King Clemson: How an Alabama Rout for the Ages Ushered in a New Day in College Football Posted Jan 10, 2019 It’s not particularly surprising that Clemson beat Alabama to win the national championship Monday night. The Tigers entered as 5.5-point underdogs against the Crimson Tide, sure, but there were plenty of reasons to believe they could knock off the defending champs. But the Tigers didn’t just win. They throttled Alabama—Alabama!—by 28 points. (The Ringer)