Let's be real...

[longislandcuse]

Bama's defense is great.

It's not all-time great.

In fact, the mystique of the Bama defense is, imo, largely due to playing in the SEC.

Clemson didn't get lucky. Clemson didn't play perfect. Clemson turned it over twice and gave up a blown coverage TD.

99 plays.
Over 400 yards
30+ points and they all came on long drives.

Bama's defense is a lot more like the recent Clemson defenses than it is some legendary group. Only difference are the leagues the two defenses play in.

 

[TheCusian]

Bama's defense is great.

It's not all-time great.

In fact, the mystique of the Bama defense is, imo, largely due to playing in the SEC.

Clemson didn't get lucky. Clemson didn't play perfect. Clemson turned it over twice and gave up a blown coverage TD.

99 plays.
Over 400 yards
30+ points and they all came on long drives.

Bama's defense is a lot more like the recent Clemson defenses than it is some legendary group. Only difference are the leagues the two defenses play in.

Agreed. Leading up to the game I kept reading that Watson vs the Alabama defense was the key. But we'd already seen that story. He was going to score points and move the ball.

To me it was youth and a lack of a passing game with Hurts vs an underrated (compared to Alabama) Clemson D.

 

[Newhouser]

Their CB's are always over hyped - see their NFL success for proof - and this year their D Line got gassed just as they always do in this game when they play an offense that has some answers. Bama played chippy/cheap last night so I enjoyed their D getting torched.

 

[RMH44]

Agreed. Leading up to the game I kept reading that Watson vs the Alabama defense was the key. But we'd already seen that story. He was going to score points and move the ball.

To me it was youth and a lack of a passing game with Hurts vs an underrated (compared to Alabama) Clemson D.

I agree but the Clemson OL played a great 2nd half. On Gallman's short TD run the center and a guard buried #94 of Bama driving him 5 yards back.

I'm very happy for Clemson and the ACC. Great game overall.

 

[Crusty]

Clemson was a better all-around team. Their D played better QBs in the ACC that Alabama did in the SEC plus their cupcakes. Can't beat either Alabama or Clemson with one-dimensional offense
ACC is as good or better than any conference in football.

 

[sutomcat]

I agree but the Clemson OL played a great 2nd half. On Gallman's short TD run the center and a guard buried #94 of Bama driving him 5 yards back.

I'm very happy for Clemson and the ACC. Great game overall.

Agree. It was a great night for Clemson football and the entire ACC. Clemson has been at the forefront in a number of areas in college football. This wasn't an accident or happenstance; they were the best program in the country this year and they deserved to be national champs. Congrats to them.

Hopefully the whole ACC will improve as we chase the Tigers and try to catch up to them.

 

[bcubs9497]

I agree but the Clemson OL played a great 2nd half. On Gallman's short TD run the center and a guard buried #94 of Bama driving him 5 yards back.

I'm very happy for Clemson and the ACC. Great game overall.

Clemson's OL is one of the, if not THE, best in CFB.

Interesting that Daron Payne (#94) got driven back 5 yards. Maybe Steven's better/stronger than I thought. I need to find the Clemson/SU game and take a look at how he did. Don't recall him getting blown off the LOS even when doubled up.

 

[TheCusian]

Simply put: The gap between Watson and Hurts is greater than the gap between the two defenses.

 

[longislandcuse]

Clemson was a better all-around team. Their D played better QBs in the ACC that Alabama did in the SEC plus their cupcakes. Can't beat either Alabama or Clemson with one-dimensional offense
ACC is as good or better than any conference in football.

Les Miles on the radio right now trying to say "welll, the SEC is just so deep". Yea, Les, that SEC East is rough man. Bama's toughest opponent is usually a QB-less LSU squad.

SEC West is good but the our ACC division is their equivalent, probably better and Miami, Va Tech, UNC etc show as much potential as UGA and Tennessee and co.

