The 2017 National Championship Game delivered with an incredible finish between Clemson and Alabama. USC football players past and present were definitely watching.
After the heroics in the 2017 Rose Bowl, it was hard to believe that another college football game could match up but Clemson and Alabama were up to the challenge.
The Tigers ultimately raised the championship trophy, beating the Crimson Tide 35-31 on a last-second touchdown pass.
Here’s a look at how USC football players reacted to the action from start to finish…
Pregame predictions:
24-7 bama
— Justin Davis (@JD_22bsm) January 10, 2017
I got Clemson. #Underdogs ??
— Jahleel Pinner (@YesItsMe_JP) January 10, 2017
This game about to be lit ???? good luck to my guys tonight
— Adoree' Jackson (@AdoreeKnows) January 10, 2017
On Steve Sarkisian as Alabama’s offensive coordinator:
Y'all see my guy Sark though !!!
— Adoree' Jackson (@AdoreeKnows) January 10, 2017
On the shot to the head Deshawun Watson took without a targeting call:
Cam Smith got ejected for something way less than that in the rose bowl game... but I'll just sit here and not say nothing pic.twitter.com/BlrluC70J4
— Zach Banner (@ZBNFL) January 10, 2017
The non call helmet to helmet that just happened was literally 10 times worse than the ejection play in the rose bowl.
— Alex Holmes (@Trojan81) January 10, 2017
On Alabama stopping Clemson short on fourth-and-one:
Good play by the bro Tony .
— Adoree' Jackson (@AdoreeKnows) January 10, 2017
Punt the rock Clemson ?
— Ajene Harris ? (@ajeneharris) January 10, 2017
On Bo Scarbrough’s first touchdown run:
That man Bo running like a freight train ?
— Adoree' Jackson (@AdoreeKnows) January 10, 2017
On Alabama’s defense:
Bama jumped on that ball so fast ?
— Justin Davis (@JD_22bsm) January 10, 2017
On the commercials:
Yeah!!! A new cars movie ???
— Adoree' Jackson (@AdoreeKnows) January 10, 2017
On Scarbrough’s second touchdown:
There goes that freight train again lmao
— Adoree' Jackson (@AdoreeKnows) January 10, 2017
My mans Ridley out there with the lead block though
— Adoree' Jackson (@AdoreeKnows) January 10, 2017
After Scarbrough’s run:
Over
— Tony Boselli (@TonyBoselli) January 10, 2017
Game
— Michael Hutchings (@CaliHutch_17) January 10, 2017
This game is about to be an extension of Wild Card weekend.
— Tony Boselli (@TonyBoselli) January 10, 2017
Yup. Best def on college planet https://t.co/mXghz1wkVM
— Sean Salisbury (@SeanUnfiltered) January 10, 2017
On Alabama’s running back recruiting:
How did Bama find another Derrick Henry, i mean literally a double.. HOW ?
— Dion Bailey (@dbailey_18) January 10, 2017
On the broadcast team:
The word "Smedium" just died a horrible death on live television....#CFBPlayoff
— Dominique Byrd (@TheRealDByrd) January 10, 2017
After Clemson’s third quarter touchdown to make it 17-14:
My wife “Clemson is the team with the weird…sticking things in people’s butts”
— Alex Holmes (@Trojan81) January 10, 2017
On the game at 17-14:
This is a good game ?
— Uchenna Nwosu ?? (@UchennaN_42) January 10, 2017
On Reuben Foster’s third down stop of Watson, helicopter style:
Reuben Foster is what you want at middle backer, savage.
— Taylor McNamara (@tmcnamara88) January 10, 2017
I've been hit by Reuben before not fun at all
— Justin Davis (@JD_22bsm) January 10, 2017
On O.J. Howard’s long touchdown:
Perfect play call
— Alex Holmes (@Trojan81) January 10, 2017
Oj Howard love that fake block route lol he stay getting teams with that
— Adoree' Jackson (@AdoreeKnows) January 10, 2017
On pass interference on a long Clemson attempt:
I say good Defense
— Adoree' Jackson (@AdoreeKnows) January 10, 2017
On buff ref:
Anybody else want this ref to be their lifting buddy? His old self might out do me on arm day! ? pic.twitter.com/hKwB8khKyo
— Zach Banner (@ZBNFL) January 10, 2017
On predicting the outcome in the fourth quarter:
Who y'all got? #NationalChampionship
— JuJu Smith-Schuster (@TeamJuJu) January 10, 2017
On Hunter Renfro in the fourth quarter:
Hunter Renfrow is a real scrappy, hard working, gritty, maximum effort kind of player.
— Taylor McNamara (@tmcnamara88) January 10, 2017
On Deshaun Watson heading into the final minutes:
On Alabama’s comeback chances:
Can bama pull one of our moments ?
