Could Alabama cap off a perfect season with yet another national title under Nick Saban? Or would Clemson turn back the mighty Crimson Tide and avenge last year's College Football Playoff National Championship loss?

We finally got the answer Monday night as Alabama's talented defense couldn't stop Heisman finalist Deshaun Watson and the Tigers when it mattered most. Watson hit Hunter Renfrow with only one second remaining for a game-winning touchdown, giving Clemson the national championship in a 35-31 win.

MORE: Alabama-Clemson box score | Officials miss targeting calls?

Sporting News provided updates all night long, so check out everything that happened below from this instant classic.

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Alabama vs. Clemson score and live updates

Final score: Clemson 35, Alabama 31

12:56 a.m. ET — So this Watson tweet from 2012... good call.

If I get a chance to play in a national championship game, Imma go ham. — Deshaun Watson (@DeshaunWatson4) February 5, 2012

12:28 a.m. ET — CLEMSON WINS! The Tigers legally recover the onside kick, and Watson takes a knee to end it. Unbelievable game. Clemson reigns supreme in the college football world.

12:24 a.m. ET — Clemson goes for an onside kick to kill the last second on the clock. The play is under review to determine if the ball traveled 10 yards.

12:20 a.m. ET — TOUCHDOWN TIGERS! Watson hits Renfrow with ONE SECOND LEFT. Clemson takes a 35-31 lead.

G A M E WI N N E R #NationalChampionship pic.twitter.com/vwHpIwVvHs — C.J. Holmes (@_ceejay22au) January 10, 2017

12:17 a.m. ET — Leggett redeems himself! He goes full extension to make the catch inside the Alabama 10-yard line. Only 14 seconds left. Timeout Clemson.

12:10 a.m. ET — Hurts takes it to the house! Alabama wastes no time as Hurts scrambles for a 30-yard touchdown run. What a strong response. Alabama 31, Clemson 28 after the extra point. We've got 2:07 on the clock. Holy cow. Everyone stay calm. KEEP YOUR COMPOSURE!

12:05 a.m. ET — Tigers take the lead! Clemson's Wayne Gallman dives for a one-yard score. Extra point is good. Clemson 28, Alabama 24. Hurts takes the ball with 4:38 remaining. Oh boy.

12:02 a.m. ET — Alabama goes three and out. Crisis averted. Clemson takes a drive deep into Crimson Tide territory thanks to an incredible catch by Mike Williams.

11:53 p.m. ET — Watson finds Leggett for a crucial first down on a third-and-ten play, but Leggett sees the ball slip right through his hands. That could be big. Alabama gets the ball back with 7:30 left to go.

11:42 p.m. ET — We saw consecutive touchdown drives for the first time this game spanning across the third and fourth quarters, but then Alabama and Clemson got back to trading punts. Hurts and the Crimson Tide offense will start a fresh drive from their own 40-yard line with 10:30 remaining in the game.

11:28 p.m. ET — And the Tigers come right back! Watson hits Mike Williams for a short touchdown pass in the corner of the end zone. Alabama 24, Clemson 21 after the extra point.

11:25 p.m. ET — Clemson begins the third quarter at the Alabama 8-yard line looking to respond after Howard's score. Here we go. Final quarter of the season.

End of the third quarter: Alabama 24, Clemson 14

11:15 p.m. ET — Alabama has an answer! Jalen Hurts finds O.J. Howard on a blown coverage for a 68-yard touchdown catch. After the extra point, it's Alabama 24, Clemson 14. Howard was wiiiiide open.

11:10 p.m. ET — Watson thought he had a first down here. Then, he turned into a helicopter. He didn't make it.

10:56 p.m. ET — Clemson touchdown! Watson hits Renfrow on a short pass across the middle of the field, and Renfrow takes it all the way for a 24-yard touchdown. Tack on the extra point, and now things are getting very interesting. Alabama 17, Clemson 14.

10:53 p.m. ET — Scott had some solid punts in the first half. This one... not so much. Scott sends one only 30 yards out of bounds, and Clemson takes over with a little more than eight minutes to go in the third quarter on Alabama's side of the field.

