2016 College Football Playoff National Championship
The 2016 College Football Playoff National Championship was a college football bowl game played on January 11, 2016 at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. The second College Football Playoff National Championship, the game determined a national champion of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) for the 2015 season. This was the culminating game of the 2015–16 bowl season. Sponsored by telecommunications company AT&T, the game was officially known as the 2016 College Football Playoff National Championship presented by AT&T.
| 2016 College Football Playoff National Championship presented by AT&T | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 2nd College Football Playoff National Championship | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date | January 11, 2016 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Season | 2015 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stadium | University of Phoenix Stadium | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Location | Glendale, Arizona | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MVP | Offensive: #88 TE O. J. Howard, Jr. Alabama Defensive: #4 S Eddie Jackson, Jr. Alabama | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Favorite | Alabama by 6.5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National anthem | Ciara | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Referee | Terry Leyden (Pac-12) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Halftime show | Clemson University Tiger Band Million Dollar Band | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Attendance | 75,765 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| United States TV coverage | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Network | ESPN and ESPN Radio | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Announcers | Chris Fowler (play-by-play) Kirk Herbstreit (analyst) Heather Cox and Tom Rinaldi (sideline) (ESPN) Mike Tirico, Todd Blackledge, Holly Rowe and Joe Schad (ESPN Radio) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nielsen ratings | 16.0 (26.18 million viewers) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International TV coverage | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Network | ESPN Deportes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Announcers | Lalo Varela, Pablo Viruega, Bernardo Osuna, and Carlos Nava | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
The game was played between the winners of two pre-designated semifinal bowls played on December 31, 2015: the No. 1 Clemson Tigers, who beat the No. 4 Oklahoma Sooners 37–17 at the Orange Bowl, coached by Dabo Swinney in his 8th season, and the No. 2 Alabama Crimson Tide, who shut out the No. 3 Michigan State Spartans 38–0 at the Cotton Bowl Classic, coached by Nick Saban.
The 13–1 Alabama Crimson Tide won the game, holding off the undefeated Clemson Tigers 45–40 in the fourth quarter. Accompanied by a talented receiving corps, Clemson's Heisman Finalist quarterback Deshaun Watson had a historic performance, setting the record for most total yards in national championship game history, with 478 yards (405 passing / 73 rushing) against the nation's third-ranked defense in Alabama, breaking the record previously set by Vince Young in the 2006 Rose Bowl. Following the game, the AP Poll also named Alabama as its top team of the season, giving Alabama their fourth title in seven seasons. Both Clemson and Alabama finished the season 14–1.