After the College Football Playoff Semifinals, the National Championship Game is now set. While common fans may be getting tired of a familiar matchup, the two best teams in college football will be playing each other in Levi’s Stadium. Alabama and Clemson will meet for the fourth time in the College Football Playoff and the third time in the National Championship Game. Here is the 2019 College Football National Championship Game preview.
Clemson had no troubles defeating Notre Dame in the Cotton Bowl Classic, winning 30-3. The defense played extremely well, limiting the Fighting Irish to 248 total yards. Their game was disrupted by good defensive line play, even without Dexter Lawrence, who was out for this game after failing a drug test. Trevor Lawrence led the offense with 327 passing yards and three touchdown passes. The running game was also solid with 211 yards.
Trevor Lawrence (photo by sportingnews.com)
The good news for the Tigers is that Trevor Lawrence got some more great reps against a good Notre Dame defense. Not only was he effective, but he did not make any mistakes against a lot of future pros. Having a great performance against the Fighting Irish is nice, but he’ll have a stiffer test against Alabama.
Travis Etienne gashed the Notre Dame defense for 109 rushing yards and one touchdown on 14 carries. The offensive line got a decent push against some talented Notre Dame defensive linemen. Their ability to run the ball really helped keep the offense balanced and the defense on their toes.
There still isn’t clarification on whether Dexter Lawrence will play in this game, but their other star defensive linemen stepped up in this game. The team totaled six sacks and eight tackles for loss. Defensive end Austin Bryant had an incredible game with two sacks and three tackles for loss.
For more information on how the team played this season check out the Cotton Bowl preview.
They only ended up winning by 11, but Alabama controlled the game against Oklahoma, defeating the Sooners 45-34. Tua Tagovailoa had a great game going 25/28 for 318 passing yards and four touchdowns. The running game helped out with 200 rushing yards, but they needed Tagovailoa to play well because the defense couldn’t stop Kyler Murray. Murray accounted for 417 yards and three total touchdowns. This was the toughest matchup that Alabama has had to deal with this season.
Tua Tagovailoa (photo by staradvertiser.com)
After a shaky game in the SEC Championship, Alabama fans have to be happy that Tagovailoa came out and played well against Oklahoma. With that being said, Oklahoma’s defense is not very good. He’ll need to bring his best game when Alabama plays Clemson on Monday.
While Damien Harris was limited to 3.7 yards per carry, he did score two touchdowns. Josh Jacobs stepped up with 98 rushing yards and Najee Harris was effective when he touched the ball with six carries for 45 yards. They’ll need to go with the hot hand again against Clemson, who will send waves of defensive linemen at them. The offensive line will also need to play great to give Alabama a chance.
The defense will have to recover from a performance that did not meet their own standards. Murray was effective, but he was a threat with his legs and his arm. The game against Clemson should feature a more traditional passing quarterback and running game. In the past, Alabama has been successful against quarterbacks that stay in the pocket.
For more information on how the team played this season check out the Orange Bowl preview.
This game will feature a war in the trenches and two superb quarterbacks. The one that plays the best will likely head home with the trophy. Tagovailoa was nearly flawless all season and got into a rhythm against Oklahoma. He will play well and will be aided by Jacobs in the running game, who has been playing well lately. They’ll get the lead and hang on for the win.
Alabama Crimson Tide 34 Clemson Tigers 27
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