10:33 p.m. ET — Clemson's defense stands strong and forces Alabama to settle for a field goal. Adam Griffith knocks the 27-yard kick through the uprights. Alabama 17, Clemson 7.

10:29 p.m. ET — Fumble! Ryan Anderson forces the fumble and picks it up to put Alabama in the red zone. Another big recovery by Anderson gives him the Crimson Tide's WWE-style belt for making the big play.

Ryan Anderson doesn't want to give up the championship belt pic.twitter.com/Sx9V0KLSvz — Dr. Saturday (@YahooDrSaturday) January 10, 2017

10:27 p.m. ET — Clemson gets the ball to start the second half. C.J. Fuller takes it back to Clemson's 27-yard line.

Halftime: Alabama 14, Clemson 7

10:03 p.m. ET — Lane Kiffin sweatpants sighting!

10:01 p.m. ET — Clemson can't do anything with the drive, and the Tigers punt. Alabama can't do anything in the final 30 seconds, so Saban is content to take a lead into the locker room. Everyone take a deep breath. One more half to go.

9:55 p.m. ET — Alabama punter JK Scott once again pinned Clemson deep, but Watson hits Hunter Renfrow on a deep out near the 30-yard line to keep the two-minute drill going.

9:49 p.m. ET — Consecutive punts slow down the momentum after the Tigers scored. The Crimson Tide starts a new drive at its own 38-yard line with 2:20 to go in the first half.

9:39 p.m. ET — Clemson answers! Watson hits Deon Cain for a 44-yard gain, then finds Jordan Leggett down the seam to put Clemson in the red zone. Watson finishes off an impressive drive with an eight-yard touchdown run. The extra point is good, and we have a game. Alabama 14, Clemson 7 with 6:09 remaining in the second quarter.

9:22 p.m. ET — It's Scarbrough again! The Crimson Tide running back rumbles for a 37-yard touchdown run. The extra point is good, and Alabama is up 14-0. Scarbrough has 71 yards and two touchdowns on only eight carries. Basically, it looks like this.

These Bo Scarbrough highlights are RIDICULOUS pic.twitter.com/Dxeb5ibLYI — CBS Sports (@CBSSports) January 10, 2017

OK, here's the actual run.

9:19 p.m. ET — Clemson punts again. So that Alabama defense is pretty good, huh?

Clemson is averaging 3 yards per play. Alabama came into game allowing nation-low 3.86. — Pat Forde (@YahooForde) January 10, 2017

End of the first quarter: Alabama 7, Clemson 0

9:02 p.m. ET — Clemson's defense holds after the fumble, but Alabama pins Clemson on the one-yard line with beautiful punt coverage.

8:59 p.m. ET — Turnover! Watson fumbles a low snap, and Alabama linebacker Ryan Anderson is there to scoop it up. Alabama takes over in Clemson territory.

8:55 p.m. ET — After back-to-back drives stalled, Alabama is forced to punt with under three minutes to go in the first quarter. Clemson's Tanner Muse partially blocks the punt, but the ball still manages to roll about 25 yards. Clemson takes over down 7-0 with the ball near midfield. This could be the break the Tigers' offense needs to get rolling.

8:35 p.m. ET — Touchdown Alabama! Bo Scarbrough takes it 25 yards to the end zone, and the extra point is good for a 7-0 Crimson Tide lead.

8:31 p.m. ET — The Crimson Tide defense holds. Clemson comes up well short on an option play. Turnover on downs.

8:28 p.m. ET — With 10:27 left in the first quarter, Clemson takes a timeout. The Tigers face a fourth-and-one situation near midfield. Swinney has to make his first tough decision of the evening.

8:23 p.m. ET — Alabama goes three and out in a hurry, and it's Watson's turn now from Clemson's 22-yard line.

8:20 p.m. ET — Clemson wins the coin toss and defers. Alabama receives and will start the opening drive from its own 25-yard line.

8:13 p.m. ET — Clemson LB Ben Boulware is here to pump you up.

7:59 p.m. ET — Kickoff is nearly here, and the confetti cannons are ready to go. Let's have some fun.