2 4 - 7 ▁in ▁the ▁Pe ach ▁Bowl ▁to ▁advance ▁to ▁their ▁second ▁consecutive ▁College ▁Football ▁Play off ▁National ▁Championship ▁Game ▁in ▁T ampa , ▁Florida . ▁In ▁the ▁first - ever ▁national ▁title ▁game ▁rem atch , ▁Alabama ▁would ▁fall ▁to ▁C lem son , ▁ 3 5 - 3 1 . ▁In ▁the ▁closing ▁seconds ▁of ▁the ▁game , ▁C lem son ▁Q B ▁Des ha un ▁Watson ▁found ▁Hunter ▁Ren f row ▁for ▁a ▁two - yard ▁touch down ▁pass ▁to ▁give ▁C lem son ▁the ▁win ▁and ▁their ▁first ▁national ▁championship ▁since ▁ 1 9 8 1 . ▁The ▁loss ▁ended ▁Alabama ' s ▁ 2 6 ▁game ▁winning ▁stre ak , ▁the ▁second - long est ▁in ▁program ▁history . ▁It ▁marked ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁Nick ▁S aban ▁had ▁ever ▁lost ▁in ▁a ▁national ▁championship ▁game . ▁ ▁Fif th ▁national ▁championship ▁ ▁Alabama ▁entered ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁season ▁ranked ▁No .   1 ▁in ▁the ▁pol ls ▁once ▁again . ▁The ▁season ▁began ▁with ▁the ▁T ide ▁defe ating ▁No .   3 ▁Florida ▁State ▁ 2 4 – 7 ▁in ▁the ▁Ch ick ▁Fil a ▁K ick ▁off ▁Game ▁at ▁Mer cedes - B enz ▁Stadium ▁in ▁Atlanta . ▁Alabama ▁would ▁then ▁go ▁on ▁to ▁win ▁their ▁next ▁ten ▁games , ▁heading ▁into ▁the ▁Iron ▁Bowl ▁und efe ated ▁and ▁still ▁ranked ▁number ▁ 1 . ▁However , ▁the ▁regular ▁season ▁was ▁not ▁without ▁its ▁issues . ▁The ▁T ide ▁lost ▁several