Alabama beat Clemson in a College Football Playoff semifinal Monday night, this time without all that drama.
Two third-quarter interceptions resulted in a pair of touchdowns for the Crimson Tide, whose 24-6 Sugar Bowl victory in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome avenged a national championship loss to Clemson last season in Tampa, Fla.
Alabama and Clemson split a pair of national title-deciding games over the last two seasons, with fourth-quarter lead changes in both drama-filled games.
There was no such drama this time. Alabama defensive lineman Da'Ron Payne's interception in the third quarter set him up for another chance to touch the ball, this time when the 6-foot-2, 308-pound defensive lineman lined up in the backfield on first-and-goal from the 1 and caught a touchdown pass from Jalen Hurts.