 

[longislandcuse]

Agree. It was a great night for Clemson football and the entire ACC. Clemson has been at the forefront in a number of areas in college football. This wasn't an accident or happenstance; they were the best program in the country this year and they deserved to be national champs. Congrats to them.

Hopefully the whole ACC will improve as we chase the Tigers and try to catch up to them.

They've already locked up the next Deshaun Watson year after next. #1 overall recruit at QB from Georgia...sound familiar?

 

[UnknownOrange]

Might I ask... what is an all-time great defense?

 

[CuseFaninVT]

Agreed the D wasn't as tough as I expected, although they looked very good early, but I think the game turned Clemson's way for good when the Bama running back went out. Felt like if they had him they would have done more at the end to eat clock and get some actual 1st downs.

 

[Hoo's That]

Their CB's are always over hyped - see their NFL success for proof - and this year their D Line got gassed just as they always do in this game when they play an offense that has some answers. Bama played chippy/cheap last night so I enjoyed their D getting torched.

Bama's D was on the borderline of playing dirty last night. There were some shots that seemed to need frame-by-frame super-slo mo to show whether they were blows to the head or not. There were another couple of instances where they went after some of Los Tigres' legs.

 

[retro44]

Might I ask... what is an all-time great defense?

1959 Syracuse Orangemen

 

[Melancer46]

I was pretty impressed with Bama's defense. I was not impressed with Bama's QB. Defense played a great first half and then wore down as a result of the offense going 3 and out every possession.

 

[PhatOrange]

I don’t know, I was impressed. The Alabama defense is great and for long stretches of the game Clemson couldn’t do anything; 14 points through 3 quarters. They are super smart and well coached.

There was a part on the coaches show last night how the Clemson O would check and the Bama D would counter check, this happened 2 or 3x on one set before a snap and they showed how the CB’s out on the island, are looking over at the safety and LB making the calls and changed their leverage (inside/outside) coverage based on these checks. It was cool to watch it dissected. I don’t see this too much with lesser football teams. It starts with the coaching but these players all have high football IQs and translate that coaching to the field.

Not to mention they’re all built like tanks and hit like it. Their DB’s would be our starting OLB’s.

Anyhow, I think part of what did Alabama’s defense in was the 90+ snaps. Clemson didn’t fold and go away, they just kept attacking. The D got tired and Clemson got 21 fourth quarter points.

 

[DoctorBombay]

Les Miles on the radio right now trying to say "welll, the SEC is just so deep". Yea, Les, that SEC East is rough man. Bama's toughest opponent is usually a QB-less LSU squad.

SEC West is good but the our ACC division is their equivalent, probably better and Miami, Va Tech, UNC etc show as much potential as UGA and Tennessee and co.

This^^^
Sometimes it takes forever to change narratives. ESPiN is determined to keep the "SEC is the greatest conference EVER" narrative alive, while in some circles (see; WVU, aka "butthurt Hillbilly Nation"), nothing the ACC accomplishes will be good enough.
All that's left is to keep winning and with all the great coaches now in the conference, the mid-level programs will start to emerge.
If this trend continues, no doubt the unquestioned best conference in CFB will be the ACC- just in time for the ACCN!

 

[CuseFaninVT]

I was pretty impressed with Bama's defense. I was not impressed with Bama's QB. Defense played a great first half and then wore down as a result of the offense going 3 and out every possession.

He's going to be a good one though. I think. He's so young.

 

[SU94]

Bama's defense is great.

It's not all-time great.

In fact, the mystique of the Bama defense is, imo, largely due to playing in the SEC.

Clemson didn't get lucky. Clemson didn't play perfect. Clemson turned it over twice and gave up a blown coverage TD.

99 plays.
Over 400 yards
30+ points and they all came on long drives.

Bama's defense is a lot more like the recent Clemson defenses than it is some legendary group. Only difference are the leagues the two defenses play in.

A lot of truth in this post. Maybe not that cut & dry, but I think you're theme is spot on.

