<P> The game was broadcast in the United States by ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN Radio, with Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit as English commentators on TV, and Eduardo Varela and Pablo Viruega as Spanish commentators . In Brazil, the game was broadcast on ESPN Brazil by Everaldo Marques (play by play) and Antony Curti (color commentator). As in 2015, ESPN provided Megacast coverage of the game, which supplemented coverage with analysis and additional perspectives of the game on different ESPN channels and platforms . </P> <P> An average of 23.6 million viewers watched the game, representing a 29% decrease over the 2015 title game, which was seen by 33.4 million viewers . The game was the sixth - highest - rated broadcast in U.S. cable television history (by contrast, the 2015 game was the highest - rated), and ESPN reported that the game brought the network its third - highest overnight ratings (behind the 2010 and 2015 title games). </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th> Network </Th> <Th> Play - by - play </Th> <Th> Color commentator (s) </Th> <Th> Sideline reporter (s) </Th> <Th> Studio Host (s) </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> WFFN--FM 95.3, WDGM - FM 99.1 and Crimson Tide Sports Network (Alabama) WCCP - FM 105.5 and Clemson Tigers Sports Network (Clemson) </Td> <Td> Eli Gold Don Munson </Td> <Td> Phil Savage Rodney Williams </Td> <Td> Chris Stewart Patrick Sapp </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Th> Network </Th> <Th> Play - by - play </Th> <Th> Color commentator (s) </Th> <Th> Sideline reporter (s) </Th> <Th> Studio Host (s) </Th> </Tr>

Who played for the national championship last year