On Monday, the Alabama Crimson Tide are once again the national champions after crushing the Ohio State Buckeyes 52-24 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, FL. This is the Crimson Tide’s sixth national championship under Nick Saban and the seventh for Saban as a head coach. The last time the Crimson Tide won the national championship was in 2018 over the Georgia Bulldogs.
Alabama quarterback Mac Jones went 36-45 for 464-yards and five touchdowns. He threw to seven different receivers, including Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith, who set two records in the first half alone. Smith had eleven receptions for 173-yards that are both the BCS/CFP title records in the first half. Smith would exit the game in the second half with a dislocated finger to end his night. He would finish with twelve receptions for 215-yards and three touchdowns.
After Smith’s departure, the rest of Alabama’s receivers took care of business, starting with John Metchie with eight receptions for 81-yards. Running back Najee Harris had seven receptions for 79-yards and one touchdown, Jaylen Waddle had three receptions for 34-yards, and Slade Bolton had three receptions for sixteen yards and one touchdown.
Najee Harris led the Crimson Tide in rushing with 22 carries for 79-yards, and two touchdowns, followed by Brian Robinson Jr. with ten carries for 69-yards. On the defensive side, sophomore Christian Barmore sacked Buckeyes quarterback Justin Fields once. The rest of the defense had 44 tackles and four tackles for loss.
Meanwhile, Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields went 17-33 for 194-yards and one touchdown. He also led in rushing with six carries for 67-yards. Buckeyes running back Master Teague III had fifteen carries for 65-yards and two rushing touchdowns.
Wide receiver Chris Olave led the Buckeyes in receiving yards with eight receptions for 69-yards, followed by Garrett Wilson with three receptions for 50-yards and one touchdown. The Buckeyes’ defense was able to sack Jones twice by Antwuan Jackson and Baron Browning. The defense finished with 71 tackles, two sacks, six tackle for loss, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery.
In a heart-warming moment, as time was running out, Nick Saban put in senior offensive lineman Landon Dickerson, who tore his ACL in the SEC championship game for him to get the final snap of his college career.
After the game, Nick Saban added one more stat to his legendary coaching career as he becomes the first coach in the AP/Coaches poll to win the national championship in three different decades. The Crimson Tide finishes the season a perfect 13-0.
