We’ve headed into the New Year, which means it’s playoff time in college football. The No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide (13-0), and No. 2 Clemson Tigers (13-0), both won their respective semifinal matchups on Dec 29 for the right to compete for the fifth College Football Playoff National Championship. This makes the third time these two teams have met in the national title game in the past four seasons. The previous two meetings were split, each school winning close games. This year should be no different, as the Tide and the Tigers were far and away the best two teams in the country all season.
How They Got Here
Clemson
Before the season, expectations were very high for Clemson. They had eight players make the Preseason All-ACC team, including the entire defensive line. Early on, the Tigers were being held down by a quarterback controversy between experienced senior Kelly Bryant and highly-touted freshman Trevor Lawrence. Bryant struggled when the two split playing time, while Lawrence excelled. After Lawrence was named the full-time starter in Week 5, Bryant decided to transfer, ending the controversy. In their Week 5 matchup, Clemson hit a bump in the road at home against Syracuse. Lawrence was injured in the game, so the new backup, Chase Brice, stepped in to help the Tigers claim a four-point victory over the Orange. After that, it was smooth sailing for Clemson, as they throttled every opponent they faced, including the No. 17- ranked NC State squad, and on the road against the No. 16-ranked Boston College team. A 42-10 blowout victory against Pittsburgh in the ACC Championship secured Clemson’s spot in the College Football Playoff. The Tigers were heavy favorites in their clash with the No. 3 Notre Dame Fighting Irish, and they showed the world why when they pulverized Notre Dame 30-3.
Alabama
Going into this season, Alabama’s story was very similar to Clemson’s. Although the Tide had a quarterback controversy, they were substantial favorites to win just about every team accomplishment that a single squad could achieve. The quarterback controversy, to me, was nonexistent between talented sophomore Tua Tagovailoa and experienced junior Jalen Hurts. Tagovailoa was brought in at halftime against Georgia in last year’s National Championship game, and he led the Crimson Tide to victory. Coach Nick Saban opted to go with Tagovailoa, and it has worked out just fine for the Tide. Alabama beat every team in the regular season by at least 22 points, with its most impressive win occuring on the road with a 29-0 shutout of No. 3 LSU. The Tide fell into some trouble in the SEC Championship against Georgia, but Jalen Hurts replaced the injured Tagovailoa and led a second half rally to win the SEC. In the semifinals, the No. 1 Tide faced Kyler Murray and the No. 4 Oklahoma Sooners. Although the defense gave up a season-high of 34 points, Alabama outpaced the Sooners on their way to their fourth straight national championship game appearance.
Players to Watch
Travis Etienne, Running Back, Clemson
Etienne’s performance has been impressive all year long. The All-American running back took home MVP honors at the ACC Championship and broke the school’s single-season rushing record in the Cotton Bowl against Notre Dame. He has made his quarterback’s first year a lot easier and could make a big impact against Alabama.
Clelin Ferrell, Defensive End, Clemson
Ferrell has been wreaking havoc in his opponent’s backfield throughout the season. He is a first-team All-American, and he won ACC Defensive Player of the Year as well the award for the nation’s best defensive end. Going into bowl season, Ferrell has 17 tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks, and he should help provide a much tougher test for the Alabama offensive line.
Jerry Jeudy, Wide Receiver, Alabama
Very few people knew about Jerry Jeudy before the season, as he only had 14 receptions in his freshman year. But as a sophomore, he is making his mark on the college football season, winning the Biletnikoff Award for the best college receiver and earning first-team All-American honors. He has stepped up to become a big playmaker for the Tide, so he is expected to have another solid game against Clemson.
Quinnen Williams, Defensive Tackle, Alabama
Some people have called Williams the best defensive player in the country. The redshirt sophomore won the award for best interior lineman and was also a unanimous first-team All-American. Williams has 18 tackles for loss and 8 sacks on the season. Against Oklahoma, he was the main focus of the Sooners’ offensive line, and his production was minimized significantly. He will try to get back on track against Clemson, but he is sure to be the Tigers’ main focus, as well.
My Prediction
The past two Clemson versus Alabama matchups have been instant classics, and I don’t see this game being any different. These were by far the two best teams all season, and it should be an exciting matchup. Oklahoma exposed multiple flaws in Alabama’s defense that I think Clemson can expose, but I think Alabama is stronger overall than Clemson on offense and defense and will win a very close game.
