Rose Bowl 2021: Updated Odds and Comments for Notre Dame vs. Alabama

Notre Dame is faced with a tough task in the College Football Playoff, one that 11 SEC teams all failed to do in 2020—beat Alabama.

The Crimson Tide are undefeated this season, a performance that has earned them the No. 1 seed in the CFP. They beat Florida 52-46 in the SEC Championship Game last Saturday, and they'll now travel to AT&T Stadium in Dallas for the relocated Rose Bowl on Jan. 1.

Since the CFP began in 2014, Alabama has made it in all but one season (2019).

It shouldn't come as a surprise that the Crimson Tide are an overwhelming favorite to beat the Fighting Irish, who are 19.5-point underdogs, per DraftKings. This is only Notre Dame's second CFP appearance, and it lost 30-3 to Clemson in the 2018 Cotton Bowl.

The Fighting Irish aren't entering the College Football Playoff with much momentum, either. After winning their first 10 games of the season, they lost to Clemson 34-10 in the ACC Championship Game.

Notre Dame's defense struggled to stop Clemson's offense, giving up 541 total yards. Now, it will face an Alabama offense that is averaging 543.9 total yards per game and ranks fourth in the country among teams that played at least five games this season.

"Certainly, I followed all of their scores. And they have been a buzzsaw against everybody," Fighting Irish head coach Brian Kelly said, according to AL.com's Matt Zenitz. "So I would think that there would have to be some ball control, which we can play that kind of game, certainly. And limiting big plays, right? You gotta make them earn it all the way down the field."

This won't be the first time that Notre Dame is playing Alabama in a high-stakes matchup. The programs met in the BCS National Championship Game at the end of the 2012 season, a game the Crimson Tide won 42-14.

However, Kelly believes the Fighting Irish have taken steps forward as a program since then.

"We've certainly evolved since 2012 in terms of our roster. It's a deeper roster, more physical on both sides of the ball," he said, per Zenitz. " ... I think overall the depth of the roster, the ability to make plays on both sides of the ball and, quite frankly, just the size and physicality on both the offensive and defensive line is probably the biggest departure from 2012."

Alabama hasn't changed much over the past decade. It's still a powerhouse program led by head coach Nick Saban that is a consistent contender for the national championship.

While the Crimson Tide's on-field product looked similar to some of their past teams, the path to get here wasn't quite the same. The 2020 season has been an unorthodox one, taking place amid the coronavirus pandemic, and Alabama certainly felt the impact.

Although the Tide never had a game canceled or postponed, they had players test positive for COVID-19. They even played a game without Saban, whose positive test caused him to miss the 42-13 home win over Auburn on Nov. 28.

"This team has done a phenomenal job all year long handling disruptions and overcoming challenges," Saban said, per Brad Crawford of 247Sports.com. "Me missing a game, other coaches missing games, players missing games. ... They've really stayed focused. I think our players have stayed focused and I'm proud of this time. It's really interesting when the best players on your team are the best people on your team."

Even though Notre Dame may have lost its last game, Saban expects the Fighting Irish to be a formidable opponent. He watched some of their games on TV and was impressed by what he saw.

"They have a really good quarterback [Ian Book]. They have a tough defense," he said, per Crawford. "I don't think you win 10 games in this season without having some really, really good players."

Still, it would be a fairly big upset if Notre Dame knocks off Alabama in the Rose Bowl. The Crimson Tide have advanced to the CFP National Championship Game in each of the previous four times they've made the playoff, with their only semifinal loss coming in the 2014 season.

It's possible Notre Dame could bounce back and earn its biggest win of the season, but don't be surprised if Alabama keeps on rolling.

---

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL).

Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ/WV/PA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), or call or text the TN REDLINE: 800-889-9789 (TN).

21+. NJ/PA/WV/IN/IA/CO/IL/TN only. In partnership with Meadows Racetrack & Casino. Eligibility restrictions apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.