Alabama Vs. Clemson For National Title, Who You Got?

31 Dec, 2015

Alabama didn’t need its Heisman winner to dismantle No. 3 Michigan State, 38-0, at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic Thursday night. Derrick Henry put an exclamation point on the end of a Bama beatdown, but it was the Tide’s other stars that shined in Texas, none brighter than quarterback Jake Coker.

The Spartans were determined not to let Alabama run through them Thursday night. So the Tide decided to go over them and around them instead. Coker threw for a season-high 286 yards, including two touchdown passes to Freshman All-America receiver Calvin Ridley.

Michigan State kept Coker on the run for much of the night, but every time the Spartan defenders got their hands on him the Alabama senior slipped free and completed another pass downfield. Coker kept the Tide’s offense ticking during the first three quarters before Cyrus Jones tore the game wide open with a 57-yard punt return touchdown that made the score 24-0 in the third quarter.

Alabama’s vaunted defensive line was as advertised – as massive and overwhelming as the video screen that hung above them at AT&T Stadium. The Spartans’ running back committee had negative-9 rushing yards at halftime and didn’t reach double digits until the fourth quarter.

After trailing at halftime, Clemson exploded with a monster second half to defeat Oklahoma 37-17 Thursday in a College Football Playoff semifinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl at Sun Life Stadium.

Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson threw for 187 yards, ran for another 145 and totaled three touchdowns, and the Tigers intercepted Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield twice to seal the win.

The Tigers will face either Alabama for the national championship Jan. 11.

ESPN

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