National Championship Game: Live score updates and highlights from Alabama-Clemson

The Alabama Crimson Tide take on the Clemson Tigers in the 2018 National Championship on Monday night. Here are all the big highlights from the title bout.

On Monday night, we got to see Alabama versus Clemson IV, as the No.1 Alabama Crimson Tide took on the No. 2 Clemson Tigers for the fourth year in a row in the College Football Playoff. This was the third time that these two southeastern powers have met in the national championship in that four-year span.

First quarter

After going three-and-out with Trevor Lawrence at quarterback, the Clemson defense helped him out tremendously by intercepting his counterpart Tua Tagovailoa for a pick-six early in the first quarter. Clemson cornerback A.J. Terrell took Tagovailoa’s errant pass to the house on a 44-yard return to strike first.

Three plays later, Tagovailoa got his revenge on the Clemson secondary. The Heisman Trophy runner-up connected to his Fred Biletnikoff Award winning wide receiver Jerry Jeudy on a 62-yard bomb to tie it up at seven apiece.

It didn’t really take much time for Clemson to retake the lead. Four plays later, Clemson running back Travis Etienne powered his way into the end zone on a 17-yard run to give the Tigers the 14-7 after the made PAT. This was all set up on a 62-yard completion from Lawrence to wide receiver Tee Higgins on a marvelous downfield pass.

Alabama’s ensuing drive would be a bit more methodical, as the Crimson Tide needed 10 plays to find pay dirt. After running back Najee Harris came up short on his dive to the end zone, it set up a brilliant bootleg pass coming out of a play-action fake. Tagovailoa found his tight end Hale Hentges for an easy, wide-open touchdown. However, Alabama would miss the PAT and would trail, 14-13.

Lawrence and the Clemson offense went three-and-out on the ensuing drive. Tagovailoa and the Alabama offense would march down the field, but really struggled to punch it in once they got into the red zone near the end of the first quarter.

End of first quarter: Clemson 14, Alabama 13

Second quarter

On the first play of the second quarter, Tagovailoa forced a shovel pass to running back Damien Harris, but it would result in a four-yard loss. Alabama attempted a 25-yard field goal, one that placekicker Joseph Bulovas would make to help his team take the lead 16-14 less than a minute into the second period.

Clemson quickly responded with a strong drive of its own. A pass interference on the Alabama defense and a pair of nice throws from Lawrence to running back Tavien Feaster and Higgins helped set up a couple of punishing runs by Etienne. The last resulted in a one-yard scamper for six, as Clemson took the lead back 21-16 after the made PAT.

On the ensuing Alabama drive, Tagovailoa would overthrow his receiver right into the hands of Clemson cornerback Trayvon Mullen for his second thrown interception of the game. Mullen’s return gave Clemson favorable field position, wasting Alabama’s drive that had previously been extended by a bold Nick Saban decision to go for it on fourth down on the Crimson Tide side of the field.

The Tigers only needed to move the ball 47 yards on Mullen’s interception return. Lawrence completed a big third-down pass to wide receiver Amari Rodgers to set up a first and goal. Two plays later, Lawrence would find Etienne on a five-yard pass to put Clemson up 28-16 after the made PAT. Those 28 points were the most Alabama had allowed in a first half this season.

Alabama would have to punt on its next offensive series. Though it wasn’t a three-and-out, the notable play from that drive was Mullen pulverizing Tagovailoa on a cornerback blitz the Alabama quarterback did not see coming.

Clemson would tack on three more points after a made 36-yard Greg Huegel field goal to make it 31-16. This made it Alabama’s largest deficit of the season, trailing Clemson 15 points at the half.

End of second quarter: Clemson 31, Alabama 16

Third quarter

Since Alabama deferred to receive until the second half, they began the third quarter with the football. Alabama would move methodically down the field on a lengthy drive, but had to settle for a field goal, or so we thought. The Crimson Tide attempted a fake with third-string quarterback Mac Jones receiving the snap, but the Clemson defense wasn’t buying it to force the Alabama turnover on downs.

It was very desperate of Alabama to attempt a fake field goal down 15 on its first offensive possession of the second half. All Clemson did was capitalize on Alabama’s error three plays later. Lawrence found wide receiver Justyn Ross wide open in the middle of the field to score a 74-yard touchdown to make it 37-16 Clemson, but Huegel would doink the PAT of the upright like he was Cody Parkey or something.

Alabama would again get pick up yards on the Clemson defense, but came away with no points. Tagovailoa would scramble and pick up three yards when he needed four on a fourth down inside the red zone. The Crimson Tide turning the ball over on downs on its first two second-half possessions only further illustrated just how frustrating it was keeping up with Clemson in the ball game.

No, Clemson was not done putting it on the Crimson Tide in this one. Lawrence continued to carve up the Alabama defense, completing several to Ross for big gains. Towards the end of the third quarter, Lawrence would fire a dart of a leaping Mack Wilson right into the hands of Higgins for another Clemson touchdown. The Tigers went up 44-16 after the made PAT.

It was all Clemson in that third quarter. However, the final play of the third frame would be a huge gain by Alabama on a deep throw down field by Tagovailoa to Jeudy, but it was too little, too late.

End of third quarter: Clemson 44, Alabama 16

Fourth quarter

No, it did not matter that Alabama was again deep in Clemson territory, the Clemson defensive line would keep the Crimson Tide offensive out of the end zone again. Harris would try to punch it in, but it would be to no avail. On a fourth and goal, Tagovailoa was slung around like a rag doll by the Clemson front-four who still wasn’t done avenging last year’s loss to the Crimson Tide in the Sugar Bowl.

Clemson wouldn’t do much on the ensuing drive and was forced to punt. However, a rough night for Tagovailoa eventually gave way to his backup Jalen Hurts. He was playing in very well his final game at Alabama, as he is expected to transfer at the end of the season with one year of eligibility remaining. Hurts couldn’t do much either, as the Crimson Tide was forced to punt after a three-and-out.

Pinned deep in their own territory, Clemson would continue to burrow through Alabama’s soul, as Lawrence had several runs up the middle to further break Alabama’s will. Inside of three minutes, head coach Dabo Swinney made mass substitutions on the offensive side of the ball with the game undeniably decided.

Final Score: Clemson 44, Alabama 16

Here are all the video highlights from Alabama-Clemson IV.

https://twitter.com/ESPNCFB/status/1082455390313418754

https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/1082482415673753601

https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/1082486630320091136