The rubber match between Alabama and Clemson turned into semi-mismatch Monday night. While Clemson’s defense basically gave a heroic effort limiting Alabama to 17 points despite the Tide starting the majority of their drives near midfield, the Tiger offense was a trainwreck.
From the gameplan that started too conservative and was a mess throughout, to the offensive line that got manhandled, to miscues by the wideouts, and Kelly Bryant as rattled as he’s been all year at QB, the Clemson offense never had a chance.
It was ugly game for Clemson. Alabama was better, and they earned it. There’s not much else to say about that.
Clemson isn’t going anywhere though. They will be back in the playoffs, and possibly as early as next year. Clemson is recruiting at such a high level, and at the moment they are the class of the ACC.
Nobody wins all the time. Not even college football’s standard Alabama. In 2014, remember they got run out of the stadium by Ohio State, and Clemson got their number last year.
In a season many felt would be a rebuilding one, Clemson still won the ACC and made the playoffs. That’s a great season for every team not named Alabama.
The Tigers return some strong pieces, like Dexter Lawrence along the defensive line, and most of their skill position players. The offense will need to be more explosive next year, but don’t think for a moment that the Clemson staff doesn’t recognize that.
Clemson for the foreseeable future will remain among the elite in college football, which at the moment is Alabama in a class of their own. Clemson running second and then Ohio State. No other program is among those three. Georgia may yet get there but has to sustain it over a few years, FSU has fallen back, and Oklahoma needs to win a playoff game at some point.
That’s where Clemson is at the moment, but Monday was tough to swallow – the Tide were just too good.
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