Excerpt from ESPN's First Take, Tues morning...

Jan 9, 2019, 6:56 AM

I tried to capture the moment as best I could.

Matt Kellerman -

It's one thing for them to lose, I though it was possible. If Trevor Lawrence wasn't a true freshman I would have taken Clemson. I thought this was the year he has a good show like Deshaun Watson did and then next year he comes back and gets them. So it's what, they could possibly win but to kick their teeth in!? To kick their teeth in!?!

Question by host, 'Is it fair to say Clemson is stealing the torch from Bama, Marcus?

Marcus- " That seems to be next...ablaabla abla... and won 6 titles...Nick Saban just won the NC last year...Let's pump he brakes a minute."

Matt - 'I'm not pumping nothing, I'm not pumping the brakes at all. I'm putting the pedal to the metal. Let me tell everybody something right now. That was, as I told you before the game, has a chance to be an era altering game. One game has already altered our perception of this entire era and I will explain.

This was so thoroughly the Alabama era because as you mentioned, ah, ah, ah, Nick Saban is still the best coach, greatest college football coach of all time...all those things. But this era was so thoroughly Alabama because from week one every single week since preseason they're the best team, they stay the best team all season and if anyone happens to beat them for a title once in a blue moon that is an upset but Alabama is going to be right back there the following season, right?

So this is so thoroughly Alabama's era as it's been any era for any team in any sport college or pro (short pause) And then, suddenly, last night (short pause), something happened where a year from now guys, a year from now, we may realize, oh wait a minute. This was the Clemson era all along.

Oh wait, don't forget, they are returning their true freshman and underclassmen essentially, [Marcus interjects with 'OOOHHH.'} underclassmen. Remember, those are young players essentially. And the reason I say all along guys, is what changed five years ago? What difference has there been in college football? The Playoff. Since the advent of the college football Playoff, Clemson has won as many titles as Alabama, since the advent of the playoff.

If they take a lead 3-2 next year, particularly if it's head to head, we will realize that the playoff era so far has been the story of NOT ALABAMA but of Clemson. That is an era defining win, certainly an altering win last night."

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Excerpt from ESPN's First Take, Tues morning...

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