The closing moments in Clemson-Alabama championship game

January 10, 2017 at 7:02AM
Alabama's Jalen Hurts runs for a touchdown during the second half of the NCAA college football playoff championship game against Clemson Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2017, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
The lead swung back Alabama’s way on Jalen Hurts’ TD. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Back and forth the game went

The lead changed hands three times in the final five minutes of the fourth quarter:

4:38: 1-yard TD run by Wayne Gallman gave Clemson its first lead of the game, 28-24. Drive: six plays, 88 yards in 1:55.

Key moment: A 17-yard completion to Mike Williams and an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty put the ball on the Alabama 16.

2:07: Alabama retook the lead 31-28 on a 30-yard touchdown run by quarterback Jalen Hurts. Drive: six plays, 68 yards in 2:31.

Key moment: On the play before the TD, ArDarius Stewart took a backward pass from Hurts and fired a strike to O.J. Howard for 24 yards.

0:01: Clemson went ahead 35-31 on a 2-yard TD pass from Deshaun Watson to Hunter Renfrow. Drive: nine plays, 68 yards in 2:06.

Key moment: A pass interference call on Alabama gave Clemson a first-and-goal at the 2 with six seconds left.

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