Alabama vs. Clemson: Complete Guide to 2017 National Championship Game
It's only fitting that the final game of the 2016 college football season will be a rematch of one of the best games of 2015. If Alabama and Clemson's clash for the third College Football Playoff National Championship is anything like their meeting of a year ago, we're all in for a treat.
A year ago, Alabama claimed a wild 45-40 victory in a back-and-forth, offense-first clash in Glendale, Arizona, to give Nick Saban his fourth national championship with the Tide. Now, Dabo Swinney would like nothing more than to deny his alma mater a second consecutive crown and, at the same time, give Clemson its first national title since 1981.
Alabama (14-0) has been the nation's best team from wire to wire, winning all but one game by at least 10 points and dominating Washington 24-7 in the Peach Bowl. Clemson (13-1) won six games by seven points or fewer but put together an incredible performance in a 31-0 victory over Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl, handing Urban Meyer his first scoreless game as a head coach and Ohio State its first shutout since 1993.
The Crimson Tide will be motivated to cap an undefeated season and earn the program's fifth national title in eight years. Clemson will be inspired to prove last year's near-miss, punctuated with special teams errors and passing defense miscues, wasn't a fluke.
Either team will be a worthy champion, but only one can emerge victorious. Watching it unfold will be a blast, and we're breaking it down for you here.
When, Where and What Are They Wearing?
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When: Monday, January 9; 8 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Where: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Fla.
Line: Alabama (-6), per OddsShark.com
Uniform Combos
Alabama: Crimson jersey, white pants, crimson helmet
Clemson: White jersey, white pants, orange helmet
Tale of the Tape
2 of 10While last season's national title game was an offense-first affair featuring 85 total points, it wouldn't be surprising if the point total was significantly lower this season. Both Alabama and Clemson have talented offenses, but their defenses make it hard for opponents to score, too; after all, they held their playoff semifinal opponents to a combined seven points.
Alabama ranks No. 1 nationally in scoring defense, allowing 11 points per game. The Crimson Tide are also tops in total defense (yielding 244 yards per game) and rushing defense (a measly 62 yards per game). Clemson will test Alabama with an offense that scores 40 points per game (No. 13 nationally) and passes for 328 yards per game (No. 7 nationally).
Clemson's defense is also stout, allowing 17 points and 307 yards per game (seventh- and eighth-best nationally). The Crimson Tide score 39 points per game, No. 14 nationally, and have a bruising ground game that averages 247 yards per game, No. 11 nationally.
Key Storyline
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A rematch is a rarity at college football's highest level. Since the Associated Press began its poll in 1936, only three teams have had back-to-back top-two finishes, and none since 1988-89. The Bowl Championship Series, Bowl Alliance and Bowl Coalition never had repeat matchups, either.
And despite Saban going for his fifth national title at Alabama (and sixth overall) and Swinney trying to beat his alma mater to win Clemson's first championship since 1981, one storyline will likely dominate pregame discussion. How will Steve Sarkisian perform in his first game as Alabama's offensive coordinator with the national title on the line?
When former Alabama offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin took Florida Atlantic's head coaching role, he was originally expected to stay through the end of the College Football Playoff. But Monday, Saban and Kiffin agreed to part ways a week early following an offensive performance in the Peach Bowl that was, at times, uneven. Tensions seemingly emerged behind the scenes, as Kiffin—who rarely spoke to reporters, per Saban's media rules for his staff—let on to Sports Illustrated's Pete Thamel that their relationship had its flaws.
"This will come across wrong," he told Thamel of his time in Tuscaloosa. "But it's like dog years. Three years is like 21."
Kiffin is gone, and Sarkisian, who spent this season with Alabama as an off-field offensive analyst, will be calling the plays. Sarkisian is resurrecting his career after being fired from Southern California for alcohol-related issues, and he knows the Tide's offensive system. But will he be able to mesh his philosophy and build relationships with key players, including freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts, in seven days? Stay tuned.
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Fiesta Bowl Star Trying to Stay Hot
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It's hard to pick just one star from Clemson's dominating defensive effort against Ohio State. The Tigers held the Buckeyes to 215 total yards in a 31-0 rout and made 11 tackles for loss, with the defensive line consistently living in Ohio State's offensive backfield.
But if you're looking for a breakout player, redshirt freshman defensive end Clelin Ferrell is an excellent choice. The 6'5", 265-pound pass-rusher can get lost at times on a line that features stars like Christian Wilkins, Dexter Lawrence and Carlos Watkins, all legit NFL prospects, but he was excellent in the desert.
Ferrell picked up four tackles, three tackles for loss and a sack, and he was a constant force against the OSU offensive line. He'll likely have his share of matchups with Alabama left tackle Cam Robinson, one of the best linemen in college football, and winning them will be crucial to Clemson's defensive success.
Peach Bowl Star Trying to Stay Hot
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Entering this season, sophomore Bo Scarbrough generated plenty of buzz in Alabama's backfield. But splitting time with fellow back Damien Harris, he had yet to validate the hype with only one 100-yard rushing effort.
That changed in the Peach Bowl against Washington.
Scarbrough broke out with the best game of his career, carrying 19 times for 180 yards and two touchdowns, averaging an eye-popping 9.5 yards per carry. The highlight was a twisting 68-yard touchdown run through the heart of Washington's defense.
At 6'2", 228 pounds, Scarbrough mixes major speed with a powerful frame. If he can repeat the feat against a stingy Clemson front, it will take pressure off true freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts in his biggest spotlight to date.
