Sugar Bowl 2018: Alabama vs. Clemson TV Schedule, Time and Odds

Clemson and Alabama, the last two national champions, will meet in the College Football Playoff for the third straight year when they square off the 2018 Sugar Bowl on New Year's Day. 

Despite the loss of notable stars like quarterback Deshaun Watson and defensive end Carlos Watkins, the Tigers enter the playoff as the No. 1 team in the rankings. Head coach Dabo Swinney has his team looking to be the first repeat national champions since Alabama in 2011-12. 

The Crimson Tide were able to sneak into the playoff field as the fourth seed, despite not playing for the SEC championship. They are the only team that has made it to the College Football Playoff each year since its inception in 2014. 

2018 Sugar Bowl Information

Date: Monday, Jan. 1, 2018

Start Time: 8:45 p.m. ET

Network: ESPN

Betting Odds: Alabama (-3)

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

Despite Clemson's success as a program and status as the No. 1 team in the nation, betting odds are still giving Alabama a slight edge in this matchup. 

It's hard not to be seduced by the macro virtues of the Crimson Tide program. Head coach Nick Saban has proved himself to be the best in the business in his 11 years with the program, leading Alabama to four national titles since 2009. 

Putting the 2017 Crimson Tide under the microscope, though, there have been some cracks in the foundation with this group.

Health has been a big story for Alabama, especially at linebacker. Mack Wilson, Christian Miller and Terrell Lewis were all game-time decisions against Auburn. All three played in the Iron Bowl, but the Tigers took advantage of their weakened state with 168 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 49 carries.

Giving that trio another month to get more rest will only help Alabama's electric defense. 

But there were other signs of trouble before Auburn's 26-14 win over Alabama. Two weeks earlier, Mississippi State held a 24-17 lead in the fourth quarter against the Crimson Tide before giving up two late touchdowns.

One opposing coach whose team went up against Alabama this season had this assessment of quarterback Jalen Hurts, via Pete Thamel of Yahoo Sports:

"You need to double cover No. 3 [Calvin Ridley]. Everything goes through No. 3. I think Jalen Hurts is the most talented quarterback in the league, or I should say he's the most talented athlete in the league. I don't think he processes information well. He's gifted. He can throw the deep ball to Ridley and Jerry Jeudy. But that's it. Other than that, they're running the ball."

Against Clemson's defense in last year's championship game, Hurts had the worst passing game by completion percentage of his college career (41.9) and just 131 passing yards. 

It's fine to say Alabama will run the ball against Clemson, but the Tigers rank 13th in the nation in rushing yards allowed (113.6) and only gives up 3.1 yards per carry.

In some ways Clemson has used quarterback Kelly Bryant like Alabama used Hurts last year, just letting him do enough so opponents have to plan for the passing game. The junior has only attempted 362 passes this season, including fewer than 30 attempts in eight games. 

That's not a bad strategy for the Tigers to use, especially with a defense as dominant as theirs has been. 

ESPN's David Hale offered this nugget about Clemson's defense that was a problem in last year's title game against Alabama and has been corrected this year:

With two dominant defenses going against offenses with significant question marks at the most important position, the one that blinks first is going to lose. 

The past two games between these teams have been decided by a total of nine points, with Clemson's 35-31 win last year literally coming in the final second when Watson hit Hunter Renfrow for a two-yard touchdown. 

There's no reason to expect anything different from the nation's two premier programs when this playoff rivalry has a new chapter written. 

Prediction: Clemson 24, Alabama 17

Odds via OddsShark.com