MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The end of the college football season began with a scene that would have looked bizarre 12 months ago — and will likely appear just as strange looking back years from now — but seemed entirely unremarkable Monday night.

Alabama coach Nick Saban and Ohio State coach Ryan Day met on the field during pregame warmups with their faces covered by protective black masks.

Alabama eventually took control of the game behind the play of quarterback Mac Jones and Heisman Trophy-winning receiver DeVonta Smith.

Jones completed 36 of 45 passes for 454 yards while Smith had 12 catches for 215 yards and three scores in the Crimson Tide’s 52-24 victory.

All of Smith’s production occurred in the first half as he left the game early in the third quarter with an injured hand.

The national title for Alabama (13-0) was its sixth under Saban.

Master Teague III scored a pair of rushing touchdowns for the Buckeyes (7-1), who could not stem the Tide in the second half.

From start to finish, the specter of COVID-19 loomed large over the 2020 college football season and the national championship game was no exception.

Along with masks for almost everyone except the players, there were lots of empty seats — around 50,000 — for the College Football Playoff showdown. The game, played in the Miami Dolphins’ stadium, drew the sort of turnout typically found in the fourth quarter of an NFL preseason game.