Alabama and Clemson are back in the championship again. This time both teams have a perfect record (14-0). Let’s take a look at their seasons.
Alabama: Well, as everybody knows, Alabama’s season really started in September but it felt like it started months earlier. After Tua Tagovailoa saved Alabama in the championship game last year, most people thought that Jalen Hurts would transfer and Tua Tagovailoa would be named the starter. I didn’t think that Hurts had to transfer. I thought that Nick Saban would come up with a 2-quarterback system. In the end, both sides were wrong in some ways and right in others. Tua Tagovailoa was named the starter after week 1, Alabama beat Lousville 51-14. However, Jalen Hurts didn’t transfer, decided to stay a backup, and occasionally Saban would put him on the field for trick plays.
Alabama stormed through the rest of the regular season with notable victories against LSU (29-0), Mississippi State (24-0), and Auburn (52-21). Then came the SEC Championship game against Georgia, the same team that knocked Jalen Hurts down from starter to backup. The CFP Championship was played in Georgia last year and the SEC Championship this year was also played in Georgia. The same field that Jalen Hurts was pulled out of the game on.
Alabama was down 28-21 when Tua Tagovailoa went down with an injury in the middle of the 4th quarter. Tagovailoa wasn’t playing as well as he usually did, mostly because he was injured and Saban didn’t want to take him out. Jalen Hurts lead Alabama to a 35-28 victory by throwing a touchdown to tie the game and running for a touchdown to take the lead. Alabama was heading to the playoffs.
In the playoffs Alabama beat Oklahoma 45-34. If you want more information on the game click on the link below.
Alabama Beats Oklahoma 45-34 in Semi-Final Game! Still, Alabama Has a Lot to Improve On.
Clemson: Clemson also had a quarterback battle going into the season which didn’t end in the same way Alabama’s did. Trevor Lawrence and Kelly Bryant were the quarterbacks battling for the job. In the end Trevor Lawerence got the job and Kelly Bryant redshirted and unenrolled from Clemson (Bryant transferred to Missouri later in the year). Though Lawrence lead Clemson to a perfect 14-0 record and to the championship, Clemson’s defense deserves most of the credit. Clemson’s defense destroyed team after team and held Notre Dame to only 3-points in the playoffs.
Here are the 3 keys for Alabama to win the game.
1. Get to Trevor Lawrence
If Alabama wants to win, they have to blitz Lawrence. They have to force him into making bad decisions. Saban has to send Raekwon Davis and Quinmen Williams at Lawrence. They have to get a safety blitz going, anything to sack, rattle, and intercept Trevor Lawrence.
2. Get Jalen Hurts involved
Sure, Tagovailoa may be the starter, but there’s no reason not to put Hurts in for a few plays. Jalen Hurts’ forty-yard dash time is as good as most running backs. Hurts can squat 600-pounds. Hurts ran for almost a thousand yards in his freshman season. Also, Hurts is improving in the passing game. While Tua Tagovailoa may be the better passer, and I’m not saying anything against Hurts, I just think that Tagovailoa is probably the best passer in football history, Jalen Hurts is probably the best athlete Alabama has. He can even catch the ball.
3. Have a balanced game plan, don’t just throw the ball
Alabama can’t just let Tua stand in the pocket and throw. Bama has to spread the ball around. Hand it to Josh Jacobs and Damien Harris. If Alabama wants to win, they have to run and pass. They can’t just throw deep on every play.
Here are the 3 keys for Clemson to win the game.
1. Frustrate Alabama, especially the Tide’s defense
Alabama has an annoying history of unsportsmanlike conduct fouls this year. If Clemson can frustrate them, then there’s a good chance they get 15 more yards.
2. Blitz Tagovailoa
Clemson can’t let Tua just sit their and take his good ol’ time. They have to rush him, rattle him, make him nervous. The secret to holding Alabama’s offense down is to force Tagovailoa into making bad decisions on stuff like when to throw the ball deep and when to run and other things.
3. Hand the Ball to Travis Etienne
Travis Etienne is Clemson’s best player. This year he has ran for 1572-yards, 8.3-yards per carry, and 22 touchdowns. He has also caught one touchdown.
ROLL TIDE!!!
