NEW ORLEANS – There weren't a whole lot of fireworks at the Sugar Bowl on Monday night. Not many long runs or deep passes.

If Alabama meant to return to the College Football Playoff championship game for a third consecutive season, the Crimson Tide needed to get there the hard way, with grit and defense.

Lots of defense.

Swarming to the ball, forcing turnovers and otherwise making life miserable for top-ranked Clemson, they dominated this much-awaited CFP semifinal, 24-6, to advance to the title game against Georgia next week.

College football had been eager to see this game, a rubber match between newfound rivals who had played for the national championship the past two seasons, winning one title each.

Only once before – with USC and Ohio State in the Rose Bowl during the 1970s – had the same teams met in the postseason three-straight seasons with so much at stake.

So, even if the Sugar Bowl was upstaged by a thrilling, double-overtime finish in Pasadena, there was historic work to be done in New Orleans.

In what figured to be a low-scoring affair – both sides stood among the national leaders in numerous defensive categories – the fourth-ranked Crimson Tide were a slight favorite.

Their stingy defense, best in the nation in yards allowed, let quarterback Jalen Hurts remain patient, waiting for an opening, scrambling for 19 yards midway through the first quarter to set up a 24-yard field goal.

As the game wore on, the Crimson Tide kept pounding away with running backs Damien Harris and Bo Scarbrough, intent on playing a physical brand of football. With Clemson's vaunted defensive front softened a bit, Hurts scooted away from pressure and flipped a 12-yard touchdown pass to Calvin Ridley, widening the gap to 10-0.

How dominant was Alabama through the early going? Clemson was held to negative-7 yards in the first quarter.

The Tigers eventually found some life when their quarterback, first-year starter Kelly Bryant, darted for 20 yards and connected on a couple of passes in the second quarter.

A field goal before halftime and another early in the third quarter – after Hurts fumbled a handoff – kept the game within striking range at 10-6.

But that was when Alabama's defense shifted into another gear.

Pass rusher Anfernee Jennings hit Bryant as he threw and nose guard Da'Ron Payne intercepted the wobbly pass. A few plays later, down by the goal line, Alabama brought a host of large bodies into the game and Hurts tossed a one-yard touchdown pass to Payne, who had lined up at fullback.

Moments later, cornerback Levi Wallace tipped a Bryant pass and linebacker Mack Wilson made another interception, sprinting 18 yards for a touchdown that all but finished the game at 24-6.

The victory served as validation for the Crimson Tide.

Their loss to Auburn in the regular-season finale had kept them out of the Southeastern Conference title game and many had disagreed with the CFP selection committee's decision to send them to the playoffs ahead of Big Ten champion Ohio State.

With Clemson out of the way, Alabama now faces a title matchup against the third-ranked Bulldogs, a team that scored 54 points on No. 2 Oklahoma.

It seems the Crimson Tide defense still has some work to do.