Ranking Alabama’s National Championships in football

Monday night will host the event from Glendale, Arizona, at 8:30 on ESPN. They will throw to Calvin Ridley and company at least a few times to test Clemson’s corner backs and see if they can make tackles out in the open field.

Clemson is looking to keep its flawless season intact and finish 15-0, which would give Dabo Swinney’s Tigers their first national championship since 1981. Can Nick Saban and Alabama take down undefeated Clemson? Fournette was one of those guys too. The Tigers have won 10 or more games each of the past five years, defeating college powers LSU, Ohio State and Oklahoma — twice — in bowl games. He is not only an awesome recruiter but is second to none in development of his players and preparation. The Clemson Tigers will take on the Alabama Crimson Tide in a match up that puts a growing Clemson program up against the powerhouse Alabama. It’s as simple as that.

Of course, with Alabama’s incredibly efficient defense picking up the slack, it may not.

“I do think Alabama has the better football team”. Then there was Jeff Davis at linebacker and Terry Kinard, who in my opinion is the best safety that has maybe ever played in college football.

Clemson showed the sort of balance it will need to cope with Alabama’s stifling defense, rushing for 312 yards and passing for 218.

However, Watson & Co. haven’t faced a bigger challenge either. With all the blue-chip guys Alabama has, they have a rotation that is second to none. “No. 1 in about everything defensively, but the biggest thing is they just have great depth in their defensive line”. It’s demoralizing for the opposing offense. “I played a pretty good game, but not the best game I could’ve played”. “It hurt, but I do what I have to do to help my team win”.

I call these wasted completions, though of course that’s oversimplifying things. That is not a problem this year. “When Coach Saban was able to come to us after the game and say, ‘Look at the hard work you put in and look at the fruits of your labor, ‘ that allowed us to really have a perspective that we can beat anybody we played if we do what we’re supposed to do in the week leading up”. A team of this magnitude with a focus this powerful is a scary combination. They have been nothing but impressive.

“This is an unbelievable atmosphere and I just think it’s great for Clemson and great for the players to see how much we appreciate them and we’re pulling for ’em”, said Ross. Against Oklahoma, Clemson produced 13 points on four trips inside the Sooners’ 20-yard line in the first half. The Tide are so balanced on offense and can hurt you in so many ways. The Volunteers ran the ball 39 times in that game, but Alabama survived a major scare at home.

In the Tigers’ past two games, Gallman has been Clemson’s version of Mariano Rivera.

Clemson defensive end Shaq Lawson in interviewed during media day for the NCAA College Football Playoff National Championship in Phoenix, Saturday, Jan. 9, 2016. He’s going to be the X-Factor for a Clemson offense that needs to attack an Alabama defense that has been good against the run all year long.

Coach Nick Saban knows this. This year’s team converts 36.2 percent, good for 96th.

“Yeah all the scenarios are running through your head we just got to get there by Monday”, Hall said.