Alabama dominates Clemson in Sugar Bowl

The rubber match of the Alabama-Clemson trilogy was a total dud compared to the teams’ previous two meetings.

Except to the Crimson Tide defence, which will remember it as a thing of beauty.

In a game where every yard was a struggle, the ‘Bama defenders took matters into their own hands, scoring a pair of touchdowns just 13 seconds apart in the third quarter to turn an offensive slog into a 24-6 rout of defending national champion Clemson in the Sugar Bowl semifinal game Monday night.

It was quite a contrast to their last two meetings, both highscoring classics with the national title on the line, not to mention the Rose Bowl semifinal that preceded it. Georgia knocked off Oklahoma 54-48 in a doubleovertime thriller that wasn’t decided until the Alabama was on its second possession in the Big Easy.

There would be no drama in the nightcap. With Deshaun Watson off to the NFL, top-ranked Clemson (12-2) simply had no answer for Nick Saban’s latest group of defensive standouts. The Crimson Tide’s win set up an all-Southeastern Conference showdown for the national title — with Saban matched against his former defensive co-ordinator, Georgia coach Kirby Smart.

Clemson was fortunate to be down only 10-3 at halftime against the fourth-ranked Tide (121), and actually closed the gap with a field goal after Jalen Hurts fumbled on the first play of the second half.

But any thoughts of a Tiger rally were snuffed out by the time the third quarter was done.

It began with 308pound defensive tackle Da’Ron Payne picking off a wobbly pass, the ball fluttering through the air after besieged Clemson quarterback Kelly Bryant was hit as a threw — a familiar sight on this night.