🏈 GAME THREAD 2016 National Championship Game

[UAgrad93]

Our guy. We've hit our last half dozen FG attempts, I believe.

Griffith is the 1st one listed. I want him too! 74% as opposed to 73.7%, but Griffith has been on a roll lately.

 

[It Takes Eleven]

Griffith is the 1st one listed. I want him too!

I knew it was. That blocked PAT against UF was his first miss since a cameo appearance three years ago.

 

[TerryP]

 

[RTB X Bot]

 

[TerryP]

 

[TerryP]

 

[TerryP]

This was shared ...

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CLEMSON – BUILT BY BAMA

In the pantheon of college football, the hierarchy is built upon the “Blue Bloods” of the sport. Those teams that enjoy an unparalleled history of achievement through the decades of success in winning percentage, competitive schedules, national championships, and bowl games. Their names are synonymous with college football supremacy – Alabama, Notre Dame, USC, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Michigan, Texas, Nebraska, LSU, and Tennessee represents the game’s blue bloods.

There are elite teams, while not considered blue bloods, the nouveau riche - periods of dominance and national championships, that have enjoyed spectacular success without the long-standing traditions of the blue bloods – FSU and Miami are the most prominent teams among the nouveau riche.

Clemson is a team on the cusp of elite status. Just in the last six years of bowl games the Tigers have beaten Ohio State twice, Oklahoma twice, and LSU once. The Tiger’s one loss during that period was last year’s championship game to The Alabama Crimson Tide, in a four quarter highly competitive thriller.

A win this year over a 26 game win streak Crimson Tide team in the midst of unprecedented dynastic run would clearly and firmly ensconce Clemson as an elite team.

So how did the Tigers of Clemson ascend to this lofty status with an all-time team ranking of 33, including just several years ago introducing to the football lexicon the term “Clemsoning”? For those unfamiliar with the term “Clemsoning”, it’s the act of delivering an inexplicably disappointing performance - choke job, laying an egg.

The Clemson ascendancy to elite status is the product of The Crimson Tide in its DNA.

The Crimson Tide blood lines are indelibly engraved into the Tiger coaching genealogy, starting with the father of Clemson football Frank Howard.

Frank Howard (1940-1969) – The colorful and exceedingly popular Baron of Barlow Bend, AL and three-year starter Tide lineman was the HC of Clemson for 30 years winning 165 games. He led Clemson to ten bowl games, an undefeated season in 1948, and several top-20 rankings during his tenure as head coach.

Half of the eight coaches who led Clemson to bowls were Alabama alumni.

Howard’s teams put Clemson on the national map and Howard was named to the College Football Hall of Fame, Clemson’s football field is named in honor of Frank Howard and Howard’s Rock is a touchstone as a pregame ritual for Tiger players.

Hootie Ingram (1970-1972) – Former All-SEC DB at Alabama and teammate of Bart Star. Ingram holds SEC record for a season plus bowl game of 11 interceptions. Ingram’s three-year tenure (12-21) at Clemson did produce a high point - the introduction of one of college football’s most famous iconic logo, the tiger paw print. Later Ingram served as AD at both FSU and Alabama.

Charley Pell (1977-1978) – Former Alabama All-SEC offensive and defensive lineman under Paul Bryant’s 1961 NC team. In two years at Clemson Pell registered a sparkling 18 – 4 record and .802 winning percentage. Pell is credited with laying the foundation for the modern-day success of Clemson and Florida where he coached after Clemson.

Danny Ford (1978-1989) – Former Alabama All-SEC offensive tackle under Paul Bryant whose record at Clemson was an impressive 96-29-4 for a 76% winning average. Ford took over from OL coach to HC when Charley Pell left for Florida.

Ford’s career was highlighted by two games, the NC win over Nebraska in the 1981 Orange Bowl, securing Clemson’s first and only NC. The second most noteworthy game was his 1978 Gator Bowl victory over Ohio State, 17-15, where legendary Buckeye coach Woody Hayes punched Clemson nose guard Charlie Bauman. Hayes was fired the next day.

Ford enjoyed a 6–2 bowl record. He is second on the school's wins list, behind only Frank Howard. He was the third winningest coach in the country on a percentage basis after the 1989 season. Ford also coached 21 All-Americans and 41 players who went on to play in the NFL, during his 11 seasons at Clemson.

Ford closed his coaching career at Arkansas after five seasons as HC and now lives on his farm in Clemson, SC.

Dabo Swinney (2008-present) Former Alabama walk-on WR who earned a scholarship under Gene Stallings and a NC ring in 1992.

Swinney was named interim HC at Clemson in 2008 after Tommy Bowden resigned six games into the 2008 season. Swinney was formally named as Clemson's 27th head coach on December 1, 2008.

Swinney’s record at Clemson is 88-28 for a .754 winning percentage and a 6-4 bowl record.
Swinney is considered one of college football’s top coaches and recruiter and has developed Clemson into a juggernaut in recent years. Many Alabama fans consider Swinney the heir apparent to Nick Saban when he decides to retire.

By that time, Dabo Swinney may have Clemson in annual contention for the College Football Playoffs and may not be willing to leave for college football’s most demanding job following the legendary Nick Saban.

 

[RTB X Bot]

 

[RTB X Bot]

 

[Max]

 

[18Champs]

 

[RTB X Bot]

 

[Sgt. Lincoln Osiris]

:rolf:

 

[RTB X Bot]

 

[planomateo]

 

[planomateo]

 

[RTB X Bot]

 

[PhillyGirl]

Roll tide roll!!

I'm anxious but I always am for big games.

 

[rick4bama]

here just will be read! i guess! Maybe halftime?

 

[BamaFan334]

Man, I haven't been this excited about a game in a while. I was pumped when we played Notre Dame because I was there and it was my first National Championship game, I was pumped about the Georgia game last year mainly to throw it in my family's face, but this is different. I was so busy last week and the week before with work that I haven't had time to think about this one, but after all the talk from Clemson, the media picking them and saying they are the better all-around team, I guess I'm just excited to finally watch us play for something more than just to dominate. Our boys are out there as a media underdog for the first time in gosh knows how long, and I am freaking ready to see how we respond. Each week we go out expecting to kill a team and be done by Halftime, but I am ready for a four quarters fight where they step up to the table and trade some knuckles with the Big Boys again and see how they do. Roll Damn Tide.