Ranking every year of the CFP four-team era
By Josh Yourish
. Cotton Bowl. 2016. 6. player. 2016. 523. Orange Bowl. 2016.
- National Championship: Alabama 45 Clemson 40
- Orange Bowl: No. 1 Clemson 37 No. 4 Oklahoma 17
- Cotton Bowl: No. 2 Alabama 38 Michigan State 0
The 2016 College Football Playoff made a compelling argument for the BCS model. No. 1 Clemson and No. 2 Alabama had no problems in the semifinals and finally met in the national championship for the first time.
The 2016 National Championship game was the first of four CFP matchups between Clemson and Alabama, and the two powerhouse programs played to a split 2-2. The first one went to Jake Coker and Alabama despite a heroic effort from Deshaun Watson.
Watson threw for 405 yards and four touchdowns and ran for 73 yards, but the Crimson Tide scored 24 fourth-quarter points including Derrick Henry’s third touchdown run of the game which sealed the title for Bama.
Clemson scored a touchdown with 19 seconds left to get within five, but it was too little too late.