Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa gets out-Tua'd by Trevor Lawrence in national title game
Who says the sequels are never better than the original? It’s all depends on perspective, apparently.
The great storyline from a year ago was written by a true freshman quarterback who rallied his troops to a win in the National Championship Game. It was something that hadn’t been done in more than 30 years, so Tua Tagovailoa coming off the bench to lead Alabama past Georgia 26-23 in overtime was a huge deal. It was a performance for the ages.
Fast forward 12 months to Monday night’s National Championship Game. And there it was, all over again. But this time in was Trevor Lawrence who stole the show in No. 2 Clemson’s stunning 44-16 win over No. 1 Alabama. An Alabama slammer, for sure.
It would be a vast understatement to say that Lawrence completely outplayed Tagovailoa. It wasn’t even close. Lawrence, tagged as the No. 1 recruit in the country this year, stole the show in the romp. He passed for 347 yards and 3 touchdowns. A true freshman, stealing the show.
Just like Tua did last year.
But Monday night was all about Tua getting out-Tua’d. It takes something special to beat Alabama and it takes something really special to spank them by 28.
This is, of course, a team game, so it wasn’t like these two quarterbacks were playing against each other. So what’s really true is that Lawrence outplayed Tua because the Clemson receivers were better than Alabama, and the Clemson offensive line was better than Alabama.
The Tua story has been something to cherish in Tuscaloosa. His two quarters against Georgia last year made him legend enough, but so did all of this season, really. Every game his play bordered on perfection. Week after week, he’d post nearly perfect passing numbers. Struggles, if they came at all, came and went quickly.
There were struggles in the SEC Championship Game, or course, and we’ve been through that ad nauseum. Tua, already struggling with a bad knee, injured an ankle as well against Georgia. He wasn’t very good, but Jalen Hurts came off the bench to save Alabama.
Monday night, Tua just wasn’t good.
And it started on the first drive of the game. Just three plays in, Clemson’s defense fooled Tagovailoa on a simple out route. He read the blitz properly, and threw right into it. But he never saw cornerback A.J. Terrell jumping the route, and he took it to the house from 44 yards out. Just like that, it was 7-0 Clemson.
Alabama, which came into the game as a 5.5-point favorite, committed the cardinal sin in a big game. They let the underdog think they had a chance with that early turnover that led to immediate points. It gave Clemson some swagger, and it continued. Lawrence made things happen all night long. He helped convert 10 of 15 third downs, something that had never happened to an Alabama defense under the coaching legend Nick Saban.
Tagovailoa threw a second interception that was just as ugly, firing a ball into triple coverage that had no chance of being caught. And it just never got any better. There were several fourth-down failures and one miscue after another after Alabama once led 16-14. Clemson would score the final 30 points of the game.
“We just weren’t executing, couldn’t punch it in,” Tagovailoa said afterward. “There were a lot of things we could have done better.”
There was a lot they all could have done better. At Alabama, unless you win a national championship, the season is a failure. So, certainly, losing by 28 really erases a lot of what they accomplished all season. Tagovailoa threw only 6 interceptions all year, but two came Monday and 2 more came in the SEC title game against Georgia. It wasn’t the ending that we saw coming, not after how perfect he was during a regular season where the Crimson Tide won every game by at least 21 points.
The one saving grace, of course, is that Tua can come back and get himself another title next year. They’ll probably still be preseason No. 1 next year, or very close to it.
But all this talk about the greatest season, it can disappear now, just like that. And greatest quarterback ever? We need to hold our roll on that, too. Tua proved he was human on Monday, and that he can make mistakes after all.
Now we see where he goes from here.
Tua’s best shot at the Hesiman just went by this year, Lawrence hands down is the better player and a #1 NFL draft pick when he comes out.
Tua lost the Heisman in the Georgia game when he showed he is human and had a terrible game. Now this game confirmed the decision of the Heisman voters.
To be forever known as Two-Pick Tua.
Interceptions thrown by Alabama? Tua them!!!
Ha!
Very clever.
Tua Turnadaballova
Lol.
HaHaHa
Tua did what he could last night with Clemson defense playing so good and it’s offense dominating. It’s not all on Tua although the pick 6 didn’t help. Last night was on the young defense on the back side. They were not gonna stop Clemson when they are confused and being burned. The play calling on the goal line was pitiful also on the goal line. 4 red zone chances and only 1 TD. Has off to Clemson though it’s been a long time since Alabama has lost like that.
I dont think the game had much to do with a young Alabama defense. Clemson would have scored one them regardless. This difference was Clemson both outcoached and outplayed Alabama. Clemson showed up prepared (in Saban fashion) and Alabama showed up thinking they were untouchable. Alabama complacency showed in a big way. First and foremost Bama abandoned the run game this season in lieu of Tua. Bama never had to sustain a drive this season and work for a score or manage the clock at all. So in essence, you forgot your roots all for the sake of Tua. Had you come to this game running the ball, Clemson was not gonna stop you. The interceptions and plays Clemson made are all because Saban put the game on Tua, which Clemson was expecting. I bet Saban doesnt make that mistake twice. I’d expect Enos to have a balanced attack next year.
