FOUR KEYS TO A CLEMSON WIN
1. Win the turnover battle or come close. The hand-wringing over turnovers is misguided, seeing that Deshaun Watson and the offense have been a touch sloppy yet still stand within a victory of the program’s first national title since 1981. So the Tigers don’t need to win the turnover battle, necessarily. What Clemson must do, however, is limit its mistakes in the passing game and be aggressive when Alabama is in clear passing downs. If he’s smart with the football — but still confident enough to take his shots — Watson will achieve things against Alabama’s defense that no quarterback has done this entire season. 2. Win from guard to guard. Any doubts about Clemson’s defensive line to dominate a high-profile opponent were put to bed in the win against Ohio State. The Tigers are loaded with 300-pound behemoths from end to end, with standouts in Christian Wilkins, Carlos Watkins and Dexter Lawrence set to present issues for Alabama’s offensive front. Though Alabama is better overall, the same plan for topping the Buckeyes will stand for the Crimson Tide. If the Tigers win the battle along the interior, they’ll win the day. 3. Spread them out. How do you beat Alabama? It’s not by being traditional, as was Washington in the Peach Bowl. Playing that way fits right into Alabama’s hands. Scoring on the Tide demands a more multiple and up-tempo approach, two qualities that have come to define the Tigers offense. Look for Clemson to lean on its deep receiver corps, led by Mike Williams, while slowly hammering away at Alabama with Wayne Gallman and the running game. Being unpredictable and varied in formation, scheme and tempo will keep even Alabama’s elite unit on its toes. 4. Force Hurts to win the game. Clemson’s choice on defense is clear: It must devote resources to keeping the Alabama ground game in check and force Jalen Hurts to win the game with his arms and legs. While Hurts’ running ability is perhaps his greatest asset, the Tigers must do their best to make a true freshman lead his team to a national title. Has Hurts showed an ability to do just that? Of course. But while there’s really no stopping the Tide, putting the offense entirely on the shoulders of a rookie — even one as good as Hurts — is the Tigers’ best avenue to victory.