’BAMA, CLEMSON ON EDGE OF TITLE
Rematch of last year’s championship game filled with intriguing matchups
Breaking down the Alabama-Clemson College Football Playoff title game.
PASSING Clemson has the nation’s best quarterback and perhaps the best player overall in junior Deshaun Watson, who torched Alabama’s defense in last season’s 45-40 title-game loss. If you’re looking for one reason Clemson might hold the edge, look no further: Watson alone is cause for confidence. Alabama has enjoyed very solid play from true freshman Jalen Hurts, but his performance in the Peach Bowl win against Washington showed how a well-balanced defense can limit his effectiveness throwing the football.
Edge: Clemson
RUSHING Alabama rolls out one five-star running back after another in waves, with the latest to make his mark — Bo Scarbrough — tearing through the Huskies with a game-high 180 rushing yards. Clemson has a good one in junior Wayne Gallman, who has back-toback seasons with at least 1,000 yards. If all else fails in the passing game, the Tide can try to bully and batter the Tigers with Scarbrough, Damien Harris and Josh Jacobs.
Edge: Alabama
DEFENSE Alabama again has put together a defense that compares favorably to some of the top units in recent history. The Tide are strong up front, led by All-America end Jonathan Allen; loaded in the middle, highlighted by All-America linebacker Reuben Foster; and opportunistic in the secondary, as seen in the team’s 11 defensive touchdowns. But Clemson is no slouch, as seen most clearly in the NFL-type talent overloading the de- fensive line. Alabama might have the better defense, but Clemson has a defense more than capable of leading the team to victory.
Edge: Even
SPECIAL TEAMS The failures seen in last year’s loss to Alabama motivated Clemson to make major changes on special teams. That has led to a nice rebound in production from the return game and coverage teams. In three areas — kickoff returns, kickoff-return defense and punt-return defense — the Tigers are stronger than the Tide, but Alabama has been positively electric on its own punt returns, with four brought back for touchdowns. As seen a year ago, these sort of No. 1-vs.-No. 2 matchups often come down to one or two individual plays.
Edge: Clemson
COACHING Nick Saban has led Alabama to four national titles and has five overall, including one at LSU in 2003. That sort of big-game experience — and success — cannot be overlooked. Meantime, Dabo Swinney and the Clemson coaching staff have been through three Playoff games and are entering their second title game. Given the turnover on Alabama’s staff, it’s not as if the Tide hold a huge edge in preparation or ingame execution.
Edge: Even
PREDICTION For all the talk of Alabama’s juggernaut-like rampage through its first 14 games, there is ample reason to view the Tide as underdogs in this game. The Tigers are better offensively, have a far stronger quarterback, are as good as any team in college football along the defensive line and, in total, are equipped to give Alabama fits on both sides of the ball. Nearly 12 months to the day after failing to knock off the Tide, this is Clemson’s year. Clemson 31, Alabama 27