I’m still convinced it was on the defense. Multiple blown coverages and people running free. However the Ross kid leaving Alabama for Clemson hurts right about now lol he burned us time and time again. We ran the ball good enough in the game I think to win. We controlled the clock and rushing till the last 10min drive Clemson had to kill the game. I think Enos will iron things out next year but give Locksley his props for this years offense. It was something to see from Alabama which is normally pretty conservative. Ready for the next win to get this loss outta my mouth lol
Clemson’s O-line was dominant in a way that I have never seen against Saban-‘Bama. Trevor Lawrence had all day to throw, every down and he picked apart the secondary. That was the difference in the game. ‘Bama ran the ball at will, and really did what they wanted on offense (except score).
No doubt their O-line did it’s job. Depth on D-line also for Bama hurt. Those guys were gassed at halftime and it showed in the second half. Bama was beat fair and square although there were some questionable no calls(P.I on Clemson was never called) they wouldn’t of changed the game anyway.
Not closing drives hurt them, the pick 6 gave Clemson swagger. I think they abandoned the run too early. #8 was unstoppable.
You’re exactly right. Trevor tossed but man, that Ross kid is awesome!
Jake Bentley is obviously better than Tua, check the stats. #BentleyForHeisman. Y’all wait til next year.
Low effort but like what you are trying to do.
With Clemson’s weak schedule it was hard to see that possible outcome coming. How good were they? Who could know until they finally faced a great team.
After the dust settled, it’s clear to see this is not the same Alabama program of several years ago. This should have been two in a row for Alabama, and I’m not talking about NC wins, I’m talking about losing two NCG’s in a row. It is a fact that the officials helped bail Alabama out in last years NCG. There were several egregious calls in that game that all went against UGA. If not for those very helpful calls, Alabama loses that game as well.
Alabama is still one of the top two programs. They just aren’t head and shoulders better than the top 3-4 teams. The gap is closing.
Agreed. In SEC play, if there is a questionable call, they seem to always go Alabama way…or as my dad says, they are reviewed in Birmingham. The Natty last year was slanted as well. But the thing I see the last 2 seasons in Saban has become somewhat complacent. He’s been out coached by scheme in in critical games which is uncharacteristic of the Saban of 3-4 years ago.
Still blaming the refs?
I think the coaching turnover is starting to hurt more and more. You can’t fix something with a different coordinator every year. Can’t get consistency outta the same group. Look at the years smart was our DC, year in and year out we had consistency as the top defense.
I agree that the coaching changes hurt and I wonder what Saban plans to do now to replace those that are leaving. I don’t think Tupoi will remain the DC or if he does I wouldn’t be surprised if he brings in someone to assist him.
If it were me I’d put him back as a Linebackers coach (I think that’s where he was before being promoted) and pay the house to get Don Brown from Michigan. But that’s prolly a long shot.
I remember Saban making the comment earlier in the year about having to assist with the defense more then he has in a long time… That leads me to believe we will see a change at DC.
We will see what happens, he has a couple months to get it together before training begins. I hope Tupoi doesn’t go anywhere though. He is a good recruiter
They’ve had a ton of coaching turnover for a long time, he sustained thru it forever it feels like. Good to see he’s human.
Don’t think Tosh is quite at the same level as Pruitt or Smart. Tough to lose coaches of that caliber so often and for it not to have some impact.
He was a first year defensive coordinator and is young. If he leaves or whatever happens he will be a DC somewhere but I don’t think he will be back as a DC for Alabama next year. But coaching turnover is starting to show and it started last night
Alabama wins, you blame the refs. Alabama loses, you still blame the refs. The difference between us and Clemson is that they got up on Bama and played to win. We got up on Bama and played not to lose. Sure a couple calls didn’t go in our favor but that’s part of the game. It happens. We had chances to close Bama out multiple times in both games and didn’t. So please for the sake of UGA fans, drop this narrative.
And as far as being head and shoulders better, for the better part of the season, they were. Fatigue, injuries, and better gameplans come into play down the stretch of a season. The gap may be closing, but Bama is still the model. This loss doesn’t change that.
Man, I am so glad Bama has you so shook, Tim. Your ref takes are hilarious and embarrassing for UGA fans all over.
Heard an excuse : from CNS at the half interview. America doesn’t want to hear your lame excuses Nick. You make more money than anybody in Alabama. Just get your butt out there and produce positive results. We don’t want any lame excuses. I think Ala lost something other than the ballgame last night.
So a 14-1 season isn’t a positive result? I’ll take a 14-1 season happily. I’m curious what the excuse was you heard because he basically said what everybody else had been saying that was watching the game?
Watch the tape
Don’t have to. He said exactly what was wrong with his team in the first half
My take away is : he made excuses. He is the Gold standard , I got that. His surrogates are all over southern football. Making it better , I made add. But last night was exposure time. I thought I would never see the day when CNS made an excuse. And his record speaks for itself. I was just talking about a half of a game. UGA can’t beat them.
I watched Coach Saban in the post game interview and he directly said the loss was his responsibility. I know as a UGA fan you might not have held on long enough to watch the post game interviews but let’s be honest; at the half the mindset of any coach should be getting adjustments made to win the game. So, of course, a coach is going to have comments that are different than at the end of the game.
I think I said halftime interview? But that’s OK you don’t even have a team.
Tua didn’t get out Tua’d. He got Lawrence’d. Who is the best QB in college football.