I woke up this morning and still couldn’t believe what I watched. It was riveting, exciting and arguably the single best college football championship game of my lifetime. It’s at least up there, but man, what a game.
It took 59:59 for the victor to be decided (minus the three-hour referee conference on deciding how to play out the final second, but how about those now legendary guns on Referee McBiceps). At the end of the day, Hunter Renfrow saw his draft stock soar up the charts, as early rumors were Deshaun Watson had a Cleveland Browns jersey awaiting him in his locker after the game (DISCLAIMER: that’s fake news people, I made it up. Please don’t quote me on the Intraweb).
The play that will go down in Clemson history: https://t.co/rALrFWi4LW pic.twitter.com/2IQyPjiXXX
— NCAA Football (@NCAAFootball) January 10, 2017
Here is a fact.
EVERYONE (but Buckeye fans) out there complained that Ohio State was the wrong team in the playoffs and that Penn State or even Michigan should have been there. But here’s the thing. EVERYONE complained that the BCS unfairly put programs at the top based upon a confusing metric system.
People will never be happy.
Everyone got their playoffs, and just three years in, everyone wants to change it. I get it. As a Blue Hen, I am an FCS guy, I want a bracket and the best 32 teams to Duke it out (see what I did there?) but that’s simply not where we are at right now.
No, this playoff system is surely a work in progress. It won’t change over night, but it is by far a tremendous success and a step in the right direction. Want proof?
NCAA Football changed from the BCS to Football Playoffs in 2014. Three years. Three different champions. Three different conferences.
Wasn’t that what everyone wanted? Opportunity to hoist a trophy? Sure, you can say that in two of the three years we saw the same two teams, but are you really upset by that?
It didn’t matter who the selection committee chose to play Clemson. They brought it on New Year’s Eve. It wasn’t even close. They dominated both sides of the ball and special teams as well. And they proved last night, even Nick Saban and the greatest defense in the world wasn’t going to stop them.
(Seriously. Our own Dunton researched the most phenomenal stat of 2016-17. If Alabama hadn’t scored an offensive touchdown all year, they still finished at 6-8. Go ahead. Think about that. That’s absurd.)
Which leads to my ultimate final thought.
Screw the playoffs. Clemson and Alabama should play for the National Championship every season. Two years running, it is the best football game — college or NFL — I’ve watched. Looking at Twitter…. I’m not alone.
Bliss. Sheer bliss. #ALLIN pic.twitter.com/JYkXDWbR09
— NCAA Football (@NCAAFootball) January 10, 2017
too. much. sauce. pic.twitter.com/iKSA1zg6w5
— ESPN CollegeFootball (@ESPNCFB) January 10, 2017
The Play pic.twitter.com/qLrw7Uywk3
— Clemson Football (@ClemsonFB) January 10, 2017
“To the seniors,
– 3 straight SEC Titles
– 3 straight #CFBPlayoff
– 1 #NationalChampionshipI’m really proud of these guys.”
– Nick Saban pic.twitter.com/YJJhSduRH2
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) January 10, 2017
Reminder: In the last 9 months we’ve watched the Nova buzzer beater, Cavs 3-1 comeback, Cubs 3-1 comeback and this #NationalChampionship.
— Josh Frydman (@Josh_Frydman) January 10, 2017
Ben Boulware pays homage to @sammywatkins and other notable Clemson alum. #NationalChampionship #ALLIN pic.twitter.com/e1trr2bpvZ
— FOX Sports Radio1340 (@1340AMFOXSports) January 10, 2017
On the left: Bo Scarbrough in 10th grade…On the right: Me in 11th grade. Now I know why Alabama never called. pic.twitter.com/CS3IVIP9ib
— Kirk Cousins (@KirkCousins8) January 10, 2017
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