I’d like to start off by saying Trevor Lawrence is a star. I think most of us knew that anyway from the body of work he’s put together all year long as a true freshman, but I’d like to take it a step further. I’m not one to make statements like this, but in my opinion, after Lawrence’s college career is over, he will be the best college quarterback of all time. There’s just something different about that kid that you can spot pretty quickly. No moment is too big for him, and he’s looked like a seasoned veteran all season long, including last night. Also, since he is a true freshman, he will have to play another two years until he is eligible for the NFL, allowing him to rack up so many more accolades to put him as the best college quarterback ever. He will undoubtedly be a first overall pick, and is sure to go on to become an NFL star.

I’ve been a fan of Lawrence all season long, but I don’t want to take away from other Clemson playmakers. The defense behind coordinator Brent Venables, who I believe is the best assistant coach in all of college football, had a stellar night last night. Freshman receiver Justyn Ross had himself an excellent game with 153 yards and a touchdown, and some spectacular grabs. The bottom line in this game is that Clemson made far more plays than Alabama did. Clemson looked hungrier last night than the Tide, which is very unusual for a Nick Saban Alabama team.

A major question I believe is where do things go from here within college football. Clemson is here to stay, at least for 3-5 more years. They have so many young weapons, top recruiting, and play in the very weak ACC. Nobody in that conference is even close to overtaking Clemson right now. Alabama, on the other hand, feels like they have reached their crescendo and may even be on the way down after last night. It’s very difficult to imagine this because they have been so dominant for so long. But every great run has to eventually come to an end. I’m not saying it will, but this feels like the moment it may start to happen. Even though they were dominant this season, getting blown out in the national championship game is not a good look. I feel like the tide is slowly turning to other teams within the SEC, such as Georgia and LSU. Those two teams are on the up, and Alabama may be on the down (albeit a very slow down). And I realize how crazy it is to think the Tide are on the down, but it has to happen eventually. Nick Saban is also 68 years old at this point, so how much longer can he keep his pace up?

While the Clemson-Alabama narrative is getting old to many college football fans, they might not have to wait too long for it to change. If I had to make a prediction right now for next year, I think Clemson will be back in the championship game, but foresee them facing off against the Georgia Bulldogs. And since the Tigers will have Trevor Lawrence under center for two more seasons, they will win at least one more championship with him. He’s just one of those once in a generation players. Clemson fans should enjoy this ride, though. I believe they are at their peak right now and will ride it for the next 2-3 years. After that, it will be someone else at the top of the college football world. Those other teams have a lot of work to do though.

Garett

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