College Football Championship 2019: Top Breakout Stars from Alabama vs. Clemson

The Clemson Tigers met the Alabama Crimson Tide in the College Football Playoff national championship game for the third time in four years, and Dabo Swinney's team was not the least bit intimidated by Bama's favorite status.

Clemson dominated on Monday and earned a 44-16 victory against Nick Saban and the Tide.

The Tigers (15-0) clearly had no interest in helping the Crimson Tide (14-1) build on its legacy. They simply beat them significantly on both sides of the line of scrimmage for four quarters.

Look at that score again, because Clemson did not beat an ACC opponent or even a team like Ohio State or Oklahoma. They took apart mighty Alabama by four touchdowns.

The Tigers have won two of three title games against the Crimson Tide. Alabama won one championship game in 2016 and also defeated Clemson in a 2018 semifinal playoff game.

Clemson was jubilant after its momentous triumph. "We're 15-0, we beat the best team ever; nobody's taking that away from us," Clemson All-America defensive tackle Christian Wilkins told reporters.

The Tigers' stars on offense and defense asserted themselves in a brilliant way in this game. However, Trevor Lawrence, the offensive player of the game, is not a breakout star based on this game alone. The freshman had gained star status based on his play all season, and he is clearly a remarkable player as a 19-year-old.

However, Lawrence enhanced his status with his numbers and his overall play. The Tennessee native completed 20 of 32 passes for 347 yards and three touchdowns and no interceptions. The 6'6", 215-pounder was calm at the start, took advantage of holes in Alabama's coverage and stayed focused throughout. His demeanor may be his best attribute, because he is not intimidated by the moment or the opponent.

So, we're not calling him a breakout star. But he is a breakout superstar and is quite likely the favorite for the 2019 Heisman Trophy in his sophomore season.

Freshman wide receiver Justyn Ross had a huge game and was one of the most dangerous players on the field. Ross is an explosive player who came into the game as the Tigers' fourth-leading receiver in terms of receptions.

But it was clear he was not the fourth-best Clemson wideout at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California. He was the best one as he used his speed, balance, hands and ability to fight for the ball to make a slew of big plays.

Ross, a 6'4", 205-pound star from Phenix City, Alabama, caught six passes from Lawrence for 159 yards, including a 74-yard TD pass early in the third quarter that basically put the game away for Clemson.

Star running back Travis Etienne had a good game for the Tigers but not a dominant one from a statistical perspective. He rushed for 86 yards and two touchdowns and also caught a five-yard touchdown.

However, Etienne is a brilliant running back and was a star long before this game.

On the defensive side, it's hard to top the performance of cornerback Trayvon Mullen. The junior came into the game with 31 tackles, three tackles for loss, four passes defensed and no interceptions. Mullen had a huge game with six tackles, a sack, a tackle for loss, an interception and a forced fumble.

Mullen was not the only Clemson defensive back to to have a breakout game. Fellow cornerback A.J. Terrell picked off Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa on the Tide's first possession and took the ball 44 yards for a pick-six on a play that sent shock waves down the Alabama sidelines. 

Clemson took a quick 7-0 lead with that play, and while Alabama came back and took a 16-14 lead in the first half, it was clear that the Tigers' cornerback duo was well-prepared for the Alabama passing game.

Linebacker Tre Lamar has been one of Clemson's top tacklers all season, and he stepped it up to a starring level in the national title game. Lamar registered six tackles, including five of the solo variety.

While players like Ross, Mullen, Terrell and Lamar had breakout performances, it was a remarkable team effort for a team that stole the thunder from Alabama and earned the national title.