The College Football Playoff semifinals are all set with top seed Alabama taking on Notre Dame in the Rose Bowl presented by Capital One and No. 2 Clemson facing No. 3 Ohio State in the Allstate Sugar Bowl.
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Whether you agree or disagree, these are the four best teams in the country and one of them will reign supreme when it is all said and done on January 11. Here’s a look at each team and how it all plays out.
Alabama Crimson Tide Team Preview
There is a reason why the Crimson Tide is ranked No.1 in the nation. There is also a reason why Alabama is a 17.5-point favorite in its semifinal matchup with Notre Dame.
The Tide is simply the best team in the country.
One thing has been constant during this tumultuous 2020 college football season. Alabama has beaten everyone…and handily. The Tide’s closest game was a 17-point win over No. 9 Georgia.
Wide receiver DeVonta Smith is now the favorite to win the Heisman Trophy. He has 98 catches for 1,511 yards and 17 touchdowns. His quarterback is also a finalist for college football’s highest award. Mac Jones has completed 76.5 percent of his passes for 3,739 yards and 32 touchdowns. He has thrown just four interceptions.
Then, there is RB Najee Harris. He has rushed for 1,262 yards and 24 touchdowns. Oh, and head coach Nick Saban’s defense gives up just 19.5 points per game. This Alabama team will have five, and maybe six, first-round draft picks next spring. They’re that good.
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Clemson Tigers Team Preview
Like Alabama, Clemson has been to four of the last five CFP national championship games. The Tigers went 10-1 losing to Notre Dame in a game that starting quarterback Trevor Lawrence missed due to COVID-19.
Clemson’s matchup with Ohio State is a repeat of last year’s No.2-No. 3 game though the seeds are switched this year. The Tigers won last year rallying from a 16-0 deficit and won on Lawrence’s touchdown pass to RB Travis Etienne with just 1:49 to play.
Lawrence is 34-1 as the starter at Clemson with the only loss coming in last year’s national title game. The offense is balanced with Lawrence leading the nation’s seventh-best passing game (343.8 ypg) and Etienne rushing for 882 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Clemson’s defense has played remarkably well despite some youth in the front seven. The Tigers allow just 17.5 points per game.
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Ohio State Buckeyes Team Preview
The Buckeyes had to wait for the Big Ten to start in November and then played only five regular season games because of cancellations related to the virus. The conference voted to allow Ohio State to play for the Big Ten title after first saying teams needed to play six games to qualify.
Quarterback Justin Fields is the catalyst of the offense, but his two worst games came against the two best defenses the Buckeyes played against – Indiana and Northwestern.
The big question for Ohio State is whether or not they will be at full strength. They beat Northwestern in the Big Ten title game minus 22 players, including leading receiver Chris Olave.
The Buckeyes average 42.5 points per game and have the nation’s fifth-ranked rushing offense averaging over 275 yards on the ground per game. RB Trey Sermon ran for 331 yards in the win over Northwestern. Ohio State will need to establish that ground game if they are to have a chance at beating Clemson.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish Team Preview
There are some that believe the Irish don’t belong here, but of the remaining options they are the best. Notre Dame beat Clemson earlier in the season and had a big win over a very good No. 13 North Carolina.
The Irish rely on a power running game. Remember, Alabama was gashed for 268 rushing yards by Ole Miss earlier in the season. QB Ian Book is 30-4 as the Notre Dame starter. Among active quarterbacks, only Clemson’s Lawrence has a better record.
The Notre Dame defense is also very good allowing just 18.4 points per game, but the Irish have not faced an offense like Alabama’s.
2021 CFB National Championship Pick
Historically, the CFP national championship has not been won by the No. 1 seed. In the first five CFP finals, the top seed never won a title. Last year. LSU became the first No. 1 seed to win the national championship.
If there is one thing that has stood out this entire college football season, it has been the dominance of Alabama. Last year was the first time since the CFP’s inception that the Tide didn’t make the top four. Head coach Nick Saban will make up for that with Alabama’s third national championship in the last six seasons.
