Column: Clemson beats Alabama: Looking back on an instant classic of a national championship game

History will record Clemson’s victory over Alabama on Monday night in black-and-white terms.

Clemson won.

Alabama lost.

Except it wasn’t that clear-cut, was it?

When Deshaun Watson’s short flick was caught in the end zone by Hunter Renfrow, there was one second remaining on the clock.

One second.

If the Tigers hadn’t scored and that second ticked away, Watson would have been remembered outside of Clemson as a good, not great, quarterback — two-time national finalist, two-time Heisman finalist, but never won the big one. Some thoughtful fans might have lamented how playing in the same era as the Nick Saban’s Alabama teams cost Watson his place in history, but that would have been about it.

Watson doesn’t have to concern himself with any of that now. Watson delivered his school its first national championship in 35 years and did it in one of the greatest games in recent memory. Down by three, Clemson started its final drive with 2:01 remaining in the game.

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Clemson scored the go-ahead touchdown with one second left on the clock to win, 35-31. (Jan. 10, 2017)

“Let’s be legendary, let’s go be great,” Watson recalled telling his teammates.

They were, at the expense of the Alabama defense, which had observers wondering about its place in history. Was this Saban’s best defense at Alabama? Was this the greatest defense ever? Regardless of what the reality was, those conversations died on that final drive.

In sports, history is unforgiving.

Some other thoughts from Raymond James Stadium:

Maybe Clemson would have won this game no matter what, but it’s hard not to think Alabama running back Bo Scarbrough’s injury wasn’t a factor in the outcome. A 6-foot-2, 228-pound bruiser, Scarbrough ran for 99 yards on 16 carries, including first-half touchdown runs of 25 and 35 yards. Scarbrough departed from the game with a leg injury in the third quarter. With him went Alabama’s ability to run down the clock and protect its lead.

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Saban was questioned for a decision to change offensive coordinators in the week leading up to the game, but Steve Sarkisian didn’t cost Alabama this game. More than anything, the Crimson Tide’s offensive problems resulted from true freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts’ inability to throw the ball downfield. Hurts was the SEC’s offensive player of the year, but this game demonstrated why the Sooners’ Jamelle Holieway is the only true freshman quarterback to have ever led his team to a national championship.

Alabama cornerback Tony Brown was fortunate not to draw a targeting penalty midway through the first quarter for his helmet-to-helmet hit on receiver Mike Williams. Clemson’s leading receiver, Williams was frequently on the sidelines over the remainder of the first half. He didn’t catch a ball again until there were about six minutes remaining in the second quarter.

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Speaking of Mike Williams: Wow, what a player, huh? Whenever Watson wanted to get him the football, all he had to do was throw it high in his direction and Williams would come down with it. A fourth-year junior, Williams graduated last month with a bachelor’s degree in sociology. He should be the top receiver taken in the upcoming NFL draft.

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In addition to scoring the winning touchdown, Renfrow made the most important tackle of the game.

On the opening drive of the second half, Clemson running back Wayne Gallman was stripped by Alabama linebacker Ryan Anderson, who picked up the loose ball and rumbled into the red zone. Renfrow made a diving tackle and prevented Anderson from scoring. Alabama settled for a field goal on that possession. A touchdown there would have made the score 21-7.

Alabama’s defense scored a nation-leading 11 touchdowns this season, the most recent an interception return by Anderson against Washington that blew open the College Football Playoff semifinal.

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Always-colorful Clemson Coach Dabo Swinney provided the most entertaining moments of the postgame news conference when he called out a nationally syndicated talk radio host. Fox Sports Radio’s Colin Cowherd said in November that Clemson was “a fraud,” and Swinney didn’t forget.

“The guy that called us a fraud, ask Alabama if we’re a fraud,” Swinney said. “Was his name Colin Cowherd? I never met him, don’t know him. Ask Alabama if we’re a fraud. Ask Ohio State if we’re a fraud. Ask Oklahoma if we’re a fraud. The only fraud is that guy because he didn’t do his homework. I hope y’all print that.”

dylan.hernandez@latimes.com

Follow Dylan Hernandez on Twitter @dylanohernandez