Alabama Football Greatest Game
January 1, 2018 – Superdome vs. Clemson
The 2017 college football season, with two SEC teams in the College Football Playoff, triggered the national mania for a larger Playoff field. It could not have been unnoticed the two best teams again ended up in the National Championship game. But in parts of the college football world, that fact was purposely ignored.
The Alabama Crimson Tide had a ‘don’t waste a failure’ agenda in 2017. The last-second loss to Clemson the January before was a constant reminder of how bad coming up short felt.
Though not the defending National Champion, the Crimson Tide was No. 1 beginning in the season’s week one and going forward for 11 more weeks, heading into the Iron Bowl. An injury weakened Crimson Tide lost to the Tigers in Auburn. The loss only dropped the Tide to No. 4. That was good enough for the Playoff field, despite the wailing complaints of Ohio State.
Alabama Football had a score to settle with Clemson in the semi-final game.
The Crimson Tide defense was suffocating. Clemson generated just 188 yards of offense, leading to two field goals. The Crimson Tide offense was not exactly on fire either. It did enough, with Jalen Hurts throwing two touchdown passes. Defensive lineman, Da’Ron Payne intercepted a Clemson pass. Payne returned the interception 21 yards. The scoring play after the turnover was a pass from Jalen Hurts to Payne. Another Tide defender scored on an interception return by Mack Wilson.
There was no scoring after the third quarter. The Tide needed no more points. It would be unfair to say Clemson quit, but after the Mack Wilson touchdown pushed the lead to 24-6, the Tigers’ offense had to have known they could have played all night in the Superdome and never matched the Tide.