*** Official CLEMSON vs ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE In-Game Thread ***

[bama57]

I'm not sure exactly what happened last night but I will say this hats off to Dabo and his coaching staff they had their team prepared and ready

[Catch Prothro]

I would love to know what CNS told Dabo.

Dilly Dilly?

[Merk]

I'm not sure exactly what happened last night but I will say this hats off to Dabo and his coaching staff they had their team prepared and ready

I think I know ’What’ happened. I just don't know ’Why’ it happened.

[2Stater]

I'm not sure exactly what happened last night but I will say this hats off to Dabo and his coaching staff they had their team prepared and ready

I think I know ’What’ happened. I just don't know ’Why’ it happened.

I know, Merk, it puzzles me too. Our D started off the year a little rough, but then we had back-to-back shutouts and I thought they were on their way. They actually progressively got worse from that point on. You're supposed to get better as the season progresses, but we did not. It is indeed, a real head scratcher.

[N.AL-Tider]

I couldn't help but wonder last night, "How did our coaches not learn a lesson from Kirby Smart's failed fake punt in the SECCG?"  Still don't know...

[ricky023]

NALT I think last night we got out coached, out played,,, and even the band was off in their music.
Also this team was tired, and this started after auburn game, Injuries didn't help and I today think the season is 2 games to long. RTR!

[SUPERCOACH]

I now have a theory on what happened and why it happened.

What happened is clearly we made way too many mental mistakes.  It was the worst game we have played since CNS came to Alabama, relative to our potential.  From watching the game I felt like we would settle down and dominate, but we never did.  Every time we had an opportunity to get things turned around we would make a mental mistake.

Why did this happen?  That is the key question, and I think I have the answer.  I believe the entire team, coaches and players, were just mentally fatigued from the long season.  The UGA game drained us because it was a revenge game for them and they have been lying in wait for us all year to give us their best shot.  Then we spent the entire month of December trying to figure out how we were going to stop the so called best offense in the history of college football.  After the OU game, CNS said that was the best offense he has ever tried to figure out how to stop.  That gives some insight into what was going on leading into that game.  The defense had a tremendous amount of pressure on them to stop OU, and the offense had a tremendous amount of pressure on them to play a perfect game and score on each possession in case the defense struggled.  Once we got up 28 to nothing on OU, we have not been the same.  I think the team breathed a collective sigh of relief at that point, and they never regained their focus.  We finished out the OU game with a victory, limping across the finish line, but it came back to bite us during preparations last week and it showed during the game last night.

Meanwhile, Clemson coasted by Notre Dame and spent very little mental or emotional energy preparing for that game.  Add in the revenge factor that they also had from last year, and they too have been focused on us for the entire year, just like UGA.  It is hard to win 2 games in the postseason against teams that have the revenge factor going for them and spent the entire year chomping at the bit to get back at you.  It was a perfect storm for Clemson.  We walked out of the tunnel at Levi's Stadium and they were waiting for us ready to smack us in the head with a 2 X 4.

UGA did the same thing to us in Atlanta, but we got back up off the mat and finished the SEC Championship Game like champions.  We just didn't have it in us to do that for a second time this season after only about a month later, especially after expending so much energy preparing for OU.

In other words, "the same thing win, that always won... and we just have a different bunch of excuses if we lose."

[N.AL-Tider]

Not once in the 5 year history of the CFP has the #1 seeded team won the national championship.  The #2 seeded team has won the NC 3 of the five times while the #4 seeded team has won twice.  I knew before this year's CFP playoff games that Clemson had the easiest road to the NC.  They proved it by spanking ND and then again last night by spanking Bama... 

[ricky023]

I still believe we need to cut the regular season by 2 games. RTR!

[bamaphil]

There are a lot of factors we can discuss.

Bama’s tough SEC schedule and conference championship compared to Clemson coasting through an embarrassingly weak ACC.

Bama was number one but actually got a much tougher matchup in the first round.

We had significant defensive injuries for the second year ina row.

At the end of the day though, our boys just got plain beat. The stats would indicate a much better game than the score. Bama moves the ball but couldn’t get points on the board. Clemson made big plays.

It’s disappointing, but Bama’s not going away any time soon. Next year’s team will be loaded, and the offense, if everyone stays healthy, could be one of the greatest of all time. The embarrassment of last night should fuel the team.

Roll Tide always!

[Merk]

I now have a theory on what happened and why it happened.

What happened is clearly we made way too many mental mistakes.  It was the worst game we have played since CNS came to Alabama, relative to our potential.  From watching the game I felt like we would settle down and dominate, but we never did.  Every time we had an opportunity to get things turned around we would make a mental mistake.

Why did this happen?  That is the key question, and I think I have the answer.  I believe the entire team, coaches and players, were just mentally fatigued from the long season.  The UGA game drained us because it was a revenge game for them and they have been lying in wait for us all year to give us their best shot.  Then we spent the entire month of December trying to figure out how we were going to stop the so called best offense in the history of college football.  After the OU game, CNS said that was the best offense he has ever tried to figure out how to stop.  That gives some insight into what was going on leading into that game.  The defense had a tremendous amount of pressure on them to stop OU, and the offense had a tremendous amount of pressure on them to play a perfect game and score on each possession in case the defense struggled.  Once we got up 28 to nothing on OU, we have not been the same.  I think the team breathed a collective sigh of relief at that point, and they never regained their focus.  We finished out the OU game with a victory, limping across the finish line, but it came back to bite us during preparations last week and it showed during the game last night.

Meanwhile, Clemson coasted by Notre Dame and spent very little mental or emotional energy preparing for that game.  Add in the revenge factor that they also had from last year, and they too have been focused on us for the entire year, just like UGA.  It is hard to win 2 games in the postseason against teams that have the revenge factor going for them and spent the entire year chomping at the bit to get back at you.  It was a perfect storm for Clemson.  We walked out of the tunnel at Levi's Stadium and they were waiting for us ready to smack us in the head with a 2 X 4.

UGA did the same thing to us in Atlanta, but we got back up off the mat and finished the SEC Championship Game like champions.  We just didn't have it in us to do that for a second time this season after only about a month later, especially after expending so much energy preparing for OU.

In other words, "the same thing win, that always won... and we just have a different bunch of excuses if we lose."

I think you hit on a lot of salient points, SC. The one thing that really bugs me about the game was the fact that we got out coached in addition to being beaten in all phases of the game. I read an article that indicated there was a rumor that our coaching staff was sub-par this year. I don't necessarily buy that based on our performance throughout the season. But, it is clear that last night, Clemson implemented a better game plan than we did.

Anyway, we are having a superb recruiting season and there is a lot to look forward to in our 2019 season. One other thing seems to be clear: the Natty will be going through Bama and Clemson for the foreseeable future.

[ricky023]

My question is now that CML is gone who will run the offense? I hope they can stay for 3 or 4 years. RTR!

[Chechem]

My question is now that CML is gone who will run the offense? I hope they can stay for 3 or 4 years. RTR!

Anybody, even 2, could run an offense with Tua at the helm.  HTH

[N.AL-Tider]

My question is now that CML is gone who will run the offense? I hope they can stay for 3 or 4 years. RTR!

Anybody, even 2, could run an offense with Tua at the helm.  HTH

[ricky023]

I don't know we didn't to good last night only 16 points. RTR!

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