Tide’s Twelfth Title

The Alabama Crimson Tide claimed their twelfth clear college football title, putting forth an epic offensive effort, in ripping Ohio State (52-24) in a third straight lopsided title tilt.

Quarterback Mac Jones completed eighty percent of his 45 passing attempts, throwing 5 touchdown passes, three to Heisman Trophy winner, DeVonta Smith, who played less than a half, amassing 214 yards on his 12 receptions.

Najee Harris, the third member of the great offensive triumpharate (Smith and Jones, neither is an “alias,” being the others) ran for three scores, including a 1 yard run, that opened the scoring.

In winning Nick Saban’s 7th title, (6 with ‘Bama and a shared one with LSU) the Tide led (7-0), (14-7), (21-14), (21-17), (35-17) at the half, (38-17) and cruised by 28 over (the game total was 75 and a fraction, think those that make the lines are not sharp, obviously think again), over Ohio State, a 6th loss at least in a game in which victory would have meant an Ohio State crown since Rex Kern and Company beat Orenthal Simpson and USC to claim the ’68 title. (Clearly a “reg” win in the season finale vs Michigan in ’69, a Rose Bowl win vs Jim Plunkett and Stanford in ’70, the same Rose Bowl scenario vs UCLA in ’75 in what unfairly to Ohio State was a “reg” redux–still they were big faves–, and title game losses as the underdog and a pretty decisive one vs Florida in ’06, LSU in ’07 and last night vs ‘Bama).

To their credit Ohio State claimed/won the ’02 and ’14 crowns, as at least a one touchdown underdog, vs Miami Florida and Oregon respectively.