Defense wins Sugar Bowl for Crimson Tide
touchdown pass to put the Tide ahead 17-6.
On Clemson’s next play, Kelly Bryant’s pass deflected off the hands of his receiver and was picked off by Mack Wilson, who returned it 18 yards for a clinching touchdown.
The stunning turn of events began with 308-pound defensive tackle Payne picking off a wobbly pass after Tiger quarterback Bryant was hit in the arm as he threw.
Payne rumbled 21 yards on the return, which included an impressive openfield move to make running back Travis Etienne miss, and drew a 15-yard personal foul penalty as Tremayne Anchrum yanked him down with a horse collar tackle.
After Alabama drove to first-and-goal at the Clemson 1, Payne re-entered the game — presumably to add another big body for blocking purposes.
But quarterback Jalen Hurts faked the handoff and Payne slipped open in the flat, hauling in the touchdown pass that gave the Tide a 17-6 lead.
Clemson had trimmed Alabama’s lead to 10-6 early in the third quarter thanks in part to a blunder by the Crimson Tide offense.
Alabama’s Hurts fumbled when he tried to pull the ball back after he’d started to hand off to Damien Harris. Clemson linebacker Kendall Joseph recovered on the Alabama 20.
However, Alabama’s defense forced Clemson backward five yards on the next three plays, and Clemson sent out kicker Alex Spence for a 42-yard field goal.
Alabama had largely dominated the first half, but Clemson’s defense managed to keep the semifinal a onescore game.
The Crimson Tide took a 10-0 lead in the first quarter, but was held scoreless in the second after a field goal try hit one of the uprights.
Clemson, meanwhile, cut into Alabama’s deficit with Spence’s 44-yard field goal in the second quarter.
Alabama had the ball for 18:34 during the half and outgained Clemson 182 yards to 73. The game’s first score came on Hurts’ 12-yard pass to Calvin Ridley.
Clemson finally produced some offense after being held to minus-7 yards in the first quarter. The Tigers picked up their initial first down on Bryant’s 20-yard scramble on third-and-12.
That seemed to spark Clemson, which drove to the Alabama 27 before the drive stalled out.
Spence connected on a 44yard field goal that cut the Crimson Tide’s lead to 10-3 with 10 minutes left in the first half.