Clemson Football: Tigers strike first with Tua Tagovailoa pick-six

Clemson football entered the College Football Playoff National Championship Game as underdogs but the Tigers struck first with a quick pick-six.

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Six. That’s how many interceptions the Alabama Crimson Tide’s sophomore quarterback Tua Tagovailoa had thrown in his entire college football career. The young signal caller has developed a reputation for protecting the football and methodically moving Nick Saban’s offense. He made an uncharacteristic mistake on the nation’s biggest stage.

On the defending champs’ first possession Tua rifled a rocket into the flat. A.J. Terrell jumped the pass and waltzed untouched 44-yards into the endzone.

The touchdown made history in what has become a heavyweight rivalry. In the first three meetings between these programs in the Playoff, Alabama had scored first. The Tide opened up 7, 14 and 10 points, winning two of the three games.

Alabama led for the majority of all three contests, sometimes by multiple touchdowns. Clemson’s largest lead in the Playoff matchups all-time? Seven. That came when kicker Greg Huegel knocked through the extra point to cap off the surprise score.

It’s going to take more than one touchdown to knock out the defending national champions. Tua himself won his team’s last title with a single home run pass, a skill he exhibited on the next possession following the pick when he hit Jerry Jeudy in stride for a 62-yard score the knot the game at 7-7.

Two scores in less than five minutes and more points are coming. Alabama might have been the favorite, but the Tide are in for a 60-minute slugfest on Monday night in Santa Clara.