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USA TODAY Sports picks the College Football Playoff championship
The second College Football Playoff championship kicks off tonight at 8:30 ET, with No. 1 Clemson facing No. 2 Alabama on ESPN. Here are the staff picks for the game from USA TODAY Sports.
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USA Today Sports’ George Schroeder breaks down the College Football Playoff national championship matchup between Alabama and Clemson. USA TODAY Sports
The second College Football Playoff championship kicks off tonight at 8:30 ET, with No. 1 Clemson facing No. 2 Alabama on ESPN.
This is how the staff of USA TODAY Sports writers and editors staffing the game in Glendale, Ariz., see it playing out:
Nancy Armour
Alabama. Deshaun Watson is a gifted quarterback who can hurt you in any number of ways, and he will make some plays Monday night. But Alabama’s defensive line is too big, too strong and too deep to let Watson get on the kind of roll Clemson would need to win.
Nicole Auerbach
Like it did to so many opponents this year, this Crimson Tide front seven will dominate and wear down Clemson by game’s end, despite a terrific effort by Deshaun Watson. Alabama, 21-14.
Laken Litman
As good as Deshaun Watson is, Alabama’s defense, ranked second in the nation (256 yards per game) is better, especially up front with NFL talent like A’Shawn Robinson and Jonathan Allen. Offensively, the Crimson Tide’s Heisman Trophy winner Derrick Henry is going to be playing angry after being held to 75 yards in the Cotton Bowl. Additionally, Nick Saban has never lost a national championship game.
Paul Myerberg
Clemson’s enormous advantage at quarterback is reason alone to pick the Tigers to beat Alabama in the national championship. But the team is much more than Deshaun Watson. Clemson matches up well on the offensive line, defensive line and in the passing game and will defeat Alabama if it can avoid turnovers and prevent any big plays from Calvin Ridley. Clemson, 31-27.
George Schroeder
There’s this growing sense that Alabama’s fourth national title in seven years is inevitable, but I’m not sure why. It’s not that Bama hasn’t been fantastic. The win over Michigan State was convincing. But it was also a win over another team trying to play Bama’s game with lesser players.
Clemson brings a spread offense with fast, talented playmakers, including the most dynamic quarterback in the country in Deshaun Watson. It’s exactly the kind of attack that has given Alabama fits in recent years — and in a combination which Alabama really didn’t face this season. The Tigers are very good defensively, too and along both lines.
Maybe Alabama will shut ’em down and grind out a win. That could happen. Bama is a much better team than it was in September. But Clemson will present problems the Tide has not faced this season — and hasn’t really solved in the past few years.
Daniel Uthman
Alabama’s front seven on defense is the best in college football, and Clemson’s group might be next on the list. That theme carries over to every other spot on the field except quarterback — and Jake Coker has been greatly improved in the latter stages of the season. Alabama is also slightly better on the scoreboard, 27-24.
Dan Wolken
Clemson is a much more talented team than what Alabama faced against Michigan State, but when Alabama’s commitment and focus is there, it’s hard to play the game on your terms. Alabama makes it enough of a grinder to win, 27-20.
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