On January 9, two teams that lit the stage in Glendale a year ago head into combat again on the same stage but a different place. A year ago, Clemson and Alabama scored a combined 85 points and accounted for over a thousand yards of total offense, including a set of game-changing plays by the Alabama special teams. In the game, Alabama head coach Nick Saban called an on-side kick, and Kenyan Drake returned a kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown. Two Heisman trophy finalists last year, Derrick Henry and Deshaun Watson, had the game of their lives. Watson passed for over 450 yards and accounted for five touchdowns, and Henry, the Heisman winner, produced a Heisman moment by scoring the game-winning touchdown with one minute left in the game. Clemson never went away, and while Deshaun Watson is back to get another shot at Alabama, Derrick Henry is off to the National Football League with the Tennessee Titans alongside another Heisman winner in Marcus Mariota. Both Clemson and Alabama are back again in Tampa Bay at Raymond James stadium fighting for the ultimate prize, the coveted Dr. Pepper College Football Playoff Championship Trophy.

These two teams opened the 2016 season ranked in the top 2 of the Associated Press and Coaches' Polls, and they stand right where they started. Alabama has dominated through an undefeated season to this point, which includes victories over Rose Bowl champion Southern California, Pacific-12 conference champion Washington, and a conference championship of their own. Meanwhile, Clemson has a 13-1 record, but their road has been anything but smooth. Many close calls nearly derailed their bid to return to the College Football Playoff, let alone the national championship game. They had close calls against Auburn, North Carolina State, and Virginia Tech in the conference championship game, and their lone blemish came in a back-and-forth shootout with Pittsburgh, where they fell by one point on a game-winning field goal by placekicker Chris Blewitt. Nevertheless, both teams are here for all the marbles and the stakes are as high as ever.

This championship game will be the last collegiate game for a number of star players, especially for Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson, linebacker Ben Boulware, and for Alabama, defensive end Jonathan Allen, and linebacker Reuben Foster. Last year, Clemson played without its top receiver Mike Williams, and this year, Alabama will be missing its top emotional leader in Eddie Jackson, who suffered a broken leg in the early half of the season.

For Alabama, this is the biggest test of the season for not just their true freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts, but for their entire team. Former offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin was relieved of his duties calling the plays, and his good friend and former colleague Steve Sarkisian will fill in on a permanent basis. And for Clemson, this is the final stage of a season all-in on winning a championship. They have found the missing piece to the puzzle, but can they complete it?

Change is nothing new for both programs. The key has been reloading rather than rebuilding. Last year, Kirby Smart had accepted the head-coaching job at the University of Georgia, and Clemson had to replace numerous contributors on its defense. This year, their defenses have been even better, as have their offenses. Clemson was not the only one all-in on getting to this game, but Alabama also was. They were looking to defend their title. Both teams were built for this moment.

A key match-up to lock in on for this game is Alabama's offense going up against the Clemson defense. The change leading up to this game has been well-documented, and Clemson's defense has shown how good it can be. However, Alabama's offense is balanced and explosive even without last year's Heisman-winning running back. They have a number of stars also, including a 1-2 punch at wide receiver with sophomores Calvin Ridley and Ardarius Stewart. The quarterback of the defense for Clemson is senior linebacker Ben Boulware and he led the unit that pitched a shutout against the Ohio State Buckeyes. On the other hand, Clemson's proven stars have all appeared on this stage before, and they understand how big the game is although the moment is not too big for them. Their offense, as well as Alabama’s defense, is the two most proven unit in the country and both units will make their plays. This championship game is a battle featuring two complete teams. Last year's game was all about offense in a shootout, but this year's game will be about the defenses, where the key difference will be the team whose offense is able to sustain long drives. Clemson will win a close one.

Score prediction: 2) Clemson def. 1) Alabama, 27-24