Mac Jones threw for 464 yards and five touchdowns, three to Heisman Trophy winner Devonta Smith on Monday night leading the #1 Alabama Crimson Tide to their 18th National Championship by rolling over the #3 Ohio State Buckeyes 52-24 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida in the College Football Title game.
Alabama (13-0) never trailed in the game, and went 78 yards in 12 plays with their first possession after Ohio St. went three and out to begin things. Najee Harris scooted in from one yard out for the early Crimson Tide lead. Ohio State running back Master Teague III, filling in for Trey Sermon who was injured during the Buckeyes first possession and didn’t return, scored on an eight yard run to even it 7-7 after one quarter. Smith opened the second with his first TD to regain the Alabama lead from five yards out from Jones, before Ohio St (7-1) came right back with another Teague run of four yards to tie it once again just 3:10 later. The top team in the nation took off from there though, as Harris made it 21-14 on a 26 yard TD catch and after a Buckeyes field goal cut it to four, Smith caught passes of five and 42 yards both for scores before the half to make it 35-17 at the break. The Crimson Tide made it a 21 point lead with an early third quarter field goal, before Ohio St. cut it back to 14 when Justin Fields hit Garrett Wilson with a 20 yard TD pass. ‘Bama put it away when Slade Bolden caught a five yard score late in the third from Jones, and Harris scored on another short run early in the fourth to finish the scoring.
Fields was 17-33 passing for 194 yards and a touchdown in the loss for Ohio State, and also rushed six times for 67 yards. Teague ran 15 times for 65 yards and the two touchdowns. Chris Olave had eight catches for 69 yards. Smith broke a National Championship record for one half in the win catching 12 passes for 215 yards (all in 1st half) and the three touchdowns, before leaving with injury early in the third. Smith won the Offensive Player of the game. Harris accounted for 158 yards and three touchdowns (22 carries, 79 yards, two TD/7 receptions, 79 yards, one TD), while wideout John Metchie also caught eight passes for 81 yards. Jaylen Waddle also returned from injury after missing 11 weeks and caught three passes for 34 yards. Jones, who finished third in the Heisman voting, was on target completing 36 of his 45 passes (80%). Alabama wins their seventh title in the last 13 years, and Coach Nick Saban wins his sixth with the Crimson Tide equaling a tie within the school with Bear Bryant, but also breaking the overall record with his seventh National Championship (won as coach with LSU in 2003).
