Advanced Metrics - Alabama 24, Clemson 6

From the very beginning, Alabama dominated Clemson in almost every way imaginable and the numbers below don't capture the full extent of the Crimson Tide dominance or the nature and tone of the game.

At the half, the Tigers had totaled only 73 yards on 26 offensive plays, but somehow Brent Venables crew had kept Clemson in the game.

A potentially huge momentum shift occurred early in the third period as Alabama fumbled on the first play from scrimmage, Clemson recovered and suddenly found themselves 20 yards away from a tie game.

It was not to be as the Crimson Tide defense wreaked more havoc and the Tigers went backwards before settling for an Alex Spence field goal. 

Alabama took a seemingly insurmountable 17-6 lead after converting the first of two interceptions into points.  That lead lasted exactly a kickoff, and a deflected pass turned pick-6 and with 5:27 to go in the third quarter the scoring was done and so was Clemson.

On the evening Clemson had 13 total drives and only four times did they possess the ball inside the Alabama 40, and one of those was a gift. The Tiger offense had four 3 and outs, five if you count the three plays and a field goal after the Crimson Tide turnover to start the second half. Five drives gained 0 or lost yardage. 

It was not pretty.

An 18 play, 75-yard drive that ultimately ended in frustration for Clemson made the game marginally statistically closer, but this game was over for all intents and purposes once Alabama went up by 11.

The last 357 days have been an incredible time to be a Clemson fan and in some ways has seemed like one extended commercial for the Tigers and Dabo Swinney.

Last year was Clemson's time, this year it's someone else's. Games like this help me appreciate January 9th, 2017 more.

The best is yet to come.