The Alabama Crimson Tide are National Champions again. For the fourth time in the last seven years, the college football season ends with Nick Saban smiling and raising the championship trophy. Is Saban the greatest of all-time? That is debatable, but he certainly is the greatest coach of this era.

Anyway back to the game itself. What a game! That is what all college football games should be like. Back and forth the whole time, big plays by both teams. Even special teams were a factor with Alabama returning a kickoff for a touchdown and recovering a ballsy onside kick. The college football season couldn’t have ended better.

But this isn’t always the case. Going back to the BCS era, college football championship games usually are not as entertaining the regular season. Take for instance the 2011 game between Alabama and LSU. The Bama defense dominated the Tigers, only allowing them to cross midfield once, late in the fourth quarter. Or the 2012 game against Norte Dame. Remember how the Irish actually thought they had a shot. That went away quickly in the first quarter. At the end of the 1^st half, Norte Dame Head Coach Brian Kelly had one hope for the second half, “hopefully Alabama doesn’t come out of the locker room”. So while the college football championship games are entertaining, they are not exactly good games. But how does the Alabama-Clemson game of 2016 compare to championship games of the past.

2003 Fiesta Bowl- 3rd

When great college football championship games come to mind, you have to think of the 2003 Fiesta Bowl between Ohio State and Miami. If you have been reading my articles in the past, which you should have been, you know that the early 2000’s Miami Hurricanes were unstoppable. Which is why, Ohio State beating them 31-24 in Double OT was so shocking. Ohio State was led by standout freshman, future prison inmate, and 30-for-30 star Maurice Clarett. The game also featured one the most brutal knee injuries you’ll ever see and the worse pass interference call ever made. Now I’m not bitter or anything but 13 years later that still is the worse call ever made. Wtf was the ref seeing? Is he blind? That call still haunts me to this day and one could make the argument that Miami football hasn’t recovered since.

2006 Rose Bowl-1st

The other college football championship game that stands out is the 2006 Rose Bowl between USC and Texas. If one line could describe a game it had to have been Keith Jackson’s call.

“Fourth and Five with the National Championship on the line.”

The game was simply the greatest college football game ever played. On one sideline you had the USC Trojans. The defending National Champions had steamrolled through the regular lead by quarterback Matt Leinart and the running back duo of Lendale White and Heisman Trophy winner and former Kardashian boyfriend Reggie Bush. Bush was the most electrifying football player that year and every time he touched the ball, there was a chance he would score.

On the other sideline, you have the Texas Longhorns, led by quarterback Vince Young. Young simply put, had the greatest single game performance you will ever see in a football game. Young rushed for 200 yards and threw for 267 yards and willed the Longhorns over the Trojans 41-38 ending the USC’s 34 game winning streak.

2016 CFP Championship Game-2nd

So how does the Alabama-Clemson game rank in terms of these? The game is actually very similar to the 2006 Rose Bowl. On the one side you have the established powerhouse, led by the Heisman trophy winner. On the other side you have a Heisman runner-up and new upstart. Clemson Quarterback Deshaun Watson actually had a better game than Young did in the Rose Bowl. But Bama and Nick Saban were too much for the Clemson Tigers, winning the game 45-40. But was it better than the 2006 Rose Bowl? I’m going to say no and only for this reason. Neither Alabama nor Clemson played defense the entire fourth quarter. Seriously, 40 points were scored. But that maybe is the only thing holding the game back from being the greatest football game of all time. In the Rose Bowl, Texas made a critical fourth-down stop, getting the ball back and giving Vince Young a chance to win the game.

So in the end, the Alabama-Clemson game isn’t best college football championship game, but that doesn’t take anything away from the game itself. It is second only to a game that was equally as memorable but had the added effect of being played on the best stage of all, the Rose Bowl. Don’t stress Bama fans, it is like being told that you have to make love to Nina Adgal instead of Candice Swanepoel. Both are nearly perfect and the only reason one is one might be slightly better than the other is because she has longer legs. Do you see what I mean? You are satisfied with both and couldn’t complain either way.

Except I am going to complain about one this. That stupid pass interference call in the Ohio State-Miami game. I am still salty about it.