Analysis: Clemson finally joins the elite

The sequel ended up being just as compelling as the original.

Only this time, elation erupted from Clemson’s sideline. It was relief from a title drought that dated back to 1981; it was the joy of finally finishing what they set out to achieve last season, and it was sweet vindication for players like Deshaun Watson who showed tremendous courage and poise in helping the Tigers beat Alabama 35-31.

In many ways, the game mirrored Clemson’s journey this season.

The Tigers started slow, punting on three of their first five drives. Watson couldn’t establish any rhythm as he was startled by a hellacious Alabama defense that played with reckless aggression. Even Clemson’s defense struggled, giving up two runs of 20 yards or more on their first series, including Bo Scarbrough’s 25-yard gallop for a touchdown.

Much as they had throughout the season, the Tigers calmed down as the game progressed. They gained momentum on both sides of the ball. The offense, through Watson’s accuracy and improvisation, used a fast attack to wear down the Crimson Tide's defense.

The Tigers ran 99 plays on offense, the most a team has ever run against the Crimson Tide. Considering that they scored on their last two possessions, it indicated they were dictating tempo and a gassed Alabama defense was trying to keep up.

Additionally, it was the play of Clemson’s wide receivers like Mike Williams, Deon Cain, and Hunter Renfrow, along with tight end Jordan Leggett that gave the Tigers the edge down the stretch. The four players combined for 375 yards and three touchdowns.

Meanwhile, the Tigers’ defense came up with big stops to prevent Alabama from establishing sustained drives as the game developed. The Crimson Tide started the contest converting two of their first three third-down attempts. For the rest of the game, they failed to convert another.

The development of Clemson’s third-down defense illustrated how mentally tough this team is. They achieved the pinnacle in college football by dominating the third-down battles against the Crimson Tide, who were not used to trailing late in games this season, let alone failing to establish drives on a consistent basis.

By doing so, Clemson is now at the top - a place that’s been within its grasp for so long. Dabo Swinney joins the likes of Urban Meyer and Nick Saban in hoisting up the College Football Playoff title trophy, solidifying himself as arguably the only coach with a program that currently can compete and beat Alabama on a regular basis.

The journey to this point was fraught with uneven play at times, nail-biting finishes, and doubts that they could do what no team had done. However, Swinney believed Clemson was the only squad capable of dethroning Alabama, and it was the conviction he carried with that statement that fueled the team through a slow start, third-down battles, and a back-and-forth final quarter. When the pressure was on, the players relied on the confidence that got them to the title game in the first place. This time around, they were not going to be deterred, and Swinney sounded the death knell for "Clemsoning" once and for all.