MIAMI GARDENS, Florida – DeVonta Smith was indisputable, Najee Harris unstoppable and Mac Jones impeccable. With a performance that was 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 final game of a college football season in a pandemic, a season that was uncertain to play in the summer and full of interruptions in the fall, ended in the most predictable way: Alabama (13-0) as national champion for the sixth time in the last 12 years under coach Nick Saban.
For Saban, it was his 7th career title overall, breaking the tie with the great Alabama Paul “Bear” Bryant by a great college coach.
Ohio State (7-1) just couldn’t keep up. Justin Fields, playing what could be his last game before going to the NFL, went through 194 yards and a touchdown. Whether Fields was 100% after taking a brutal blow to the side during his brilliant performance in the semifinal against Clemson, it was difficult to know for sure.
In the Buckeyes’ first race, they lost star Trey Sermon due to an injury and in a game that needed to run at high speed, facing one of the great offenses of recent history, they gasped too much. The state of Ohio never allowed more points in a game of bowling.
Fans can debate which team in the Saban dynasty is the best, but none will be more memorable than this group. Tide ended up perfect during a season that could not have gone further, as COVID-19 forced teams to quarantine and endless tests and uncertainties every week, with games played in empty stadiums.
Only about 15,000 fans were at the Hard Rock Stadium, with a capacity of 65,326, to see the last magnificent performance of Smith’s college career.
The Heisman Trophy winner had receptions for 12 receptions for 215 yards and three touchdowns, all in the first half, when Crimson Tide shot to a 35-17 lead.
Using a series of wrong moves and orientations, offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian left Ohio state heads spinning around trying to locate Smith.
Sometimes it was simpler than that. On Smith’s third touchdown, he lined up in the slot, the closest to the line of three receivers on the left. Smith cut quickly to the middle of the field and was suddenly confronted with a linebacker, whom he left in the dust by a 42-yard score with 41 seconds remaining in the second quarter.
Smith, who ended his freshman season by taking the touchdown pass for Tua Tagovailoa’s 2017 national championship victory, ended his career in Alabama as the main career receiver in the history of the Southeast Conference. He was the offensive player in the Monday night game.
As for Sarkisian, he is on his way to Texas as a head coach. Longhorn fans must have liked what they saw of their new player. If only I could bring Smith and his fellow Heisman contenders to Austin.
Jones, who finished third in the Heisman poll, had 36 to 45 for a CFP championship record of 464 yards and five touchdowns, operating behind a line that rarely made him feel rushed. Harris had 158 yards of scrimmage in 29 touches, scoring three times to give him a SEC record of 30 touchdowns this season.
Smith hardly played in the second half, leaving that injury. He returned to the sideline in the fourth half with his left hand wrapped around his wrist, two fingers taped together and wearing a Heisman mask.
Alabama almost missed it and hit 50 at the start of the fourth period, when Harris came in untouched from the yard.
Smith and Harris surprised some by returning to college after the last season for their veteran years.
Dude, it ended up paying off. Together with Jones, another member of that 2017 recruiting class, they will leave Alabama as leaders of a team that has managed to make a hard march through the pandemic look easy.