Truth revealed last night...

[MovingZen]

Clemson lost that game more than bama won. The blown coverages and special teams play lost it for them.

Yeah. If Clemson could of had half decent coverage that game would not of even been close. It didn't help that for some reason the refs refused to call PI or block in the back against Alabama.

Exactly, you can tell who they wanted to win. Clemsons dline was held for majority of the night

Looked like some holding dead in the middle of the field on the td return also. Throw in the clock operator and call it a wrap. Clemson shot themselves in the foot.

 

[DC Dog Nuts]

The SEC's best versus the ACC's best showed the country the talent gap is not as vast as ESPN and all the SEC sycophants spew. It was really impressive seeing Bama being beat in the trenches.

Clemson had that game won but mistakes and a key player injured swayed the game in Bama's favor. But that's football. The best team doesn't always win. Last night, Clemson was the better team and everyone, whether they admit or not, knows it.

It's not the talent at the top, it's the depth of talent from top to bottom.

Who gives a fck about the bottom? Only redneck retards who chant "SEC! SEC!" care about comparing the worst teams in a conference to the worst teams in another conference. They're losers trying to gravy train winners. **** at the bottom is **** at the bottom.

It does matter when you are talking about making your way to the final four. If you have to play teams that are of better quality in your league even though they are at the bottom of your division then it should be taken in account. Teams that go through the ACC Coastal shouldn't get the same look as those that come from the SEC West when they have similar records and spots are limited. It doesn't mean that the team from the lesser division or conference isn't as good, but playing in a better league should matter when you are deciding who gets in and who doesn't.

It has nothing to do with conference pride. The SEC has better talent from top to bottom and that should matter.

 

[stormsurge]

Injuries and a suspension really caught up with Clemson last night. They were out their top 2 wr hurt. And losing alexander i think really hurt their pass coverage last night and helped result in bama big plays. They just didnt have the necessary depth to take those hits. They needed to thread the needle last night given this and nearly did it.

 

[can4life]

Im just glade we have a playoff system in place for the past 2 years i been watching some real good college football games Great teams great depth, i don't like BAMA but i feel like they earned it and deserved to be the champs same goes for ohio state last year. I hope our coaches and our team took notes from that game last night .

 

[jruiz]

Hopefully coach kool will help us turn our Dline into something looking more like one of those teams

 

[jruiz]

But really it starts with recruiting, and not just having a couple of studs per class. You need truly elite players at all positions from top to bottom in every class

 

[OrangetieFatface]

Sample size not representative of the population.

Auburn vs Louisville was a more accurate example of the talent gap between the two conferences, which to your point isn't very large.

 

[Fightinibis]

The SEC's best versus the ACC's best showed the country the talent gap is not as vast as ESPN and all the SEC sycophants spew. It was really impressive seeing Bama being beat in the trenches.

Clemson had that game won but mistakes and a key player injured swayed the game in Bama's favor. But that's football. The best team doesn't always win. Last night, Clemson was the better team and everyone, whether they admit or not, knows it.

The most painful thing is how far we still remain from that level.

I didn't give Clemson the credit they deserved in the whoop *** over us. I still believe our kids, admitting it or not, put on a strike of sorts against the Folden regime and just quit.

I do wonder though, after watching Clemson play the best defense in the nation, how bad it would have been still even if we played to the Folden best. Could we have kept up on the scoreboard? I just don't see it. Clemson's defense is pretty bad *** and our was pathetic.

The scariest thought is the one probably closest to reality. Clemson was WAAAY out of our league in that game, regardless of how much "quitting" may help us (or me) feel better about the drubbing. Sure, they were obviously the best of the best in the ACC...but it was scary how close to the perceived SEC West caliber of excellence they were strength, depth and speed wise...and how far away we were from that mark.

Here's to Richt making big strides in trying to close the gap the next 2 years.

UM

 

[LatinCane]

3 blown coverages on three play by Clemson led to 21 Bama points. That kickoff return was unacceptable and the difference in the game.

 

[Brometheus]

3 blown coverages on three play by Clemson led to 21 Bama points. That kickoff return was unacceptable and the difference in the game.

What did Clemson was that injury to their #1 DB and the overall ****** Special Teams play. Those blown coverages were mind boggling.

 

[Connecticane88]

What are you guys talking about. We need stud walk on wrs like clemsons. Abused 5 star cb all night

 

[canesrdynamite]

That Bama TE was fast as isht. The td on the swing pass was all him.

Even with that and all the busted coverages and Clemson still would've won if they didn't get dominated in the kicking game.

 

[calinative umstudent]

The ACC has never actually been far off from the SEC at producing talented players. The ACC consistently ranks 2nd or so in the amount of NFL players drafted.

 

[NJshoreCane]

What I saw was that Clemson had the most talented player on the field and without him Bama wins easy. Take Deshaun Watson away from Clemson and they don't stand a chance. On the flip side, there wasn't really one player you could say the same about with Alabama.

OJ Howard???

 

[NJshoreCane]

That Bama TE was fast as isht. The td on the swing pass was all him.

Even with that and all the busted coverages and Clemson still would've won if they didn't get dominated in the kicking game.

That just about wraps it up.
Take away just one of those ST plays.
KO returns for TDs are always back-breakers, but i think i'd take away the onside kick with the extra possession and momentum that gave Bama.

