Postgame analysis of Alabama's 44-16 loss to Clemson in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game:
THREE THINGS WORTH TALKING ABOUT
Ross shines against homestate school
Alabama wanted wide receiver Justyn Ross when was at Central-Phenix City.
The Crimson Tide coaches didn’t get him. Now, they wished they had. Ross caught six passes for 153 yards and a 74-yard touchdown with several acrobatic receptions in the middle of the field and on the sideline.
No one in Alabama’s secondary could stay with him the entire game.
True freshman quarterbacks
Monday marked the third straight national title game in which one of the two teams started a true freshman quarterback.
Two years ago, it was Jalen Hurts for the Crimson Tide. Last year, it Georgia’s Jake Fromm against Alabama. On Monday, Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence directed the Tigers after starting 11 games this season.
All three were hoping to become the first freshman starting quarterback to lead his team to a national championship since Oklahoma’s Jamelle Holieway in 1985.
Only Lawrence was successful. He completed 19 of 31 passes for 347 yards and three touchdowns in Clemson's 44-16 victory.
Pierschbacher's historic legacy
When center Ross Pierschbacher opened the game for the Crimson Tide by snapping the ball to Tua Tagovailoa, he made history.
Pierschbacher, the native Iowan, started for Alabama in four straight national championship games — a 45-40 win over Clemson in 2016, a 35-31 loss to Clemson in 2017, a 26-23 win in overtime over Georgia in 2018 and Monday’s third title game with the Tigers.
He started his first three seasons at left guard before switching positions this year. He’s believed to be the only player in college football history to start in four straight title games. He was a redshirt freshman when Alabama lost to Ohio State in the college football playoff semifinals in the Sugar Bowl in 2015.
Fellow captains running back Damien Harris, tight end Hale Hentges and linebacker Christian Miller all played in the last three title games, though none were among the 22 starters each season. Monday’s game marked Pierschbacher’s 57th collegiate start.
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Rushing offense — A: Damien Harris ran up the middle, Najee Harris found room wide and Josh Jacobs showed plenty of moves in a great rushing performance against nation’s second-ranked rushing defense.
Rushing defense — C: Travis Etienne rumbled for a 17-yard touchdown in the first quarter, breaking several tackles along the way, and a one-yard score in the second quarter as the Clemson ran it down Alabama's throat to end the game.
Passing offense — D: Tua Tagovailoa threw pick-six and another interception into triple coverage. He counteracted that with touchdown passes to Jerry Jeudy and Hale Hentges, but the damage was done.
Passing defense — F: The Tide allowed a 62-yard play on third-and-14 that set up Clemson’s second touchdown when Trevor Lawrence was struggling. The Tide put no pressure in him, even while blitzing.
Special teams — F: Joseph Bulovas missed his sixth extra point after Alabama’s second touchdown (the team’s ninth missed extra point this season) and kicked off out of bounds. Tide also botched fake field goal attempt.
Coaching — D: Nick Saban decided to go for it several times on fourth down, including on their own 29-yard line. And, what about the fake field goal? It was pure desperation that had no chance to succeed.
Overall — D: Live with your star and die with your star. Tagovailoa threw two interceptions, one returned for a touchdown and one into triple coverage that set up another score. That’s tough to overcome.
This article originally ran on annistonstar.com .
