\u2019s finally coming home, baby!\u00a0 It\u2019s coming home!\u201d said linebacker Ben Boulware<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n Entering Monday\u2019s title game, Alabama\u2019s Nick Saban<\/strong> was undefeated while playing in national championship games. After Clemson gained the lead, the Tide took it back with less than three minutes to play. Clemson, with its season and heart on the line for the second year in a row, moved down the field against the best defense in college football, coached by the greatest coach in college football, to re-write their story and win it all.<\/p>\n In sports, that’s the definition of greatness. And now, \u201cthe tide has changed\u201d and the Clemson Tigers are on top.<\/p>\n Main Photo<\/p>\n