 

[Tad Footeball]

Last night the better team may not have won, but the better coach did.

If we look at last night in a vacuum - the better special teams coach was all that won that game. Any other assessment is bringing career resumes into the evaluation. Saban (and Smart) had ample time to prepare for Watson and were completely ineffectual in stopping him at all. In fact, Watson's INT toward the end of the first half- something that very well may have turned the game- was an unforced error. Very easily could have been a 14 pt swing right there with Clemson getting the ball back to start the second half too. Not to mention the refs ******** Clemson out of time right before that missed FG attempt. Oh wait, this is college football. We're supposed to stop the clock on a 1st down.....

 

[Awsi Dooger]

The ACC has never actually been far off from the SEC at producing talented players. The ACC consistently ranks 2nd or so in the amount of NFL players drafted.

Very true. The Pac 12 is extremely talented also. I always root for a title game matchup involving those three conferences. Auburn vs. Oregon came down to the final seconds, as did Florida State vs. Auburn. Last night was obviously tight.

This wasn't one of Saban's best teams. That's the pathetic aspect. He's got so much depth and such a natural advantage with that dominant defensive front wall that he was able to sneak away with another championship despite a journeyman quarterback and youthful secondary. The right tackle looked awful but overall the pass blocking was very good all season and the run blocking was terrific.

Ohio State was the most talented team in the country. That will be glaring once the NFL draft shows up. In the 45+ seasons I've followed this sport I've never a team as talented and well coached as Ohio State have the #7 ranking attached to it entering the bowl game. Preposterous, but enabled by Urban Meyer's astonishingly ignorant quarterback switch from a rare talent like Cardale Jones to J.T. "Little Game" Barrett.

Every Alabama player looks like what I want the Canes to look like. Wide bodied and rippled. Straining the uniform with muscle. That's why it's so laughable when posters here Happy Adjust our defensive line as one of the best in the country next year. Sure, we'll go from Michael Wyche on the roster one season to looking like Alabama next year, despite missing out on the top defensive tackle prospects year after year. Nobody wants to accept how far away we really are, that in college football there are distinct levels of talent, unlike the evenly matched pros, and that college games that look competitive entering the game turn into massive routs. Oregon last season would have run us off the field, and did run Florida State off the field, yet was obliterated by Ohio State.

The Alexander injury definitely hurt. This is the second straight football title game that was heavily impacted by a defensive back who was forced out of the game. The Patriots picked on Barry Lane's replacement in the Super Bowl last season with Julian Edelman. Once Alexander was out the replacement played passive. They actually allowed a third down screen to work near the goal line. Third down screens had their typical joke percentage of success throughout the bowl season but this one worked. Then the flair pass to the tight end was allowed to turn upfield, for the dagger. Clemson in general does not attack enough on the perimeter. It only expanded in that direction once Alexander was out.

I defy anyone to watch that game from scratch and pick out Derrick Henry as the Heisman winner. That's how talented those teams are. Meanwhile, we are adjusting and losing to Washington State.

One aspect stuck out to me -- Alabama scored 24 points in the fourth quarter. For all the Canes dominant talent and 5 titles, our offense was so terrible in bowl games with the title on the line that our resume is not close to what it should be. That 24 points is more than Miami scored in all of these games with the championship at stake:

*1985 vs Tennessee 7 points
*1986 vs Penn State 10 points
*1987 vs Oklahoma 20 points
*1991 vs Nebraska 22 points
*1992 vs Alabama 13 points
*2002 vs Ohio State 17 points (pre overtime)

 

[edge]

The last TD was not a blown coverage. It was a blown tackle behind the LOS. The player that blew the tackle replaced Alexander. Alexander makes that tackle all day and hold Bama to 3rd and long. Now that would have been interesting to watch.

 

[INCaneFan]

Clemson lost that game more than bama won. The blown coverages and special teams play lost it for them.

Yeah. If Clemson could of had half decent coverage that game would not of even been close. It didn't help that for some reason the refs refused to call PI or block in the back against Alabama.

Exactly, you can tell who they wanted to win. Clemsons dline was held for majority of the night

Jesus, please. The better team won, the team that made more plays, and the team with the better coach. Even with Watson having a historic night, they still lost. It wasn't because the refs or even one player getting injured. Football is a team sport and again, the better team won. That doesn't mean Clemson wasn't in the game or didn't have a chance to win it, but in the end Bama did. Both teams can hold their head high today.

 

[brock]

Clemson lost that game more than bama won. The blown coverages and special teams play lost it for them.

Yeah. If Clemson could of had half decent coverage that game would not of even been close. It didn't help that for some reason the refs refused to call PI or block in the back against Alabama.

Exactly, you can tell who they wanted to win. Clemsons dline was held for majority of the night

Jesus, please. The better team won, the team that made more plays, and the team with the better coach. Even with Watson having a historic night, they still lost. It wasn't because the refs or even one player getting injured. Football is a team sport and again, the better team won. That doesn't mean Clemson wasn't in the game or didn't have a chance to win it, but in the end Bama did. Both teams can hold their head high today.

Clemson should have won that, if not for the busted coverages on oh Howard who was wide open every time because of bad db play Clemson would have won that game easily as well as bad special teams play.