"Crimson Champions" 18" x 24" Giclée

The University of Alabama's football heritage runs deep. From the 1926 Rose Bowl win over the University of Washington to become the best team in the country to the most recent January 9th, 2016 College Football Playoff National Championship win over Clemson University, the Crimson Tide has established a legacy of champions.

Football dynasties and winning streaks have been officially charted since the beginning of the Associated Press Poll in 1936, and the list of schools that have attained royal status in college football is legendary. After closely examining and evaluating the history of the elite college football programs in America, “Braves and Birds” writer Michael Bird found that the greatest college football winning streaks of “3 national championships in 7 years” belong to Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant and Coach Nick Saban. Each of the coaches had these significant winning streaks while coaching at the University of Alabama. Additionally, of all the illustrious teams and coaches of the BCS and College Football Playoff eras, only Nick Saban and the University of Alabama Crimson Tide has reached that elusive and exclusive milestone of “3 national championships in 7 years.”

Crimson Champions portrays the dramatic win with a score of 45 to 40 of the Crimson Tide over the Clemson Tigers in the January 9, 2016, College Football Playoff Championship. The image captures the first touchdown run of fifty yards by Heisman Trophy-winning running back, Derrick Henry, as he put Alabama ahead of Clemson 7-0 in the first quarter. This play was representative of the outcome and set the tone for the Crimson Tide for the rest of the game. With Henry's touchdown, the die was cast for the remainder of the championship to be a battle of power offense, big plays, overpowering defense, and special teams scoring by Alabama. This image captures Henry's touchdown run and depicts the great blocking of the offense led by Offensive Player of the Game, TE, O.J. Howard (#88) and OL, Dominick Jackson (#76), Alphonse Taylor (#50) and C, Ryan Kelly (#70). Unseen linemen who were also instrumental in creating this running hole for Henry were Ross Pierschbacher (#71) and Cam Robinson (#74). Pierschbacher had pushed his man to the ground and Robinson had driven his man down the field and out of the play. In the backfield you can see, QB, Jake Coker (#14) after handing the ball off to Henry. Coker threw bombs on Clemson at significant times throughout the game.

Another big play in the first half was Eddie Jackson's second quarter interception and return that led to Henry scoring another touchdown. In the second half Howard caught three passes for over 50 yards per catch that led to two touchdowns on his way to amassing 208 yards receiving on five receptions. Kicker Adam Griffith added field goal and extra point kicks to the score and then, in the fourth quarter, accomplished the amazing feat of a perfect onside pooch kick that was caught in the air by DB, Marlon Humphrey. This precise onside pooch kick kept the game momentum going for Alabama. The stout Bama defense, ranked third overall in the country, stopped Clemson on several critical scoring drives leading to field goal attempts or punts. Alabama’s powerful defense stopped them from making a two point conversion in the 4th quarter preventing a tie ballgame. Heisman Henry iced the victory on a third down and one-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. The Tide sealed the victory with the recovery of an onside kick by the Tigers late in the fourth quarter. Stretching for the end zone pylon in the mid-ground of the painting is RB, Kenyon Drake (#17) as he reaches for a TD after running back a 95-yard kickoff return.
In the background you see Coach Saban as he watches over “The Process” of his teams play and this great Crimson Tide Playoff National Championship victory. Also on the sideline are players from the great recruiting classes that Saban and his coaches have brought to Alabama. The players of this Nick Saban-coached football team wear Crimson, as have the other Alabama champions that played before them. The University of Alabama football history is long and rich, filled with Crimson Champions.