NEW ORLEANS—Alabama has been a regular in the College Football Playoffs. The Tide has been selected to play in the national semi-finals all four times since the system underwent its latest change in 2014, winning a title in 2015.
But this year, there was some debate about whether Alabama, which is 11-1 but lost to arch rival Auburn in the final game of the SEC West and did not play for the conference championship, belonged in the Final Four over Big Ten champion Ohio State.
In the end, the power of Nick Saban, who has won five national championships at LSU and Alabama, was enough to convince the selection committee the Tide was the better team and the Vegas sports books backed them up, making the fourth-seeded Tide a three-and-a half point favorite over top-ranked defending national champion Clemson when the two teams meet here Monday at the Super Dome.
This will be the third straight year Alabama and Clemson have played each other in the playoffs and the showdowns have created a natural rivalry between the marquis program in college football and the program that has designs on taking their place as the reigning dynasty in the sport.
When Alabama defeated Clemson, 45-40, to win the 2015 title game Glendale, Ariz., the Tide took control of the game on a bold move by Saban. After Adam Griffith tied the game at 24-24 on a 33-yard field goal with 10:34 left in the fourth quarter. On the ensuing kickoff, Griffith booted an onside kick that bounced high and into the hands of the Tide’s leaping Marlon Humphrey to give Alabama the ball at the 50. Two plays later, quarterback Jack Coker found tight end O.J. Howard wide open for a 51-yard touchdown to give the Tide a 31-24 lead they never relinquished.
Last year, Clemson won its first title since 1981, rallying from a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter to defeat the Tide, 35-31, in Tampa when Tigers quarterback DeShaun Watson, who threw for 420 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 43, led the Tigers on a 68-yard drive in the final 2:07 of the game, hitting wide receiver Hunter Renfro with a two-yard game winning touchdown pass with one second remaining.
The way the game ended left a haunting impression on Alabama sophomore quarterback Jalen Hurts, who pasted a picture of Clemson’s post game celebration on the wall paper of one of his cell phones and a picture of him walking off the field under a shower of orange and white confetti on the other.
“It’s definitely a motivation factor, and it always has been,’’ he said. “They’re the national champs. And we aren’t.’’
The rest of the country did not shed many tears for the Tide.
“I’m sure a lot of people don’t like Alabama because we’re always so good, each and every year,’’ Alabama defensive back Levi Wallace said. “That’s just something that Coach Saban instilled in us, trying to be the best we can. Whatever you guys say that we are, that’s who we are. We are the bad guys in college football.’’
When the pairings for the national semi-finals were announced, there was little doubt Alabama wanted Clemson. The Tide were more than ready for another shot to prove themselves against the Tigers on the sports’ biggest stage.
“It’s time for Round 3,’’ All American defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick added.
The gloves are off.
“We all kind of get the chance to redeem ourselves and kind of show the world who we really are,’’ Hurts said. “Who we are at Alabama. So, we’re looking forward to it.’’
“After last year, that game never quite settled with us,’’ defensive back Levi Wallace said. ‘So, we’re glad that we’re playing them. It’s starting to feel like a rivalry game.’’
Be careful what you wish for.
Alabama may have blown away inferior opponents but has struggled against teams with high level defenses that have stifled Hurts’ dual threat abilities. The Tide enters the game as a team searching for answers following their 26-14 loss at Auburn in the final game of the regular season when their normally dependable defense gave up the final 16 points of the game. Their biggest problem has been third down efficiency. They were just 3-of-11 against Auburn.
Clemson (12-1) looks like the most complete team in the field right now and junior quarterback Kelly Bryant, who has the potential to be a clone of Watson, should have an advantage playing against an Alabama defense that leads the FBS in yards allowed but has been banged up, most recently losing freshman linebacker Dylan Moses, the leading tackler against Auburn when he injured his foot in practice earlier this month. The growing number of injuries has hurt. Alabama gave up 24 points and 16 to Auburn in its final two SEC games.
Clemson is better than last season, if that is possible. The Tigers’ offense, even without Watson, may be more explosive in the running game. The Clemson defense is fourth in yards allowed per play and has held each of its last four opponents to under 230 yards total offense. The Tigers’ defensive line, anchored by three All Americans– Wilkiins and defensive ends Clelin Ferrell and Austin Bryant– has 17 tackles for loss and 11 sacks.
‘It’s a process,’’ Bryant said. “After the championship game last year, everyone was talking about how we couldn’t get back to this stage and not of lot of people gave this team a chance. So we took the doubt and ran with it and had that mindset of coming ready to work and here we are right now.’’