NCAA National Championship

  Carolyn's Corner

So it comes down to the #1 and #2 teams for the NCAA National Championship—just as if should be, many feel, but not always guaranteed to happen in the new system so enjoy it while you can! 

The Alabama Crimson Tide and the Clemson Tigers reached the finals taking very different paths—most notably, this is Alabama’s fourth appearance under Nick Saban while Clemson is riding a 17-0 streak, not having lost a game since November 2014.  However, according to Sportsbook director Chuck Esposito, many sportscasters feel it is a real tug-of-war in trying to predict who will win.

  What does Alabama need to do to win?  More than anything, says AP sportswriter Ralph Russo, the defense needs to confuse Clemson’s Heisman candidate Deshaun Watson with much more complicated schemes to slow him down in reading them and thus create problems for the Tiger offense.

  And Clemson?  Because Alabama’s defense is so strong, the most likely matchup will be Heisman Trophy winner Derrick Henry, who many predict will have to run brilliantly with more than 25 carries in the game for the Tigers to move the ball.  In contrast to the Oklahoma game, where Clemson had to play the hottest team in the country at the time, QB Coker threw more than Henry ran. However, this time the Alabama secondary is much better overall than Oklahoma’s so Coker and the receivers would have a much more difficult time picking them off to gain significant yardage.

All in all, this is shaping up to be a “must see” game due the strength of both teams, what is at stake for both, and the unpredictability of a clear-cut winner.  Tune in on Monday night, January 11!

Categories: NCAA