Clemson plays Alabama for national championship

If Alabama beats the Tigers to win a fourth national title in seven seasons, the argument may be settled. One more game may not seem such a daunting proposition, but it is not one Saban takes lightly. Its final one – and perhaps biggest – will come in the national championship game against Alabama’s dominating defence.

Notre Dame won four in seven seasons from 1943-49, but big-time college football is hardly comparable now to then. “Our focus and attention is to try and play the best game we possibly can, which is probably what we’re going to need to have success”.

Swinney’s Crimson Tide beat the Hurricanes in the Sugar Bowl to complete a 13-0 season and win the national championship.

Swinney was his normal outgoing self, excited to have his team in the title game for the first time in 34 years, while the laid-back Saban acted more like a guy who’s been there before.

– During the BCS era, Nick Saban was 4-0 in title games.

He coaches at Alabama, after all, where Bear Bryant set the standard he is close to topping. Tigers coach Dabo Swinney has stated that he is hopeful that Lawson (team-best 23.5 tackles for losses, including 10.5 sacks) would be able to play, but the NFL-bound Lawson didn’t sound as sure when he met with reporters Tuesday.

Clemson has faced four backs- Florida State’s Dalvin Cook, North Carolina’s Elijah Hood, Oklahoma’s Samaje Perrine and Appalachian State’s Marcus Cox- who are ranked in the Top 26 of the Division I bowl subdivision in rushing yards per game.

While the Crimson Tide has begrudgingly adopted principles of the spread offense – thanks largely to offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin, the former Raiders coach – it remains deeply rooted in the philosophy that ruled football for eons. Ragland believes his unit will be ready for whatever the Tigers might throw at them, however, because of the rigors of the schedule Alabama has played. Alabama then went through a long dry spell until Saban arrived.

Swinney will be facing his alma mater, the school where he was a member of a national title-winning team in 1992 and where he cut his teeth as a young coach. So, if Alabama is selling out to stop Deshaun on the ground, I think he can use his arm just as effectively.

If the Tide win – this time, they’re favored by a touchdown – it’ll lift their ridiculous average-victory total to 12 in the last eight seasons. But, you know, if not, I don’t think coach (Nick) Saban is going to cancel the game over there.

Alabama has been even better than that since going 7-6 in Saban’s first season.

Recruit hard: Even hard though some top-10 classes never pan out (see Texas 2009-12), incoming talent matters. These two powerhouses will face off in the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. “I owe them our best as coaches and people who can support them to give them the best opportunity to be successful in the next challenge that they have”. I think before, it used to be so subjective. Lawson injured his left knee in the Orange Bowl victory over Oklahoma.

For the players deciding the outcome on the field, they shared their thoughts on the game at Saturday’s Media Day sessions.

Carson and Swinney prayed together for the team “to do very well”, and the two men also reminisced about their childhoods and the struggles of growing up in poverty.

Saban says he has tried to “develop a little energy” among other coaches in college football regarding the matter.

Any truth to the rumor that next year’s championship game will be played on Christmas Eve, kicking off as Santa slides down the chimney?