Ohio State vs. Alabama: Storylines to Watch in 2021 CFP National Championship

Between the two programs this season, Alabama and Ohio State have combined for 19 wins, a pair of conference championships and no losses. But on Monday night, either the Crimson Tide or Buckeyes will be beaten for the first time during the 2020 campaign.

Alabama and Ohio State are set to face off in the College Football Playoff National Championship at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. The SEC champion Crimson Tide secured their spot with a Rose Bowl win over Notre Dame. Meanwhile, the Big Ten champion Buckeyes defeated Clemson in the Sugar Bowl to advance.

Throughout the season, Alabama hasn't faced many tests, winning all but one of its games by at least 17 points (the lone exception being a 52-46 victory over Florida in the SEC Championship Game). It had no trouble against Notre Dame, beating the Fighting Irish 31-14.

Ohio State's schedule was heavily affected by the coronavirus pandemic, as the Big Ten didn't begin its season until Oct. 24, and then the Buckeyes had three cancellations. Still, they beat Northwestern to win the conference title, then notched a huge 49-28 win over Clemson to reach the CFP National Championship.

With the end of the college football season getting closer, here are three storylines to watch for in Monday night's game.

Fields Looks to Play Through Injury

John Bazemore/Associated Press

In the second quarter of Ohio State's Sugar Bowl win, junior quarterback Justin Fields took a big hit from Clemson linebacker James Skalski, which led to Skalski getting ejected for targeting and Fields in visible pain. Fields got treatment on the sidelines to his torso/hip area, and he stayed in the game.

Fields ended up finishing 22-of-28 for 385 yards, six touchdowns and one interception. He was already considered one of the top quarterback prospects in the 2021 NFL draft class (assuming he opts to go pro), but he likely improved his stock even more with that showing against a top-tier program in Clemson.

Now, Fields will have another opportunity to showcase his skills against Alabama. And according to Ohio State head coach Ryan Day, Fields should be ready despite the injury.

"Yeah, I definitely expect him to play," Day said Monday, according to Dave Biddle of 247Sports.com.

Alabama led the SEC in points allowed per game (19.5) and ranked third in total yards allowed per game (351.2). However, if Fields is healthy and plays like he did last time out, the Crimson Tide could have some trouble trying to stop him and the Buckeyes offense.

Ohio State has scored 38 or more points in six of its seven games, and Fields is a key reason why. It will be fun to watch him play on another big stage and try to win his first national title in potentially his college finale.

Can Wade Shut Down Heisman Winner Smith?

Jay LaPrete/Associated Press

Alabama's DeVonta Smith just became the fourth wide receiver in college football history to win the Heisman Trophy, and the first since Michigan's Desmond Howard in 1991. He put up huge numbers all season, and he poses a problem for any defense he goes up against.

But Ohio State cornerback Shaun Wade has already made it known he's ready for the challenge.

"You already know who I want to go up against at the end of the day," Wade said Wednesday, per Austin Nivison of 247Sports.com. "But at the end of the day, we're just focused on this win and the way of getting the win."

If the Buckeyes are going to win, Wade may need to find a way to at least slightly slow down Smith, who enters the matchup with 105 receptions for 1,641 yards and 22 total touchdowns in 12 games. Smith has had multiple receiving scores in six of his last seven games, and he's had at least 130 receiving yards in each of those six contests.

But Wade is an above-average cornerback. He was named a consensus All-American this season after recording 29 tackles and two interceptions in seven games. Wade had originally opted out of the 2020 season, but he later reversed that decision, and the Buckeyes are glad that he did.

Even if Smith's production is limited by Wade, Alabama may be getting another offensive boost for the matchup. It's possible the Crimson Tide could be getting wide receiver Jaylen Waddle back, who hasn't played since Oct. 17 due to an ankle injury. 

Regardless of whether Waddle plays or not, Smith has the potential to have a big game. And it'll likely be up to Wade to try to stop him.

Which Powerhouse Program Adds Another National Title?

Ron Jenkins/Associated Press

It's not a surprise that either of these teams have made it here. They're both strong programs that have had plenty of success since the College Football Playoff format was introduced for the 2014 season.

Ohio State won the inaugural CFP National Championship. Since then, the Buckeyes have gone on to reach the playoff three more times, including each of the past two seasons.

Alabama has made the CFP in six of the first seven seasons of the format, with 2019 being the only time it missed out. The Crimson Tide have won a pair of national titles during that span (the 2015 and 2017 seasons) and made the CFP National Championship two other times (the 2016 and 2018 seasons) prior to this year.

Now, one of these two programs is going to add another national title to their illustrious history.

It'll be the first time that Alabama and Ohio State have played since the inaugural CFP. Alabama had won the three previous meetings between the schools in 1978, 1986 and 1995.

Whichever team wins, they'll end the season undefeated, marking the third straight year that the national champion will be an unbeaten team after Clemson (2018) and LSU (2019).