SANTA CLARA, Calif — Clemson won its second national championship in three years with one of the most dominating performances ever over top-ranked Alabama.

Led by true freshman quarterback Trevor Lawrence and a defense that recorded two interceptions and played lights out in the red zone, the second-ranked Tigers rolled the Crimson Tide, 44-16, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.

It was Alabama’s worst loss in a bowl game since losing to Oklahoma in the 2014 Sugar Bowl.

Lawrence threw three touchdown passes and never looked phased by the Alabama defense. He threw touchdown passes to three different players, including a 74-yard toss to fellow freshman Justyn Ross.

The Tigers left no doubt they are the best team in college football in 2018, while becoming the first team in major college football to go 15-0 since Penn did it in 1897.

Lawrence finished 20-of-32 for 347 yards and three touchdowns to earn MVP honors, while Justyn Ross caught six passes for 153 yards.

A.J. Terrell got things going with a 44-yard interception return for a touchdown after jumping the route.

After Alabama tied the game with a 62-yard Tua Tagovailoa to Jerry Jeudy touchdown, Lawrence responded with a 62-yard pass to Tee Higgins, which set Travis Etienne, who took a hand off on the next play and bounced it outside for a 17-yard touchdown. That gave Clemson a 14-7 lead with 10:35 to play in the first quarter.

Alabama (14-1) rallied to take a 16-14 lead with a Tagovailoa 1-yard touchdown pass to Hale Hentges and a 25-yard Joseph Bulovas field goal with 14:18 to play in the second quarter.

The Tigers then proceeded to score on their next five possessions, while outscoring the Tide 30-0 the rest of the game.

Etienne, who rushed for 86 yards and scored three touchdowns, scored on a 1-yard run with 11:38 to play in the first half gave the Tigers the lead for good.

Lawrence then threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Etienne, while Huegel added a 36-yard field goal as Clemson led 31-16 at halftime.

In the second half, the Tigers sniffed out an Alabama fake punt and then Lawrence found Ross for a 74-yard touchdown. Higgins got a 5-yard touchdown pass on the next Clemson possession.

While the offense was rolling the defense gave up yards Tagovailoa, but on three straight possessions Clemson’s defense turned the Tide over on downs deep in Tiger territory and twice near the goal line.