They had so much fun last year, they went ahead and decided to play two. The No. 2-ranked Clemson Tigers (13-1) will face off against the No. 1-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide (14-0) in the third College Football Playoff National Championship game inside Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla. on Jan. 9. Kick off is set for 8 p.m.
The Game: No. 2 Clemson vs No. 1 Alabama (-6.5, 51 O/U)
No. 2 Clemson Tigers (13-1)
The Tigers come into the game after a complete dismantling of No. 3-ranked Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl. Deshaun Watson completed 23 of 365 passes for 259 yards and a touchdown with two interceptions, but ran for 57 yards and two TDs. The Tigers were completely unstoppable in the red zone and were content to knock in one field goal after another from outside the 20 against the completely overmatched Buckeyes.
The defense that Clemson put on display against Ohio State has to be a concern for Alabama. Pass rushers and defensive linemen were running free in the Buckeyes’ backfield all game, with redshirt freshman Clelin Ferrell putting his name on the map with a sack and three tackles for a loss. In all, the Tigers line and linebackers made 11 stops behind the line of scrimmage.
No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide (14-0)
Last year Derrick Henry powered the Crimson Tide over Clemson and they’ve got his replacement in top form coming into Monday night’s game in Bo Scarbrough. Lane Kiffin won’t be calling the plays Monday night, handing the play card (but hopefully not a six-pack) over to the other former USC coach on Saban’s staff, Steve Sakisian.
During the season Alabama let Damien Harris carry much of the load, but the Peach Bowl belonged to Scarbrough, who rushed for 180 carries and two touchdowns on just 19 touches. Scarbrough was the highlight machine on offense, because the Tide didn’t have to do much Alabama’s defense, led by defensive end and future Top Five NFL pick Jonathan Allen, completely stifled No. 4 Washington’s offense. After the Huskies scored on their opening possession, they never sniffed the end zone again, turning the ball over twice including an interception return for a touchdown from Alabama’s Ryan Anderson right before halftime. The Bama defense held Washington to just 194 total yards in the game.
Trends and Notes
If quarterback Jalen Hurts leads Alabama to victory he will be the first true freshman QB to win the national title game since Oklahoma’s Jamelle Holieway in 1985.
With a victory in this game Alabama head coach Nick Saban will tie legendary Crimson Tide head coach Paul “Bear” Bryant with six national titles, but will still be behind in national titles won at Alabama. Bryant won all six of his in Tuscaloosa. Saban won one with LSU back in 2003.
Alabama has not lost a game since Sept. 19, 2015. Since then only two teams have kept the final score differential with the Crimson Tide under a touchdown; Tennessee (19-14 on Oct. 24, 2015) and Clemson (45-40 in last year’s national title game).
Fun fact: Bear Bryant actually won a seventh national title (it would have actually been his first) while coaching the Kentucky Wildcats in 1950. The Wildcats finished 11-1 and beat No. 1-ranked Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl, but back then the Associated Press awarded its national championship before the bowls were played. Other national polls, including the Sagarin Ratings System, declared Bryant’s Kentucky team the national champions that year.
The Pick
This is the game Clemson said it wanted and, like head coach Dabo Sweeney said after the Fiesta Bowl, “Be careful what you wish for.” Clemson has all the tools to win this game, including the best, most NFL ready quarterback in the country in Deshaun Watson. Watson didn’t have his best game against the Buckeyes, but was still pretty damn spectacular. The problem for the Tigers is Alabama’s strength, the power running game, negates their biggest weapons on defense. It’s hard to get a pass rush going with the Crimson Tide is content to just throw it 14 times in a game. Plays in the backfield will be tough to come by. On the other side of the ball, Alabama should have plenty of opportunities to chase Watson and running back Wayne Gallman around. Clemson is still loaded with offensive playmakers, including Mike Williams who may be the best wide receiver in the country. It’s going to be closer than people think, just like last year. But I think the result will be the same. Alabama 35, Clemson 33
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