Deshaun Watson puts Clemson on the board with silky-smooth TD run (video)

Deshaun Watson bailed his Clemson Tigers out Monday night in the College Football Playoff National Championship game against the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Down 14-0 and in risk of falling even deeper into a hole ahead of halftime, the Tigers clawed their way back into the game as Watson broke free for a high-effort rushing score.

Chat Sports caught the epic run:

Deshaun Watson beats the Alabama defense to the corner and puts #Clemson on the board! #NationalChampionship #CLEMvsBAMA pic.twitter.com/reAe0zFyF1

— Chat Sports (@ChatSports) January 10, 2017

Clemson needed the score in a big way, to say the least.

And if one had had to guess before the game, Watson actually doing this didn’t seem likely. Just look at a note by ESPN Stats & Info:

Deshaun Watson’s touchdown was the first rushing TD Alabama has allowed to a quarterback this season.

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) January 10, 2017

Thanks to the score, Clemson only entered the half down seven points. Things otherwise looked encouraging—Watson had passed for 153 yards while his counterpart, Jalen Hurts, managed all of 40 yards through the air.

The Tigers desperately needed Watson to step up as a runner and help control the clock, though. Alabama has run roughshod all over the Tigers, tallying 143 yards and two touchdowns on the ground by halftime. With Alabama tightening its grip through the air, Watson needed to break out some of the versatility that gave the Crimson Tide fits in last year’s title game.

Also like last year, Watson’s ability to put Clemson on his back will once again decide a title game.