Aaron Suttles
TideSports.com Senior Writer
NEW ORLEANS | The red and white confetti fell to the field, but it wasn't a shade of crimson. It was scarlet.
The University of Alabama concluded a successful 2014 season with a 12-2 mark in a 42-35 loss to Ohio State in the first College Football Playoff, but in a city that's historically been very good to the team from Tuscaloosa, enough plays didn't swing in the Crimson Tide's favor.
Here are five plays that told the story.
Reverse pass
Trailing by eight points late in the second quarter, Ohio State dialed up a reverse pass and it worked to perfection.
Evan Spencer hit Michael Thomas in the left corner of the end zone over an Alabama cornerback for a 13-yard touchdown to pull the Buckeyes within one point at halftime.
The score not only drew the game to one point, but it also gave the Buckeyes considerable momentum, which it took advantage of with the first drive of the second half.
The pass was part of Ohio State's 28-straight points.
Pick-6
Ohio State jumped ahead by six points in the third quarter, but the turning point in the game came on an interception return for a touchdown.
On third-and-seven, senior quarterback Blake Sims was picked off by senior defensive end Steve Miller, who returned the turnover 41 yards for a score and a two-touchdown lead.
The play gave Ohio State a 34-21 lead late in the third quarter, one that proved insurmountable for Alabama.
Key turnover
Alabama trimmed the deficit to six points late in the third corner, and the momentum was squarely in Alabama's favor after forcing an Ohio State three-and-out and a 21-yard punt from deep in its own end zone.
Alabama took over on the Ohio State 23, and seemed poised to re-take the lead when another interception took it away.
Sims rolled right and tried to hit tight end O.J. Howard on crossing route, but sophomore safety Von Bell intercepted the ball at the 1.
Howard, a 6-foot-6, 235-pound big target, appeared open on the play but Sims spotted him a second to late, allowing Bell to undercut the throw and return it seven yards. It was Alabama's best chance to take the lead in the second half.
Henry runs loose
Alabama never went away even with the 13-point deficit.
The Crimson Tide got back in the game with a middle screen to jumbo running back Derrick Henry, who caught the pass and raced 52 yards down the left sideline to help set up an Alabama touchdown.
Alabama scored four plays later on a Sims run up the middle for five yards.
Henry finished the night with 95 yards rushing on 13 carries and 54 yards receiving on two catches.
Back breaker
With a six-point lead and less than six minutes remaining in the game, Ohio State put the game away with a back-breaking run from Ezekiel Elliott.
On first-and-10 from the OSU 15, Elliott took the handoff over left end for an 85-yard game-clinching touchdown.
Elliott ran wild for 230 yards on 20 carries and two touchdowns with a staggering 11.5 average. He had runs of 54 and 85 yards in the game.
- See more at: https://alabama.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1721267#sthash.48mkVIwd.dpuf
TideSports.com Senior Writer
NEW ORLEANS | The red and white confetti fell to the field, but it wasn't a shade of crimson. It was scarlet.
The University of Alabama concluded a successful 2014 season with a 12-2 mark in a 42-35 loss to Ohio State in the first College Football Playoff, but in a city that's historically been very good to the team from Tuscaloosa, enough plays didn't swing in the Crimson Tide's favor.
Here are five plays that told the story.
Reverse pass
Trailing by eight points late in the second quarter, Ohio State dialed up a reverse pass and it worked to perfection.
Evan Spencer hit Michael Thomas in the left corner of the end zone over an Alabama cornerback for a 13-yard touchdown to pull the Buckeyes within one point at halftime.
The score not only drew the game to one point, but it also gave the Buckeyes considerable momentum, which it took advantage of with the first drive of the second half.
The pass was part of Ohio State's 28-straight points.
Pick-6
Ohio State jumped ahead by six points in the third quarter, but the turning point in the game came on an interception return for a touchdown.
On third-and-seven, senior quarterback Blake Sims was picked off by senior defensive end Steve Miller, who returned the turnover 41 yards for a score and a two-touchdown lead.
The play gave Ohio State a 34-21 lead late in the third quarter, one that proved insurmountable for Alabama.
Key turnover
Alabama trimmed the deficit to six points late in the third corner, and the momentum was squarely in Alabama's favor after forcing an Ohio State three-and-out and a 21-yard punt from deep in its own end zone.
Alabama took over on the Ohio State 23, and seemed poised to re-take the lead when another interception took it away.
Sims rolled right and tried to hit tight end O.J. Howard on crossing route, but sophomore safety Von Bell intercepted the ball at the 1.
Howard, a 6-foot-6, 235-pound big target, appeared open on the play but Sims spotted him a second to late, allowing Bell to undercut the throw and return it seven yards. It was Alabama's best chance to take the lead in the second half.
Henry runs loose
Alabama never went away even with the 13-point deficit.
The Crimson Tide got back in the game with a middle screen to jumbo running back Derrick Henry, who caught the pass and raced 52 yards down the left sideline to help set up an Alabama touchdown.
Alabama scored four plays later on a Sims run up the middle for five yards.
Henry finished the night with 95 yards rushing on 13 carries and 54 yards receiving on two catches.
Back breaker
With a six-point lead and less than six minutes remaining in the game, Ohio State put the game away with a back-breaking run from Ezekiel Elliott.
On first-and-10 from the OSU 15, Elliott took the handoff over left end for an 85-yard game-clinching touchdown.
Elliott ran wild for 230 yards on 20 carries and two touchdowns with a staggering 11.5 average. He had runs of 54 and 85 yards in the game.
- See more at: https://alabama.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1721267#sthash.48mkVIwd.dpuf
