Alabama Will Be Ridiculously Loaded in 2019 Despite Title Game Embarrassment

Burn the tape.

Alabama will not want to remember this national championship. Clemson throttled the Crimson Tide in a comprehensive 44-16 victory, preventing Nick Saban's team from winning a repeat title.

Thanks to a 347-yard, three-touchdown effort from star freshman Trevor Lawrence, the ACC power stated its case to be college football's premier program. As the page turns to the 2019 season, the road to the national championship runs through Clemson.

But don't burn the Alabama dynasty books. This isn't over.

Flip the result in Santa Clara, California, and the prevailing narrative would be a dynasty that never dies kept thriving. One game showed Clemson's excellence; it should not diminish Alabama's shine.

While the reasons are simple, they're easily forgettable after such an ugly loss. Based on the standards Saban has set, what happened at Levi Stadium's was indefensible. The Crimson Tide had never been so thoroughly dismantled in his tenure.

And, at the same time, remember who the Tide are.

During the regular season, the lowest margin of victory was 22 points. Saban's squad overcame a fourth-quarter deficit to clip Georgia in the SEC Championship Game and then raced out to a 28-0 lead against Oklahoma in a College Football Playoff semifinal.

Through 14 games, Alabama had a single potential equal in the college football world. Until that point, only Georgia had given the Tide a 60-minute fight. They averaged 47.7 points with a mere 16.2 allowed per game prior to the national title.

Tua Tagovailoa shattered program records and was the Heisman Trophy runner-up. Three running backs combined for more than 2,000 yards and 20 touchdowns. Star wideout Jerry Jeudy won the Biletnikoff Award, and four other pass-catchers had 600-plus yards.

Clemson was up to the daunting task. That doesn't mean this will be repeated.

Don't want to believe our words? Consider those of Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables, who had to prepare a plan to counter the dynamic offense.

If you agree the championship signaled Clemson's rise past the Tide, great. Even if not, a massive gap separates these programs and the rest of the Football Bowl Subdivision until proved otherwise, and that void is only growing with every recruiting class.

Alabama is headed toward the late national signing period with the country's top-rated haul. Should the Tide finish there, it'll be the eighth No. 1 group in nine years.

That talented class will join a roster that returns a skill-position group on offense that includes Tagovailoa, Najee Harris, Jeudy, Jaylen Waddle, Henry Ruggs III and DeVonta Smith. Those are the names after the Tide likely lose Damien Harris, Josh Jacobs and Irv Smith Jr. to the NFL.

Sure, Tagovailoa had a rough day opposite Clemson. The sophomore still ended his first season as a starter with more than 4,000 total yards and 48 touchdowns. His ability to diagnose defenses should improve, and he's already one of the nation's most accurate passers.

With a quartet like Jeudy, Waddle, Ruggs and Smith on the receiving end, defenses better be playing at a Clemson level to stop Alabama. Spoiler alert: There's only one of those.

A notable concern is the offensive line, since Clemson flat-out worked that unit. Standout left tackle Jonah Williams is surely NFL-bound, while multiyear starter Ross Pierschbacher used up his eligibility. Yet the blockers otherwise thrived in 2018, and the current recruiting class includes four 4-stars and one 5-star lineman.

This offense will be elite again. That's also why this Alabama roster was especially impressive, because previous iterations often dominated without an overwhelming scoring attack.

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Make no mistake: there will be significant departures on defense. Christian Miller and Isaiah Buggs were  seniors, and any of the juniors―such as Deionte Thompson and Mack Wilson―are valued NFL prospects. They may declare for the 2019 draft.

But we know freshman Patrick Surtain II and key sophomores Dylan Moses, Xavier McKinney and LaBryan Ray will return. Any marquee junior who passes up the NFL will further boost the defense. There are the current freshmen like Eyabi Anoma who seem destined for that second-season surge.

This season, Alabama posted its lowest ranking in yards allowed per play of the past decade. The defense finished 25th―25th! Eliminate garbage-time possessions, as S&P+ does, and the Crimson Tide were 12th nationally entering the title game, per Football Outsiders.

The statistical regression it would take for Alabama to not showcase a top-tier defense is exceedingly unlikely. And, again, that will be the complementary unit next season.

For good measure, there's the motivation this embarrassment will provide. While not quantifiable, there's no doubt the Crimson Tide will be working a little bit harder all offseason in hopes of avenging this loss.

Motivation is good. Coaching is better. Talent is best. And Alabama has all three heading into 2019.

While the road to the national championship now runs through Clemson, there's still a necessary stop in Tuscaloosa.

Get ready for Round 5.

All recruiting information via 247Sports' composite. Stats from NCAA.com, cfbstats.com or B/R research. Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow Bleacher Report CFB writer David Kenyon on Twitter, @Kenyon19_BR.