Watson 1 win away from delivering on last season's promise

Three hundred and twenty-seven days ago, Deshaun Watson promised he'd be back.

Clemson had just lost in the national championship game, and a number of pending NFL departures loomed over the Tigers, but Watson vowed he wouldn't be denied, nonetheless.

"I love my teammates, love my brothers, and you'll see us in Tampa next year," he told reporters in Glendale, Ariz., after the 45-40 defeat to Alabama.

Three hundred and twenty-seven days later, the number of victories standing between Watson and Tampa, the site of this year's title game, is down to one. It won't be a particularly easy one, as Ohio State is sitting in the pathway.

The ride for Watson and the Tigers this year hasn't always been smooth. Watson struggled with turnovers, while Clemson had to grind out wins over the likes of Troy and NC State. A loss to Pitt on Nov. 13 seriously jeopardized the Tigers' playoff chances.

But at the end of the day, a 12-1 season and another ACC title was enough to give Watson and his brothers a shot to make good on the quarterback's pledge from 327 days ago.