College Football Championship 2019: Predictions for Stars in Alabama vs. Clemson
The star players for the Alabama Crimson Tide and Clemson Tigers are expected to feature in key roles throughout Monday's CFP National Championship.
Based off what we saw in the Cotton Bowl and Orange Bowl, a wide array of names will step up in the clutch at Levi's Stadium.
The dynamic playmaking of both programs starts at quarterback, but there are plenty of running backs and wide receivers capable of snatching the spotlight from Trevor Lawrence and Tua Tagovailoa.
Although we won't know for sure how explosive each offense will be until the game begins, we have an idea of how much of an impact certain players will make.
Predictions For Star Players
Tua Tagovailoa: 330 passing yards, 3 touchdowns
Tagovailoa is the incumbent star of the national championship after breaking out a year ago in the second half and overtime against Georgia.
With a full four quarters at his disposal this time around, the left-handed Alabama quarterback won't disappoint in the pocket.
The 20-year-old is coming off his sixth 300-yard passing performance—his third in four games—in the Orange Bowl victory over Oklahoma.
It shouldn't matter much to Tagovailoa that he's going up against the second-best team in the nation, as he threw for 1,328 yards and 12 touchdowns versus ranked opponents.
Since Alabama has been so dominant, the Heisman Trophy runner-up produced the majority of his impressive stats in the first half, as he threw for 2,639 yards and 29 touchdowns.
Tagovailoa should be able to produce another strong start in order to get the Crimson Tide off on the right foot inside Levi's Stadium.
The key for the Alabama sophomore Monday will be his elusiveness in the pocket, which helps keep plays alive while Clemson's defensive line storms in his direction.
By avoiding most of the Tigers' pressure, Tagovailoa will create extra time for himself and his talented group of receivers to march down the field on a few long drives.
Throwing for three touchdowns allows him to challenge Lawrence and Clemson to keep pace with the Crimson Tide, which is something we expect Dabo Swinney's team to do.
Trevor Lawrence: 350 yards, 3 touchdowns
Lawrence is one of the few quarterbacks in college football capable of matching the output of Tagovailoa.
Although the Clemson freshman threw one less touchdown than the Alabama signal-caller in his semifinal game, he recorded nine more passing yards than his opposite number.
What makes Lawrence so dangerous is his precision passes that find his talented collection of wide receivers in stride.
Clemson's depth at wide receiver will again benefit Lawrence, as he spreads the ball around to keep Alabama's secondary off balance.
In the Cotton Bowl win over Notre Dame, Lawrence hit nine different receivers for at least one reception, while four of his teammates hauled in four or more catches.
If he works into a rhythm early in the first half, the 19-year-old should be able to replicate his Cotton Bowl performance from a week ago.
However, there is something the freshman has to work on in order to keep up with Tagovailoa for the entire 60 minutes.
Lawrence completed 69.2 percent of his passes this season, and he missed on 12 of his pass attempts versus Notre Dame.
In comparison, Tagovailoa failed to complete three of his 27 passes against Oklahoma and is 77-for-106 in his last four games.
In a situation where Lawrence only has one opportunity to extend a drive, he must take advantage of it or risk giving the ball back to the dominant Alabama offense.
Damien Harris: 96 rushing yards, 2 touchdowns
The X-factor in Monday's game will be one of the most experienced players on the Alabama roster.
Running back Damien Harris will double his rushing-yard total of 48 from the Orange Bowl by methodically picking apart the Clemson rushing defense.
A year ago against many of the same defensive players, Harris ran for 77 yards on 19 carries in Alabama's 24-6 Sugar Bowl victory.
While an argument can be made that Clemson's defensive linemen have much more experience under their belts, the same can be said about the 21-year-old.
The senior running back, who is part of a trio capable of wreaking havoc on the Clemson defense, sets the tone early with a few first-down gains.
After Tagovailoa takes over the contest for a bit, the Crimson Tide turn back to Harris to take advantage of a Clemson interior rush that becomes too enamored with the quarterback.
Harris, who has nine touchdowns this season, scores his first touchdown from close range in the red zone and scampers into the end zone for the second time from 30 yards out.
Thanks to the success of the senior running back, the Crimson Tide create some separation between themselves and the Tigers and hold on to the advantage to capture their third title in four years.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.
Statistics obtained from ESPN.com.
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