I have a great deal of respect for Saban/Bama. They hit hard, play hard. Lots of admiration on my part. I do think they were hunting heads a bit last night. Was this a concerted effort/plan put forth by Saban/Pruitt? I doubt it, but their insistence on physicality likely begat the outcome.

I would have felt better about everything if the refs had called at least one of the helmet-to-helmet hits (and sent a message). I counted 3, there might have been 1-2 more.

I just despise that aspect of the game (be it Bama/Clemson/SU/Buffalo Bills). Yes, it can happen by mistake at times. But not very likely that can occur 3-4 times in a single half.

 

[Crusty]

I don’t know, I was impressed. The Alabama defense is great and for long stretches of the game Clemson couldn’t do anything; 14 points through 3 quarters. They are super smart and well coached. There was a part on the coaches show last night how the Clemson O would check and the Bama D would counter check, this happened 2 or 3x on one set before a snap and they showed how the CB’s out on the island, are looking over at the safety and LB making the calls and changed their leverage (inside/outside) coverage based on these checks. It was cool to watch it dissected.

I don’t see this too much with lesser football teams. It starts with the coaching but these players all have high football IQs and translate that coaching to the field.

Not to mention they’re all built like tanks and hit like it. Their DB’s would be our starting OLB’s.

Anyhow, I think part of what did Alabama’s defense in was the 90+ snaps. Clemson didn’t fold and go away, they just kept attacking. The D got tired and Clemson got 21 fourth quarter points.

Think you nailed it. Saban hates the hurry up because he knows it levels the playing field against his great defenses.

 

[Lou_C]

Alabama's defense is totally awesome, but like any defense, it's still vulnerable to great quarterbacks and receivers pitching it around. They just haven't had to face that in the SEC very often. Johnny Manziel, Chad Kelly, and not Deshaun Watson showed that you can give them fits if you can chuck it around.

But that's any defense really...that's why the quarterback is the most important position on the field.

 

[SU94]

I was pretty impressed with Bama's defense. I was not impressed with Bama's QB. Defense played a great first half and then wore down as a result of the offense going 3 and out every possession.

Bama's QB is a true frosh. So, I give him a pass (even though he had trouble completing any in excess of 5 yards). He'll grow into something. But that fact that he was the SEC Offensive Player of the Year tells you everything you need to know. The SEC is amazing. Has been for the last 15 years (at least). But this year, in 2016, the ACC was better. The SEC was down. It might not have been the #2 conference (and that is okay). This was the ACC's year, that's cut & dry. Really no arguments to be had.

The ACC will have some MAJOR adjustments to make next year.
Losing a ton of strong QBs (Watson/CU, Trabinsky/UNC, Kayya/Miami-Florida, Petersen-Pitt, Evans,/VPI).

 

[longislandcuse]

Bama's QB is a true frosh. So, I give him a pass (even though he had trouble completing any in excess of 5 yards). He'll grow into something. But that fact that he was the SEC Offensive Player of the Year tells you everything you need to know. The SEC is amazing. Has been for the last 15 years (at least). But this year, in 2016, the ACC was better. The SEC was down. It might not have been the #2 conference (and that is okay). This was the ACC's year, that's cut & dry. Really no arguments to be had.

The ACC will have some MAJOR adjustments to make next year.
Losing a ton of strong QBs (Watson/CU, Trabinsky/UNC, Kayya/Miami-Florida, Petersen-Pitt, Evans,/VPI).

ACC still has 3 teams in the Top 8 Vegas odds to win the title along with Va Tech and Miami in the Top 20.

FSU/Bama may play the first and last game of the season against each other.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

I thought the early clothes line on Watson was worthy of an ejection

 

[IthacaBarrel]

ACC still has 3 teams in the Top 8 Vegas odds to win the title along with Va Tech and Miami in the Top 20.

FSU/Bama may play the first and last game of the season against each other.

I look for FSU to be tough next year, I know Cook is gone but their Qb with a year under his belt will prove very difficult