Alabama vs. Clemson: Storylines to Watch in 2019 CFP National Championship
Although the Alabama Crimson Tide and Clemson Tigers are meeting in their third National Championship in four years, there are still plenty of fresh storylines to break down ahead of Monday's meeting at Levi's Stadium.
The latest clash of the college football titans welcomes quarterbacks Tua Tagovailoa and Trevor Lawrence to the rivalry, as well as a bevy of talented freshmen that have turned into reliable parts of both programs.
Sitting on the other end of the experience spectrum is the collection of Clemson upperclassmen hungry for one final shot at Alabama after losing 24-6 in the 2018 Sugar Bowl.
Since Nick Saban and Dabo Swinney recruited some of the best talent in the country, the positional battles are more than intriguing, as the smallest advantages could tip the scales in one team's direction Monday night.
National Championship Storylines To Watch
Quarterback Play
Tagovailoa and Lawrence entered their respective playoff semifinals with doubts surrounding their play.
Tagovailioa was questioned because of his injured ankle, while Lawrence's inexperience in big games was raised as something that could hamper the freshman.
Entering the National Championship, the buzz surrounding the quarterbacks should focus on the offensive duel the two stars will get into.
Tagovailoa torched the Oklahoma defense for 318 passing yards and four touchdowns in an Orange Bowl victory in which he failed to complete three of his 27 passes.
Lawrence posted similar numbers, as he threw for 327 passing yards and three touchdowns in Clemson's blowout win over Notre Dame in the Cotton Bowl.
With both players entering Levi's Stadium with no shortage of confidence, we should see a handful of explosive plays out of them.
Tagovailoa and Lawrence also boast similar supporting casts, as Alabama and Clemson have two of the deepest wide receiver groups in the nation.
If their top three options are taken away by the opposing secondary, the pair of signal-callers can easily turn to their fourth- and fifth-best receivers to get the job done.
Both Lawrence and Tagovailoa completed passes to nine different receivers in their respective games Saturday, with 14 completions each going to the top three players in receiving yards.
Even though both teams boast impressive defenses, Lawrence and Tagovailoa are more than capable of turning the National Championship into a shootout.
If that occurs, it would follow a trend set by the first two title meetings between the Crimson Tide and Tigers that produced 151 points.
Can Clemson's Defense Thrive Without Dexter Lawrence Again?
Clemson wasn't hurt in the slightest by the suspension to defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence in the Cotton Bowl, as it held Notre Dame to 248 total yards and three points.
Dexter Lawrence, who was suspended for a positive drug test that contained banned substance ostarine, missed the Cotton Bowl, but the Clemson coaching staff is hopeful something positive comes out of the next week regarding his status, according to Laken Litman of Sports Illustrated.
"I have not learned anything [on Dexter Lawrence's status]," Swinney said. "Obviously we played and traveled all day yesterday, but [athletic director] Dan Radakovich is leading that front and I know that they'll be having some meetings and stuff today and trying to figure out what the moving-forward process is going to look like. Obviously, we don't have a lot of time for this game."
Clemson has to prepare to play without Dexter Lawrence, who could be a high selection in the 2019 NFL draft, and it has to bank on the success it achieved against Notre Dame to feel confident heading into the clash with Alabama.
Of course, it's much easier to feel confident in your defense when three other potential NFL players in Clelin Ferrell, Austin Bryant and Christian Wilkins reside on your roster.
The most important task for the Clemson front seven is to stop Alabama's rushing game, which is led by three powerful running backs.
If Alabama offensive tackle Jonah Williams, who is a first-round talent in his own right, locks down one side of the Clemson defense, the Tigers need to get creative with their approach.
In the win over Notre Dame, Clemson held Dexter Williams to 54 yards on 16 carries, but against Alabama, the task is harder with Damien Harris, Najee Harris and Josh Jacobs rotating through the backfield.
Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables needs to design a game plan that limits the impact of Alabama's running backs and puts enough pressure on Tagovailoa.
The Tigers are more than capable of achieving both goals with the plethora of defensive linemen they rotate into games, which makes thriving without Dexter Lawrence a more possible task to accomplish.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90
.png?w=600 "New NBA Mock Draft 📝")
.jpg?w=600 "Offseason Moves for Every Team 👉")
