TAMPA, Fla. - Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney entered Monday night's national championship game knowing that "Rocky II" had a different outcome than "Rocky I."
Tigers star quarterback Deshaun Watson delivered him an equally delightful Hollywood script.
Tweets by @DavidSPaschallWatson's 2-yard touchdown pass to Hunter Renfrow with one second remaining propelled Clemson to a thrilling 35-31 victory over Alabama before a record crowd of 74,512 at Raymond James Stadium and the program's first national crown since 1981. The Tigers lost a 45-40 shootout to the Crimson Tide in last January's title game in Arizona.
"It's a blessing, and it's surreal," Swinney said. "I told our team that the difference in this game would be the love that they have for each other. I knew they wouldn't quit.
"Eight years ago, we set out to put Clemson back on top. We came up a little short last year, but tonight, at the top of the mountain, that Clemson flag is flying."
Watson, a two-time Heisman Trophy finalist, guided the Tigers 68 yards in nine plays, completing a 24-yard pass to Mike Williams to Alabama's 39-yard line and a 17-yard pass to tight end Jordan Leggett that gave Clemson a first-and-goal at the 9. The Tigers got to the 2 when Alabama cornerback Anthony Averett was flagged for pass interference in the end zone.
"Everything was calm, and nobody panicked," Watson said. "I walked up to my offensive line and my receivers, and I said, 'Let's be legendary.' God put us here for a reason."
Said Swinney: "He didn't lose out on the Heisman. The Heisman lost out on him."
Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts had given the Crimson Tide a 31-28 lead on a 30-yard scramble with 2:01 remaining, countering Wayne Gallman's 1-yard touchdown run with 4:38 remaining that put the Tigers up 28-24.
Watson finished 36-of-56 passing for 420 yards and three touchdowns, with Renfrow collecting 10 catches for 92 yards and two touchdowns and Williams adding eight receptions for 94 yards and one score. Clemson racked up 511 total yards to 376 by Alabama and posted a 31-16 edge in first downs.
The Crimson Tide, who were denied a fifth national championship in eight seasons under coach Nick Saban, had just 131 passing yards, as Hurts went 13-of-31.
"They made the plays and we didn't," Saban said. "We could have done some things better, but I'm proud of the way our guys competed."
Alabama struggled for most of the second half offensively but took a 24-14 lead on a 68-yard touchdown pass from Hurts to O.J. Howard with 1:53 remaining in the third quarter. Howard, the MVP of last year's title game with 208 yards on five receptions, faked the look of a quick screen before racing behind a confused Clemson secondary.
The Crimson Tide played almost the last 20 minutes without tailback Bo Scarbrough, who was injured after amassing 93 yards on 16 carries.
"Not to have him was probably a little bit of a disadvantage for us," Saban said. "I was pleased with our other backs who had an opportunity in this game, Josh Jacobs and Damien Harris, but we always miss a guy who's Bo Scarbrough's size when we want to run the ball and take some time off the clock."
Alabama went three-and-out on the night's opening possession before Clemson took its first drive across midfield before a fourth-and-1 pitch to Gallman at the Crimson Tide 41 was stuffed by Tony Brown. The Crimson Tide got going on their second possession on a 20-yard scramble by Hurts down the right sideline to the Clemson 39-yard line and grabbed a 7-0 lead at the 9:23 mark of the first quarter on Bo Scarbrough's 25-yard run around left end.
Watson fumbled a low shotgun snap late in the first quarter that Alabama outside linebacker Ryan Anderson collected at Clemson's 35-yard line, but a false start on Cam Robinson and a 2-yard loss by Scarbrough resulted in the Tide having to punt.
ArDarius Stewart started Alabama's second touchdown drive with a 25-yard run to Clemson's 49-yard line early in the second quarter, with Scarbrough breaking loose moments later from 37 yards out to make it 14-0. The Tide appeared on the verge of breaking things open until Tigers receiver Deon Cain took a short Watson pass and weaved 43 yards to Alabama's 39.
Watson completed a third-and-10 pass for Leggett for 26 yards to the Alabama 13 and ran in for an 8-yard score to pull the Tigers within 14-7 with 6:09 before halftime. That would be the end of the first-half scoring, with the Tide holding the seven-point lead at the break but getting outgained 203-183.
Anderson struck again early in the second half, stripping Tigers tailback Gallman of the ball and returning the fumble to the Clemson 16. Alabama, as it did after Anderson's first fumble recovery, stalled and had to settle for a 27-yard Adam Griffith field goal and a 17-7 lead.
Clemson got within 17-14 at the 7:10 mark of the third quarter on a 24-yard touchdown pass from Watson to Renfrow. The Tigers pulled within 24-21 in the first minute of the fourth quarter on a 4-yard touchdown pass from Watson to Williams.
"This has been the most incredible team I've ever been around," Swinney said. "You saw their heart, and it's been there all year."
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.