Highest Scoring National Championship Games
Clemson and Alabama put up a combined 85 points in the 2016 national championship game in Glendale, Ariz., in the highest scoring national title game in history.
The No. 2 Crimson Tide took down No. Clemson, 45–40 for Nick Saban's fourth national title in Tuscaloosa, Ala. In the next year's rematch game, they played another incredibly high scoring game, combining for 66 points as the Tigers redeemed themselves for 2016's loss.
A hanful of other teams have made their mark in history with shootout style national championship games. We've rounded up a list of the highest scoring showdowns to take place in college football. (Note: This list only includes games from the BCS and College Football Playoff eras.)
Here are the top five highest scoring national championship contests:
1. Jan. 11, 2016: Alabama beat Clemson, 45–40
Combined points: 85
2. Jan. 4, 2006: Texas beat USC, 41–38
Combined points: 79
3. Jan. 4, 2000: Florida State beat Virginia Tech, 46–29
Combined points: 75
4. Jan. 4, 2005: USC beat Oklahoma, 55–19
Combined points: 74
5. Jan. 9, 2017: Clemson beat Alabama, 35–31
Combined points: 66
