For the last week, I feel like I’ve been the only person who had this niggling feeling that Alabama was going to lose to Clemson. Perhaps I just need to know more people who actually like sports. Prior to the game, I was the only guy in my department that picked Clemson to win the National Championship. I predicted a final score of 38-30. I wasn’t that far off. So I was right in my sports predicting, which is a little validating, but the end result of it is still Clemson as National Champions, so it does leave me with some slight nausea.
But seriously, whether it was ESPN or other national outlets, workplace proximity associates who like to pretend like they know things about sports, or even the mythical girlfriend, just about everyone I’d heard from since the field was set seemed to favor Alabama over Clemson. And justifiably so, Alabama was undefeated going into the National Championship, and they’d already proven they could beat Clemson by having done so in the previous year’s National Championship.
Regardless, I just had this feeling in my gut, that feeling that comes from having watched an exorbitant amount of sports throughout my entire life, that Clemson was going to win the game. Their QB was pretty much the ultimate bridesmaid, having come so close the year prior, and having been snubbed for two straight Heisman Trophies; and at literally his last collegiate game, he had absolutely one shot to immortalize his entire college career, before he’ll inevitably be making gobs of money in the NFL. Needless to say, a graduating Deshaun Watson with a chip the size of South Carolina on his shoulders against an 18-year old true freshman in Alabama’s Jalen Hurts, regardless of his immense talent, just didn’t seem like a favorable matchup for Crimson Tide supporters.