FIGHT FOR GLORY

College Football Playoff semifinals highlighted by high-octane offences; Notre Dame makes first-ever playoff appeareance

The College Football Playoff semifinals are set, with No. 1 Alabama (13-0) facing No. 4 Oklahoma (12-1) in the Orange Bowl in Miami and No. 2 Clemson (13-0) facing No. 3 Notre Dame (12-0) in the Cotton Bowl in Arlington, Texas. Both games will be played Dec. 29. The defending national champion Crimson Tide is led by quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, while the Sooners’ explosive offense is led quarterback Kyler Murray. Alabama and Oklahoma have not played since the 2014 Sugar Bowl, won by the Sooners. The stakes will be much higher this time around and feature the two highest scoring teams in the country. Oklahoma is averaging 49.5 points per game and Alabama is averaging 47.9. Meanwhile in the other semifinal, Clemson and Notre Dame face off for the first time since 2015, a regular-season game played in a downpour and won by the Tigers, 24-22. The Irish are making their first playoff appearance, but for Clemson this is four straight. Both teams made quarterback switches during the season to lift their offenses. Notre Dame installed Ian Book as the starter four games into the season and the junior has completed 70 percent of his passes with 19 touchdowns. Clemson turned to freshman Trevor Lawrence after three games and he threw 24 touchdowns and only four interceptions. Alabama and Clemson are both double-digit favorites according to odds makers, meaning only a significant upset can prevent the fourth straight playoff meeting between the Tigers and Tide, and third championship game between the two.