— MIAMI PIE (@youngpie_1) January 10, 2017
Bama needs Sam Darnold right now
— Justin Davis (@JD_22bsm) January 10, 2017
On Alabama’s ArDarius Stewart’s trick play:
Ooooooo and he can pass ??
— Adoree' Jackson (@AdoreeKnows) January 10, 2017
On Jalen Hurts’ go-back-ahead touchdown:
Wow
— Uchenna Nwosu ?? (@UchennaN_42) January 10, 2017
Wow ???
— Marc Tyler (@M_Tyler26) January 10, 2017
This game crazy !!!
— Adoree' Jackson (@AdoreeKnows) January 10, 2017
That's the game folks ??
— MIAMI PIE (@youngpie_1) January 10, 2017
Clemson dline exhausted. Could barely line up
— Alex Holmes (@Trojan81) January 10, 2017
On Mike Williams’ big catch on Clemson’s final drive:
Oh Mike said he not playing
— Adoree' Jackson (@AdoreeKnows) January 10, 2017
Mike Williams not playin out here!! ??
— JuJu Smith-Schuster (@TeamJuJu) January 10, 2017
On Clemson clock management:
What are they saving their timeouts for ot? Terrible
— Marc Tyler (@M_Tyler26) January 10, 2017
What r they doing. Play to win
— Alex Holmes (@Trojan81) January 10, 2017
On Clemson’s final play selection:
Throw the fade to Williams!!!
— Marc Tyler (@M_Tyler26) January 10, 2017
Pick play coming.
— Alex Holmes (@Trojan81) January 10, 2017
I've been in this situation before on madden and have become victorious ! But this is not madden lol
— Adoree' Jackson (@AdoreeKnows) January 10, 2017
On Rose Bowl comparisons:
This is giving me more anxiety than the rose bowl
— Michael Hutchings (@CaliHutch_17) January 10, 2017
On CLemson’s game-winning touchdown and the win:
Game .
— Uchenna Nwosu ?? (@UchennaN_42) January 10, 2017
CLEMSON. That was a game people. A real game.
— Dominique Byrd (@TheRealDByrd) January 10, 2017
Another sure handed gritty catch by Renfrow to seal the deal. Incredible game!
— Taylor McNamara (@tmcnamara88) January 10, 2017
The whole Clemson squad got ice in their veins ❄️?
— Chris Hawkins (@CHawk_4) January 10, 2017
No way!!!
— JuJu Smith-Schuster (@TeamJuJu) January 10, 2017
Now that's a classic!
— Michael Hutchings (@CaliHutch_17) January 10, 2017
Shoutout to these Clemson boys doin they thang!
— JuJu Smith-Schuster (@TeamJuJu) January 10, 2017
Them pick routes no joke boy
— Adoree' Jackson (@AdoreeKnows) January 10, 2017
"I'm on my King James" S/O to Watson #ALLIN
— C.J. Pollard (@CJPollard1) January 10, 2017
Deshaun Watson was not loosing this game, #Clemson has earned this #NationalChampionship #CFBPlayoff
— Kris Albarado✌️ (@Albarado19) January 10, 2017
What a wild finish!!! Hard to top this #CFBPlayoff
— Matt Barkley (@MattBarkley) January 10, 2017
USC won the Rose Bowl and Alabama lost the National Championship....it's not how you start it's how you finish!!!
— Kevin Greene (@KevinGreene81) January 10, 2017
Deshaun Watson cold for those drives man...
— JuJu Smith-Schuster (@TeamJuJu) January 10, 2017
Thank you #Clemson
— Soma Vainuku (@somavainuku) January 10, 2017
Hunter Renfrow better get that game ball
— Justin Davis (@JD_22bsm) January 10, 2017
Hope somebody on Clemson yells "Anything is Possible"
— Adoree' Jackson (@AdoreeKnows) January 10, 2017
Would've been awesome to see SC and Penn St. get the playoff go, Wouldv'e been a treat for college football fans! Great final game tho!!
— Dion Bailey (@dbailey_18) January 10, 2017
Wow what a way to end the college football season. Congrats to the coaches and players of @ClemsonFB #CFBChampionship
— Chad Wheeler (@ChadWheeler72) January 10, 2017
On next season…
Motivation!!!
— Chris Hawkins (@CHawk_4) January 10, 2017
USC we there next year get ready!!! #fighton
— Marc Tyler (@M_Tyler26) January 10, 2017
Well goodnight ??!
— Darreus Rogers (@DROG_UNO) January 10, 2017
That's SC celebrating next season ???
— JuJu Smith-Schuster (@TeamJuJu) January 10, 2017
Well im bout to eat my Benihana leftovers so I'll catch y'all on the flip lol stay blessed and have a good night! Love y'all
— Adoree' Jackson (@AdoreeKnows) January 10, 2017