2. Kenyan Drake’s kick return for a touchdown
At the start of the year, who would have thought that Kenyan Drake, a strong running back that missed most of 2014 because of a gruesome knee injury, would end up scoring essentially the game-sealing points for the Alabama Crimson Tide on a kickoff return in the 2016 College Football Playoff National Championship Game.
The Clemson Tigers had scored a touchdown on a 15-yard pass from quarterback Deshaun Watson to wide receiver Artavis Scott to cut the Clemson deficit to five points, after failing the two-point conversion. On the ensuing kickoff, Drake delivered a blow that Clemson could not recover from with a 95-yard score to make it 45-33 Alabama after the made point after attempt by kicker Adam Griffith.
Drake had only one carry in the game for one yard and two catches for 21 yards, but it was his 95-yard return touchdown on specials teams that made all the difference for the Tide on Monday night. Once he got to Alabama’s own 35-yard line, Drake seemed destined to carry the football the final 65 yards no matter how close the Clemson defenders got to him.
To win at the highest level, it takes a great deal of discipline, execution, and even some luck. All three were involved in this game helping the Tide win their fourth National Title under Nick Saban. Though running back Derrick Henry would get into the Clemson end zone one more time, it was Drake’s kickoff return that put the Tigers out of contention in this National Title bout.
Next: 1. Adam Griffith's onside kick