Alabama proves it belongs with dominating Allstate Sugar Bowl win over Clemson

NEW ORLEANS — It had the new-fangled name of the “College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl.”

But this New Year’s night in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome had the feel of a simple old-fashioned Sugar Bowl, the kind that helped make New Orleans one of the elite destinations for college football bowl games, that joined the SEC, the Sugar Bowl and eventually the Superdome.

First, this 84th edition of the Sugar Bowl had Alabama, the school that has participated in the most Sugar Bowls (16), and it had national-championship implications, as the winner would advance to play Georgia with an opportunity to become the 28th national champion to have played in the Sugar Bowl.

While fans waited for a kickoff that was delayed 11 minutes because of the length of the Rose Bowl, the first Sugar Bowl Hall of Fame class was introduced. It featured 12 historical figures from college football and those in attendance were Archie Manning, Tony Dorsett, Johnny Majors, Pepper Rodgers, Chuck Dicus and, much to the delight of the Crimson Tide fans — Major Ogilvie and coach Gene Stallings, both of whom were part of Alabama national championship teams that played in the Sugar Bowl.

And this year’s Crimson Tide did them proud, overwhelming defending national champion Clemson, 24-6, to advance to the title game next Monday.

The Alabama faithful had to be pleased with the way the defense shut down the Tigers running game (33 rushes, 64 yards), and forced two game-changing turnovers as well as the poise shown by sophomore quarterback Jalen Hurts, who completed 16-of-24 for 120 yards and two touchdowns.

Those performances no doubt brought back memories of Barry Krauss stuffing Penn State and Ken Stabler befuddling Nebraska.

Though Alabama’s ninth Sugar Bowl champion dominated its opponent, less than a month ago it was uncertain whether the Crimson Tide would even get into the four-team playoff after it failed to reach the SEC title game. A loss to Auburn in the regular-season finale gave the Tigers the West Division title and berth in the conference championship game where they lost to Georgia.

Meanwhile, Ohio State’s Big Ten championship gave the Buckeyes a resume worthy of consideration for the final spot, but ultimately the selection committee deemed the Tide more worthy.

On Monday night, the Tide proved its worthiness, building a 10-0 second-quarter lead before it surrendered a first down.

Clemson cut the lead to 10-3 at halftime and had a chance to tie early in the third quarter after recovering Hurts’ fumble at the Alabama 20. But the Tide defense pushed the Tigers back five yards and they settled for a field goal and a 10-6 deficit.

On Clemson’s next possession the Tigers were approaching field-goal range when the Tide defense turned the game for good.

Kelly Bryant was hit while trying to pass and the ball fell to defensive tackle Da’Ron Payne. He grabbed the ball for an interception and lumbered 21 yards and a personal-foul penalty on Clemson moved the ball to the Tigers 27.

Seven plays later, with the Tide facing second-and-goal from the 1, Davis re-entered the game, presumably as blocker, but he rolled into the right flat and snared a Hurts pass for a touchdown.

“After he made the interception,” Alabama coach Nick Saban said, “there was no doubt we were going to throw him the ball on the goal line.”

On the first play of the ensuing possession, another Bryant pass was tipped and the ball went to Mack Wilson, who ran 18 yards for a touchdown that completed the scoring with 5:27 left in the third quarter.

Bryant, the successor to DeShaun Watson, who had guided the Tigers in two epic title games against the Tide that Clemson split the last two years, completed 18-of-36 for 124 yards and the Tigers had just 188 total yards.

The next stop for the Tide is Atlanta to face a Georgia team that outlasted Oklahoma and Heisman Trophy winner Baker Mayfield in a 54-48, double-overtime victory in Pasadena, Calif.

That’ll be the finale of the four-year-old CFP and it’ll take place in the newly opened Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

But whatever happens next week, the Tide got there thanks to a performance worthy of the history and tradition of the SEC, the Sugar Bowl and the Superdome.