Crimson Tide Rolls Over Michigan State Spartans in Playoff Semifinal

The title game between Clemson and Alabama will be played a week from next Monday.

Nick Saban said he saw something in his team coming into the Cotton Bowl that he had never seen before.

If college football fans squint their eyes just right when Clemson rubs on “Howard’s Rock” and then runs down the hill in Death Valley amid thunderous cheers, many would swear they were attending an SEC football game.

“He’s a great quarterback, he’s a great leader, and he can make things happen when we need them”, receiver ArDarius Stewart said.

Clemson players celebrate after a 37-17 win against Oklahoma in the Capital One Orange Bowl at SunLife Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla., on Thursday, Dec. 31, 2015.

Something will have to give in the national title game.

As of Thursday night, this year’s Alabama team had 29 scholarship or walk-on players who had earned their degrees, including Coker and center Ryan Kelly, who earned their master’s. It’s a seven-point underdog despite being 14-0. Oklahoma was favored in the Orange Bowl by 4 points.

Quarterback Deshaun Watson turned in another stellar all-around performance, beating Oklahoma with his arm and his legs.

Ridley was clearly the focal point of the offense.

It’s going to take a tremendous effort from Clemson to capture the title given the roll Alabama has been on for the past couple months. Wayne Gallman rushed for 150 yards and a pair of TDs.

“It was tough at first”, he said of his transition to defense.

The defense was even more impressive, especially since star end Shaq Lawson was knocked out of the game in the opening minutes with a knee injury. The 6-foot-3, 270-pound redshirt senior’s been predictably optimistic as to whether he’ll play in Clemson’s final game.

2 RelatedThe nation’s only unbeaten team, the Tigers are riding a 17-game winning streak and could become FBS football’s first team to finish 15-0.

Swinney didn’t know Lawson’s status for Alabama (and that unknown could linger close to kickoff), but his initial thought was it wasn’t too serious, with a sprained MCL the most likely diagnosis. “I think there’s going to be a progression back to his normal workload”, Johnson said in conference call with reporters.

Clemson, which is 7-7 against SEC teams under Swinney, also looks like a team that can physically match up with Alabama at the line of scrimmage and is decidedly superior at several positions, most critically at quarterback. The 286 yards were a career best for Coker, who completed 25 of 30 and threw for two touchdowns.

Ridley had eight catches for 138 yards and two touchdowns and now has 1,031 yards for the season.

Jonathan Allen and the ferocious Tide defensive front sacked Connor Cook four times and allowed the Spartans only one trip into the red zone – which ended with Cyrus Jones intercepting a pass at the goal line. The big tailback who has carried the offense most of the season was mostly just a role player against a defense stacked to stop him.

Getting Heisman victor Derrick Henry rolling on the ground is the not-so-secret key to success for the Tide. He’s trying to lead Clemson to its first championship since 1981.

“It can only do great wonders for our state, our school and football team”, Ford said. “They’re undefeated. They’ve got a great program, so I’m sure our guys are going to be motivated to play the best they can. I’m proud as hell of them to get where they are”.