Top 2017 NFL Draft Prospects
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Both Alabama and Clemson are loaded with NFL-ready talent. How much so? In his latest mock draft, NFL draft expert Matt Miller projects eight Crimson Tide and Tigers players to go in the first round of the draft. That's impressive. Another nine players are projected in the full seven-round draft, meaning there will be plenty of talent on the field Monday night that you'll see soon on Sundays.
Here are all the projected first-rounders you'll see in action for the season finale.
| Player | Team | Projected Pick | |
| DE Jonathan Allen | Alabama | 4 | |
| WR Mike Williams | Clemson | 5 | |
| LB Tim Williams | Alabama | 6 | |
| LB Reuben Foster | Alabama | 9 | |
| QB Deshaun Watson | Clemson | 10 | |
| TE O.J. Howard | Alabama | 19 | |
| OT Cam Robinson | Alabama | 20 | |
| LB Ryan Anderson | Alabama | 31 |
How Can Alabama Stop Deshaun Watson?
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A year ago, Deshaun Watson had one of the best games of his career on the biggest night of his life. Watson torched Alabama's defense for 478 total yards (405 through the air) and four total touchdowns as the best player on the field in Clemson's 45-40 national championship game loss.
A year ago, Watson became the first player in FBS history to pass for 4,000 yards and rush for 1,000 in the same season. And his junior year, at least in the passing department, has been just as good as his sophomore season. A year ago, he threw for 4,104 yards with 35 touchdowns against 13 interceptions, completing 67.8 percent of his passes.
With one game left, Watson has thrown for 4,173 yards with 38 touchdowns and 17 interceptions. The difference? A year ago, he rushed for 1,105 yards, averaging 5.3 yards per carry. This fall, those numbers are down to 586 yards and 4.1 yards per carry, respectively.
How do the Crimson Tide contain Watson? Keep him in the pocket. Put pressure on him with the likes of Jonathan Allen, Tim Williams and Reuben Foster, and force him to throw more, giving cornerbacks Marlon Humphrey and Minkah Fitzpatrick more opportunities to make big plays in the secondary.
How Can Clemson Stop Jalen Hurts?
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In August, Saban made a decided departure from his recent trend of experience at quarterback. After two consecutive one-and-done senior starters, he anointed true freshman Jalen Hurts as his man under center. The move has paid off. Hurts has displayed star potential in his first season of college football, throwing for 2,649 yards with 22 touchdowns against nine interceptions, completing 64.7 percent of his passes.
He's also Alabama's No. 2 rusher with 891 yards and 12 touchdowns. But over the past two weeks, Hurts has struggled at times. Against Florida, he completed just 11 of 20 passes for 138 yards and a touchdown. He looked disjointed against Washington, completing seven of 14 passes for 57 yards and adding 50 yards on the ground with no touchdowns.
So how does Clemson keep Hurts off his game? It'll likely look pretty similar to the recipe for success it applied in shutting out Ohio State. The Tigers made sure that J.T. Barrett never had time to think about the decisions he needed to make before there was significant pressure in the backfield.
Alabama's offensive line is superior to Ohio State's, led by junior left tackle Cam Robinson, but if Clemson can make Hurts as miserable as it made Barrett, a junior, game-changing mistakes will likely follow.
Key to the Game
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Last year's national title game was an offensive showcase, but Clemson was left regretting two huge special teams plays that turned momentum in Alabama's favor for good.
With 10:35 left in the contest, the Crimson Tide had just tied the game at 24 on an Adam Griffith field goal, but a Clemson offense humming with Deshaun Watson at the helm still held the upper hand—until Alabama recovered the ensuing onside kick.
Two plays later, the Tide had the lead back for good on a 51-yard touchdown pass from Jake Coker to O.J. Howard. Clemson responded with a field goal of its own, but Alabama hit back with Kenyan Drake's backbreaking 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, which gave Saban's bunch a big enough cushion to withstand Watson's late charge.
According to USA Today's Dan Wolken, Swinney did a top-to-bottom analysis of special teams, examining personnel, schemes and everything in between. The Tigers think they're ready for whatever Alabama throws at them Monday night.
"They found a little weakness in our special teams, and they exposed it. That's what great teams will do to you," receiver and kick returner Artavis Scott said. "That's not going to be the reason they beat us this year, I can tell you that."
Scott and other Clemson players told Wolken there is a greater emphasis on special teams as well.
"The biggest thing was we want people on there who actually want to be on there and make plays," Scott said. "That was the biggest thing to figure out who wants to be on there and make an impact. It's about want-to, wanting to do your job."
If Watson performs like he did last year against Alabama, closing the special teams gaps could be the difference between another frustrating night against the Crimson Tide and Clemson's first national title since 1981. With two evenly matched teams, special teams will be crucial.
Prediction
10 of 10As Bleacher Report expert Barrett Sallee notes, sequels often have a hard time living up to the standards of the original. And that could be the case with Alabama-Clemson II. The Crimson Tide and Tigers put together a classic matchup in the desert last January, with special teams helping Bama to escape with a 45-40 win.
That defeat has motivated Clemson all season, and now the Tigers have a chance to avenge the loss. Sallee notes that Clemson must stop Hurts (who passed for just 57 yards in the Peach Bowl) through the air, where the Tigers have been vulnerable. After all, they yielded 308 yards and five touchdowns to Pitt's Nathan Peterman in a 43-42 defeat.
Sallee loves Clemson's receivers, especially potential NFL first-round pick Mike Williams, and predicts that the Tigers will break through and win the national title.
It's hard to pick against Alabama, though. If the Tide get a consistent running game from Scarbrough and Harris, and bait Watson into mistakes with pressure (he has thrown 17 interceptions this season), then Saban and Co. will do just enough to survive.
The king is the king until he's dethroned.
Prediction: Alabama 31, Clemson 27
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