Tide too much in earning sixth title in last 12 years

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — DeVonta Smith was uncoverable, Najee Harris unstoppable and Mac Jones impeccable. With a performance that was both surgical and explosive, No. 1 Alabama won the College Football Playoff national championship game 52- 24 against No. 3 Ohio State on Monday night.

The f inal game of a college football season in a pandemic, a season that was uncertain to be played in the summer and f illed with disruptions in the fall, ended in the most predictable fashion: Alabama ( 13- 0) as national champion for the sixth time in the last 12 years under coach Nick Saban.

For Saban, it was career title No. 7 overall, breaking a tie with Alabama great Paul “Bear” Bryant for the most by a major college coach.

“To me, this is the ultimate team,” Saban said. “There is more togetherness on this team than on almost any team we’ve ever had. They’ve had to overcome and to persevere so much through this season, and they have done it magnificently.”

Ohio State ( 7- 1) just couldn’t keep up. Justin Fields, playing what might be his last game before heading to the NFL, passed for 194 yards and a touchdown. Whether he was 100% after taking a brutal hit to the side in his brilliant semifinal performance against Clemson was hard to know for sure.

On the Buckeyes’ f irst drive, they lost star running back Trey Sermon to an injury, and in a game in which they needed to be running at top speed, facing one of the great offenses in recent history, they sputtered too much. Ohio State has never allowed more points in a bowl game.

“I think there’s a feeling of, if you don’t score you’re going to get behind and then the pressure mounts,” Buckeyes coach Ryan Day said.

Fans can debate which team in the Saban dynasty is best, but none will be more memorable than this group. The Tide f inished perfect during a season that could not have been further from it as COVID- 19 forced teams into quarantines and endless testing and uncertainty.

Only about 15,000 fans were at Hard Rock Stadium to see the last magnificent performance of Smith’s college career. The Heisman Trophy winner had 12 catches for 215 yards and three touchdowns, all in the f irst half as the Crimson Tide raced to a 35- 17 lead.

“Heaven knows what he would have done if he played the whole game,” Saban said.

Using an array of motions and misdirections, offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian had Ohio State heads spinning trying to track down Smith. Next for Sarkisian, he is on his way to Texas as head coach.

Jones was 36 for 45 for a CFP championship- record 464 yards and f ive touchdowns. Harris had 158 yards from scrimmage in 29 touches, scoring three times. Smith hardly played in the second half, leaving with an injury. He returned to the sideline in the fourth quarter with his right hand wrapped to the wrist, two f ingers taped together, and wearing a Heisman mask.

“People last year said the dynasty was over,” Smith said. “We don’t stop.”