The sport’s world’s attention will have its eyes on Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay, Florida, the site of the 2017 College Football National Championship game. In only it’s third year of existence, the College Football Playoff’s championship game will feature a rematch of last year’s title game between the number one team in the nation the Alabama Crimson Tide versus the number two team the Clemson Tigers. It’s safe to say that after yet another wild regular season, the deserved top two teams are squaring off to claim college football glory.
Alabama’s success all year long begins and ends with its defense. The Crimson Tide bullies its opponents for 48 minutes. The defense is led by all-Americans and future first round picks Jonathan Allen and Reuben Foster. These two studs lead a defense that suffocates the opposing offense with a front seven consisting of run stuffing linemen, relentless pass rushers and ball hawking linebackers while its back end is full of rangy lockdown defensive backs. On offensive, true freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts has looked like a four-year starter with his impeccable poise and feel for the game. Bama’s offense wears down its opponents through its running game which features backs Bo Scarbrough and Damien Harris, as well as quarterback Jalen Hurts. Now don’t think for a second that the Crimson Tide is undefeated solely because of their exceptionally talented roster. The man on Bama’s sideline by the name of Nick Saban is on the Mount Rushmore of college football coaches and is hoping to win his sixth career national championship. Since he took over the Alabama program back in 2007, Saban has totaled a 114-18 record. He has brought in the top recruits in the nation and has developed his players into all-Americans, Heisman winners and NFL draft picks. Behind a dominant defense, star freshman quarterback and coaching expertise, Alabama is going to be tough to beat down in Tampa Bay.
Alabama’s foe, the Clemson Tigers, are looking to avenge their 45-40 defeat in last year’s championship game. Clemson’s identity lives through its high powered offense which returns 8 starters from last year as well as star receiver Mike Williams who missed most of last season with a neck injury. At the helm of the Tigers offense is duel threat quarterback Deshaun Watson. Watson shredded the Bama defense throwing for 405 yards and 4 touchdowns, and rushing for another 73 yards in last year’s title game. He was nearly perfect but it was not enough to defeat the almighty Crimson Tide. Watson backed up his breakout year with an equally successful year in the 2016-2017 season. Players that have contributed to Watson and Clemson’s success include running back Wayne Gallman and receivers Mike Williams, Jordan Leggett, Artavis Scott and Deon Cain (Cain was also absent from last year’s championship game due to suspension). Rightfully so, much of the focus surrounding Clemson has centered around its offense but the orange and purple also hold the eighth ranked total defense. This defense has been strong all season long but its greatest performance came in the semi-final game against Ohio State in which they shut out the Buckeyes 31-0, handing Ohio State Coach Urban Meyer’s first ever shut-out loss. Just like the Tide, Clemson is also coached by one of college football’s top coaches, Dabo Swinney. Before taking over at Clemson in 2008, Swinney’s only other coaching positions have been at non-other than the University of Alabama, where he also played wide receiver in the early 1990s. Dabo is best known for his boundless energy and southern flare but its his coaching savviness and player development that has brought back him to the national championship game.
Alabama is the king of college football and is being challenged yet again by a young, up and coming competitor in Clemson. Clemson has offensive weapons that should give Saban and defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt nightmares but still needs Deshaun Watson to replicate his excellent performance in last year’s title game. Now the key word in previous sentence is “should”. Nick Saban is not one too be scared by his opponents. Time after time, Saban has outcoached and his players have outperformed their opponents. In all their recent success, Alabama however has been vulnerable against teams with duel-threat quarterbacks. Over the past four seasons, all six of Alabama’s losses have come against teams trotting out stud duel-threat quarterbacks: Ole Miss’s Chad Kelly (twice), Ohio State’s Cardale Jones, Auburn’s Nick Marshall, Oklahoma’s Trevor Knight and Texas A&M’s Johnny Manziel. Deshaun Watson has the experience, offensive weapons and skills to be the next duel-threat quarterback to take down Alabama. Monday’s national championship game is a rematch that some expected but all are excited to see. Get ready college football fans because this year’s title game has all the makings to be one to remember.
Prediction: Clemson 27, Alabama 23
