Despite injuries, Tide’s defense ‘ferocious’
Alabama’s defense not only delivered some payback to Clemson but also made a strong statement entering the national-championship game.
For all the injuries and departed stars, the fourth-ranked Crimson Tide’s ‘D’ still is tops in college football.
The defense certainly looked the part in Monday night’s 24-6 Sugar Bowl throttling of No. 1 Clemson, which had been ’Bama’s kryptonite the past two years with quarterback Deshaun Watson running the show.
Alabama head coach Nick Saban said the only comparable defensive effort he can remember in his nearly 11-year tenure came in the 2011 national-championship game against LSU, a 21-0 win.