The University of Alabama brought home its 16th national championship game on Monday night with a 45-40 slugfest victory over the Clemson Tiders in Glendale, Ariz. It's the fourth national title for the Crimson Tide since 2009 and the fifth for coach Nick Saban.
O.J. Howard, the rarely-used tight end, came up with his biggest game as a player with five receptions for 208 yards and two touchdown. Jake Coker delivered his biggest effort on the grandest stage, going 16-for-25 for 335 yards and two touchdowns, both to Howard.
Kenyan Drake provided some fireworks with a fourth-quarter kickoff return for a touchdown and Marlon Humphrey recovered an onside kick early in the fourth quarter to give the Crimson Tide the momentum it desperately needed against a tough Clemson team.