In a dominant performance, Alabama defeated Clemson 24-6 and advanced to the National Championship game. The Tigers failed to score a touchdown and was handled up front. Here are some of the key takeaways from the Sugar Bowl and what went wrong (and a little right) for the Tigers.
Paws Up: Alex Spence
The one real highlight for the Tigers was kicker Alex Spence. While the kicker has struggled this season, making 7-12 field goals prior to the Sugar Bowl. Against Alabama, he connected on both of his attempts, which were both over 40-yards. Prior to the Sugar Bowl, he had made just one over 40-yards. Spence has improved as the season moved forward after having to take over for Greg Huegel at the beginning of the season. Him growing into his role is a good sign for the Tigers.
Paws Down: Offensive Line
The offensive line has struggled at times all season, but Alabama exposed how bad it really was. The Crimson Tide sacked quarterback Kelly Bryant five times and kept him under pressure all night. He was rarely able to throw from a clean pocket and often had to scramble. This lead to bad throws, two of which resulted in interceptions that were later converted into Alabama touchdowns. The offensive line was also unable to give any push to assist in the running game. Clemson rushed for only 64 yards all game and most of that was a few chunk plays where the running back was able to get free. The lack of ability to handle Alabama up front led to a lifeless and ineffective Clemson offense. 
Paws Up: Defense*
Clemson’s defense played well for the most part against the Crimson Tide. The front seven kept the running backs and Jalen Hurts in check except for a few chunk plays. Taking away the two turnovers, the defense gave up only 10 points. The secondary had a few lapses, including the play that allowed defensive end De’Ron Payne to catch the touchdown after Bryant’s first interception. The defense held Alabama to 261 total yards and 24 points, below their season average.
Paws Down: Field Position
The Tigers had the worst of the field position battle all night. They started six drives inside their own 20, with an average starting field position of their own 24. On the other hand, Alabama had the average starting position of its own 43. With the pressure the Tigers were facing on offense, the long field was no help for them. Will Spiers did not have his best game either, averaging just over 39 yards per punt. That made it difficult for the Tigers to flip the position and give the defense more room to operate.
Paws Up: Deon Cain’s ability to forget bad plays
Early in the game, Deon Cain had an opportunity to haul in a first down catch that could have swung the momentum in Clemson’s favor. Instead, he dropped the ball and Clemson ended up having to punt. However, later in the game, Cain had several big grabs, including on Clemson’s first scoring drive. He ended the game with six receptions on 10 targets for 75 yards. While his performance this year has been less than impressive, his mental ability to forget the bad plays and go out there for the next one is important. While his future at Clemson is still unclear as he is eligible for the NFL Draft, if he does return he will likely be an instrumental part of Clemson’s offense next season.
Paws Down: Lack of adjustments
One of the biggest parts of the game of football is in-game adjustments. In a sport that is unpredictable, a team has to be able to adapt to the situation in front of them. Against Alabama, Clemson was ineffective in making those adjustments. Especially on the offensive side of the ball, Tony Elliot and Jeff Scott continued calling screen passes and quarterback draws despite Alabama’s success in defending them consistently. While completely abandoning a game plan is not a good move either, the lack of adjustments made the offense seem even less effective.