Dominate the Super Bowl

The final battle begins!

Before the game, the analysis from those experts, those fans, and those betting odds did make sense:

The Alabama Crimson Tide Storm and the Clemson Tigers truly were the two teams with the best overall strength and competitive condition in the NCAA at the moment. They thoroughly deserved their spots in the nationwide championship final, and both teams were ready to ascend the champion's throne.

There was no warm-up, no hesitation; from the start, the game got on the right track.

The first wave of offense and defense saw the Alabama Crimson Tide Storm attacking and the Clemson Tigers defending.

Clemson Tigers head coach Sweeney understood defending was not his team's strength. Plus, this season's common problem faced by all teams battling the Alabama Crimson Tide Storm was how to limit the running back group led by Li Wei, a problem the Clemson Tigers defense team likely couldn't avoid either.

However, this did not mean the Clemson Tigers gave up on defense completely.

In fact, Sweeney also made strategic adjustments, actively adopting the defensive tactics from Louisiana State University and modifying them according to their situation.

The Clemson Tigers implemented a "4-3" formation, which, thanks to the presence of four defensive linemen, often allowed them to exert more pressure on the front and disrupt the quarterback through rushing, but today Sweeney changed the strategy.

The work of pressuring from the front line and rushing was still essential; but the specific strategy shifted slightly—they didn't seek to sack the quarterback but maintained enough pressure at the front to disrupt the Alabama Crimson Tide Storm's seamless transition between passing and running, creating some chaos.

At the same time, they were not in a hurry to step up; not rushing to engage in man-to-man defense right away but instead transformed their defense into a series of staggered gates. Each gate had a slight adjustment space in front, waiting for the opponents to decide on their offensive tactic before they made specific defensive moves.

What does that mean?

Simply put, Sweeney knew defense was not his strength, so he didn't aim for immediate close-range defense or to cut off the offense right away, whether it was a pass or a run. They were willing to let go of some yards, then block and cut off, relying on a series of gates to coordinate aid, using the time difference to accumulate a numerical advantage and stop the offense.

While this method was somewhat inelegant, and almost always conceded yards, at least it didn't lead to major errors nor did it fail by overly focusing on defending passes or runs, risking defensive gaps as the University of Washington had in their last game by being too aggressive and risky.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

The goal of defense was to wear out, confront, and delay, gradually weakening the offensive power of the Alabama Crimson Tide Storm bit by bit.

This strategy was indeed special.

It could be understood in this way: Sweeney believed they couldn't prevent the Alabama Crimson Tide Storm from reaching the end zone or scoring, but he made the process drag out, continuously draining the opponent's energy and stamina, undermining the explosive power of the Alabama Crimson Tide Storm's offense, and dragging the game into a war of attrition.

Starting from the very first defensive wave of the match, it was clear they really came prepared.

Ever since the massive reversal at the spring training camp, Sweeney had been studying strategies and layouts and carrying out relevant training. Now, finally awaiting this moment, he immediately put them to use and saw visible effects.

In fact, the effects were quite good—

Both Hertz and Li Wei, seemingly lost in Mount Lu, momentarily unable to see the forest for the trees, could faintly sense a kind of sluggishness.

Whether passing or running, although the advancement was still smooth, the yards gained each time were quite fragmented, unable to come together cohesively or produce explosive power, necessitating a grounded approach to the battle for position.

After all, Saban's offensive strategies were not known for being flashy.

In the first wave of offense and defense, the Alabama Crimson Tide Storm took six minutes and thirty-nine seconds, finally relying on a two-yard run by Li Wei near the end zone to score.

It was tough, indeed very tough.

But looking at it from another angle, the Alabama Crimson Tide Storm Offensive group had been in control of the ball, firmly keeping Watson to the sidelines as a spectator, and Clemson Tiger's strategy also relied on sacrificing their offensive time; plus, the Crimson Tide Storm eventually still managed to score, so the advantage still lay in the hands of the defending champions.

The second wave of offense and defense began, with Clemson Tigers on the offense and Alabama Crimson Tide Storm on defense.

This time, it turned into Watson's solo performance.

Clearly, Watson had been waiting for this moment.

Generally, quarterbacks need to release the ball quickly because the longer they hold onto it, the higher the risk becomes of the defensive line breaking through and sacking the quarterback, whether it's a pass or a quarterback's own rush.

But Watson was very bold, deliberately increasing his holding time, luring the enemy deeper, and then relying on his agile and lightweight footsteps to walk on a tightrope, looking for opportunities to pass the ball.

When the Alabama Crimson Tide Storm's defensive line broke through the pocket, short and medium passing areas tended to be empty, and Watson danced dangerously on the blade's edge to find pass spaces.

When the Alabama Crimson Tide Storm applied pressure without breaking through, Watson simply took advantage of the ample time and space to attempt long passes, striking deep into the backfield because the backfield usually involved one-on-one matchups between wide receivers and safeties, with the defense less dense than in the short pass areas.

Undoubtedly, Watson was bold, even crazy; and indeed, he truly showcased his passing abilities as a quarterback—

Short pass. Medium pass. Long pass. He displayed an impressive accuracy.

It reminded people of Watson's words before the game, where he said he was ready to prove whether he was a running back or a quarterback, he wasn't afraid to pass, and he made full use of his footwork to create passing opportunities.

It must be said, a top-tier quarterback can indeed change the game. In college-level matches where offensive and defensive tactics are relatively less complex, the physical superiority of a quarterback further stands out. Watson seized the opportunity to turn this nationwide championship game into his own stage, presenting his credentials to all NFL teams.

The Alabama Crimson Tide Storm's defense indeed faced a stern test.

Watson, coming fiercely—

In four minutes and seventeen seconds, Watson again used his footwork to run out of the pocket, attracting a large defensive force, and then threw a twelve-yard pass to Clemson Tigers' top wide receiver, Mike Williams.

This talented receiver, widely regarded as having first-round pick potential, got the best of cornerback Humphrey, caught the football, and spun into the end zone.

Touchdown!

Despite the danger, despite the thrill, and although Watson continually flirted with disaster, eventually, the Clemson Tigers still ended their first offensive wave with a touchdown, striking back with no less force.

"7:7".

As expected, it lived up to everyone's expectations!

Before the game, people had anticipated that it would be an exciting match; and now, both teams genuinely exhibited a Huashan Swordsmanship Meeting attitude, sparking intensely from the very start, launching into attacks without giving an inch.

The excitement had indeed taken center stage.