Duran leads Al Nassr past Yokohama Marinos into AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Al Ahli cruise past Buriram into AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Saudi Arabia offers condolences to Iran following deadly Bandar Abbas port explosion    Saudi Arabia welcomes Palestinian leadership reforms, appointment of Hussein Al-Sheikh    Ministry of Hajj issued over 150,000 Nusuk cards for the Hajj of 2025    Saudi Arabia deports 12,866 illegal residents in a week    Pope Francis laid to rest at historic funeral in Rome    Massive explosion at Iran's Shahid Rajaee Port injures over 500 people    SFDA clears first 44-ton medical shipment for Hajj pilgrims    Over 13 million worshipers pray at Rawdah Sharif in a year    Saudi orchestra to perform at Sydney Opera House in May    Al Hilal thrash Gwangju to reach AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Nammos Amala Resort to open soon with Saudi-Greek designs    Saudi Arabia completes 674 Vision 2030 initiatives, achieves 93% of KPIs as ninth-year milestone marked    GACA chief chairs 16th meeting of the Steering Committee on aviation's strategy    Alkhorayef praises advancements in Al-Kharj food industries sector    Saudi Theater Commission launches its Work and Learn Project in UK    The season has begun — and one comment shook us all    Average life expectancy in Saudi Arabia rises to78.8 years    Famed Philippine film star Nora Aunor dies at 71    Pakistani star's Bollywood return excites fans and riles far right    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Alabama tames Clemson to win NCAA football title
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 13 - 01 - 2016

Alabama won a fourth national title in seven years with a thrilling 45-40 victory over Clemson Monday, the victory built on a quartet of long-range scoring plays and the recovery of an onside kick in the fourth quarter.
Heisman Trophy-winning running back Derrick Henry sealed the outcome with a one-yard touchdown run with 1:07 remaining, stretching Alabama's lead to 45-33.
The Tigers battled to the end in a wild fourth quarter that featured a combined 40 points.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson's 24-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jordan Leggett with 12 seconds remaining brought Clemson within a score but the ensuing onside kick went out of bounds.
Alabama tight end O.J. Howard had five catches for 208 yards and two touchdowns. Henry ran 36 times for 158 yards and three touchdowns, including a 50-yard burst to start the scoring.
He was not able to get free much in the second half but quarterback Jake Coker connected on scoring passes of 53 and 51 yards to Howard after the break. Coker finished 16-for-25 for 335 yards.
Alabama's fireworks on offense were enough to offset a brilliant effort from Watson, who dazzled with his arm, his legs and dizzying improvisation skills.
He completed 30-of-47 passes for 405 yards and four touchdowns, and he ran 20 times for 73 yards.
After several big-bowl blowouts, Alabama and Clemson put a whopper of the topper on the college football season in front of 75,765 at University of Phoenix Stadium.
Howard's second score came after defensive back Marlon Humphrey recovered a high-bouncing onside kick toward the right sideline.
After a 33-yard Alabama field goal tied the game at 24-24, Humphrey caught the ball cleanly at the 50-yard line.
"We call it pop kick," Alabama coach Nick Saban told reporters. "I thought we had it in the game anytime we wanted to do it. I made the decision to do it. The score was tied ... and we were tired on defense. We weren't doing a great job of getting them stopped.
"I felt like if we didn't do something to change the momentum of the game that we wouldn't have a chance to win it."
Alabama, which lost in last season's playoff semifinals, was not done exerting its special teams superiority.
Clemson used a 31-yard field goal to get within 31-27, but Alabama kick returner Kenyan Drake carved through the coverage on the ensuing kickoff, taking it 95 yards and stretching out the ball to hit the pylon for a touchdown with 7:31 left.
"I think special teams may have been the difference in the game," Saban added. "The onside kick and the kick return for the touchdown kind of changed the momentum of the game. "I've never been prouder of a group of young guys."
The Tigers had won 51 consecutive games when leading after three quarters but could not hold on against Alabama after taking a 24-21 lead into the final period.
Saban won his fourth national title at Alabama and fifth overall. Only former Crimson Tide coach Bear Bryant (six) has won more than four national titles during the wire-service era (since 1936).


Clic here to read the story from its source.