CW National Championship Edition Spring 2021

4 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
January 12, 2021
Total Domination: The historic offensive trio makes
top tier competition look subpar
BY ALEXANDER PLANT
SPORTS EDITOR
“You already know who I want to
go up against,” Ohio State defensive
back Shaun Wade said before the
College Football Playoff National
Championship game.
Before the game, Desmond Howard
said on the ESPN pregame show that
if Shaun Wade guarded Alabama
senior wide receiver DeVonta Smith,
his draft stock would drop from first
round pick to undrafted free agent.
I’m really proud of this
team from the top
down. We set this as a
goal to be the greatest
team to ever play, and
I think we made a
valid statement.
MAC JONES
Although Wade’s draft stock might
not plummet to those lows, Smith
showed just how inferior Wade and
other defenders have been compared
to the Heisman Trophy winner.
Smith finished the night with 215
yards and three touchdowns, but
DEVONTA SMITH
12 Receptions
215 yards
3 Touchdowns
NAJEE HARRIS
29 Touches
158 Yards
3 Touchdowns
more importantly he continued his
record-setting streak.
Smith set a new standard in his
Heisman season finale, busting up the
records for most receiving yards and
receptions in a half of the National
Championship, most receptions in
a National Championship and most
receiving touchdowns in a National
Championship
Smith was all over the field for
the Crimson Tide. Returning punts
and kickoffs and somehow being left
open throughout the night, there was
nothing Ohio State could do to stop
the game’s most valuable offensive
player. However, his performance was
cut short after a hand injury early in
the third quarter. But Smith’s absence
only left more room for Alabama’s
other two offensive luminaries
to shine.
After the first half, Alabama
offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian
started to run the clock. When the
Crimson Tide opened the second
half with a 35 to 17 lead, the game
was all but over. Alabama pulled
away for good in the opening drive
with a field goal from sophomore
kicker Will Reichard. The Crimson
Tide milked 7:13 off of the clock, and
from that point on it
All photos courtesy of Alabama Athletics
was nothing but a waiting game. The
Crimson covered sideline inched
closer and closer to storming the
field and being covered in confetti.
On top of winning the Heisman,
the trio of Smith, junior quarterback
Mac Jones and senior running back
Najee Harris won numerous other
national awards, but none of them
mattered to them if they didn’t walk
out of Hard Rock Stadium as the
crowned champions.
“I'm really proud of this team
from the top down,” Jones said after
his dominant performance. “We set
this as a goal to be the greatest team
to ever play, and I think we made a
valid statement.”
Jones went on to do what he, Smith
and Harris do best: praise every
single player on the roster.
“I think we're the best team to ever
play,” he said. “This will probably
be the only team to play an all-SEC
[Southeastern Conference]
schedule. I think
we have to give
everyone the credit.”
Jones specifically
called out the sacrifice by
junior wide receiver Jaylen Waddle
and senior offensive lineman Landon
Dickerson. He said that their injuries
were extremely significant and that
their hardwork and dedication to
play in this game was phenomenal.
In his closing remarks Jones uttered
the words of many past champions:
“Anything is possible.”
Although much of the news and
commentators of the game focused
on Smith’s performance, it was the
combination of Jones and Harris
that closed out the second half for
the Crimson Tide. Jones finished
the night with a school record of 36
completions and Harris capped his
night off with 158 total yards and
three touchdowns.
Throughout the year the three
stars have praised each other at every
turn. Tonight was no different.
“His commitment, his dedication
in the film room,” Smith said. “I don't
think anyone has prepared as hard
as [Jones].”
Even after Alabama was up 45
- 24 late in the third quarter, Jones
and the Alabama offense did not
stop trying to score. A deep 27-yard
pass from Jones to sophomore wide
receiver John Metchie III was the nail
in the coffin for the Buckeyes as the
clock hit 0:00 in the third. The drive
was finished by a Harris touchdown.
With that score he joined Smith in
scoring three touchdowns during
the night.
With COVID and
everything going on, it
made us just more of
a team.
DEVONTA
SMITH
On top of his career-high 464
yards, Jones also threw for 5
touchdowns, both breaking and tying
College Football Playoff National
Championship records. It was hard
MAC JONES
36-45 Pass
completion rate
464 yards
5 Touchdowns
to pick who out of the three had the
best game, but the CFP Offensive
Player of the Game was given to
Smith. As always, Smith remained
modest and revered the team’s
dedication to finish the season as
strong as they did.
“With COVID and everything
going on, it made us just more of a
team,” Smith said during the ESPN
post-game ceremony. “Keeping our
bubble small. The discipline of this
team is like no other.”
Individually, this trio’s discipline
and talent was enough to make
them each contenders for the most
aspired-to trophy in college football.
Together, it was enough to make
them national champions and alltime
greats.