Finalists Alabama, Clemson clearly top two teams

Alabama squeezes the energy out of its opposition through repetition: run, pass, tackle, sack, interception, touchdown. Cue the confetti.

By the end of four quarters, this python-like formula yields a victory. Alabama has won 26 games in a row, the latest a suffocating 24-7 win against Washington in the Peach Bowl.

It wasn’t that the Crimson Tide played well, relatively speaking. At times, in fact, the Tide were stymied by Washington’s defense, though the Huskies failed to achieve anything of consequence on offense following a first-quarter touchdown.

But the formula was on display. With devastating effectiveness, Alabama took a sledgehammer to Washington’s game plan, turning a top-four team – the best squad his team had faced all season, Nick Saban said this week – into the latest to try and fail to upend the Tide’s quest for another national championship.

Hours later, here at University of Phoenix Stadium, Clemson effectively smothered Ohio State, rolling past the Buckeyes in a 31-0 victory that highlighted the Tigers’ intimidating combination of a wide-open offense and a stifling and physical defense.

The offense was effective despite two more interceptions from junior quarterback Deshaun Watson. The defense put the clamps down on Ohio State from the start, dominating the battle along the line of scrimmage and bottling up the Buckeyes’ already inconsistent downfield passing game.

What is most impressive about the 31-point win is that Clemson, like Alabama, should not be satisfied with its overall performance. Though the defense was outstanding, there were still moments of offensive inconsistency.

For their efforts, the Tigers get the big, bad Crimson Tide. The matchup – January 9 in Tampa – will be what we expected from the College Football Playoff: No. 1 vs. No. 2, the two best in the country meeting to decide the national championship.

So how do you beat ’Bama? There’s the prerequisite amount of athleticism, something the Tigers have in spades. It’ll take experience on the big stage, another asset in Clemson’s corner. It might also take a degree of perfection.

But the biggest key to beating Alabama, as seen in the program’s precious few losses during the Saban-led dynasty, is to zig when the Tide zag – to not be traditional, as was Washington, and play to the Tide’s strengths, but to be unpredictable.

This is where Clemson shines, particularly on offense. That was on clear display in last season’s championship game, where the Tigers gained 550 yards on offense in a 45-40 loss.

Unlike Washington, the Tigers aren’t traditional; they are multiple in formation, quick in tempo and varied in spacing, three factors that gave Alabama fits last January – and may do the same when the two meet in the rematch.

A year later, look for Clemson to utilize a similar blueprint. Simultaneously, however, don’t be surprised if Alabama is far better prepared for what the Tigers bring to the table, and also equipped to taste a comparable degree of success with its own offensive attack.

Flip the question from above: How do you beat Clemson?

It’s almost required that you lean on the same sort of fastbreak tempo. Clemson’s lone loss, to Pittsburgh, came because the Panthers were able to match the Tigers’ offensive proficiency. And despite struggling to find their footing against Washington, the Tide have what it takes to hang with Clemson’s offense.

The game should be high-scoring. It should feature more of the same from Watson, this year’s Heisman Trophy runner-up, and more touches for Alabama running back Bo Scarbrough, who gained 180 yards in the Tide’s win against Washington.

It will feature a smorgasbord of NFL-ready talent and two of the best coaching staffs in college football – with Swinney, a former Alabama wide receiver, already mentioned as Saban’s potential successor at his alma mater.

More than anything, the national championship will pit the two best teams in the country. Which is how it should be. What more can you ask for?

(USA Today/TNS)