Only Nick Saban can win four national championships in seven years and still be upset about it.

The head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide talked to reporters from ESPN right after his team's 45-40 win over Clemson, and of course he thought they could have played better.

"We didn't seem to have the juice like we had against Michigan State...the onside kick was huge," Saban said. "Special teams really did it for us."

He did end up showing a little bit of emotion. With all the wins, the multiple championships and attention he gets as the head coach of Alabama, Saban always tries to keep it about the program. He's a team guy, almost to a maddening point.

"These guys have come so far and done so much...this is all about winning the game for them," Saban said. "It's great for our fans, it's great for the state of Alabama, but I wanted to win this game for these guys."

Guys like Derrick Henry, who rushed for 158 yards and 3 TD's on a backbreaking 36 carries...guys like OJ Howard, who caught five passes for 208 yards after registering a pedestrian statistical season...guys like Kenyan Drake, who housed a kick return at the end of the game to put another championship on ice.

Saban might not like the feeling of Gatorade on his back or champagne in his eyes, but everybody else better get used to watching it happen.

It might make you mad to call Alabama a dynasty, but do you really want to make a case against them? They dominate recruiting. They win big games. They show up when it counts, specifically in championship games. You might not like them, but you better respect what they're doing.

Clemson had a chance to go up 21-7 in the first half, but Bama kept their heads above water. Even though sophomore QB Deshaun Watson passed for 405 yards and five TD's, the Tide kept Clemson's offense at bay enough to come away with the win. The main difference? One turnover.

It's not that simple though. Alabama needed a gutsy onside kick, that they recovered, to ensure this win. It wasn't easy.

Give credit where credit is due. This team is good. They will continue to be good. Deal with it.

 

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