NO. 2 ALABAMA (13-1) VS. NO. 1 CLEMSON (14-0)
SITE University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. TIME/TV 7:32 p.m. CST (ESPN)
LINE Alabama by 6 1/2 SERIES Alabama leads 12-3
WHAT’S AT STAKE
The national championship. Clemson would become the first 15-0 FBS champion, while Alabama would win its fourth national title in seven seasons.
KEY MATCHUP
Clemson QB Deshaun Watson vs. Alabama’s front seven. Watson set the Atlantic Coast Conference mark for total offense with 4,731 yards, 1,032 of those coming on the ground. He’s led Clemson to 10 consecutive games with 500 or more yards of offense. Watson, though, may not have seen a group like Alabama’s defensive line and linebackers, who had nine sacks in slowing down Mississippi State’s Dak Prescott — possibly the best dual-threat QB the Tide have faced before Watson.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
ALABAMA RB Derrick Henry is the Heisman Trophy winner with 2,061 yards rushing and 25 touchdowns in his first season as the Crimson Tide’s fulltime starter. The rushing yards and touchdowns are SEC records. He surpassed Herschel Walker’s yardage total and the TD mark of Tim Tebow and Tre Mason.
CLEMSON CB Mackensie Alexander is the leader of the secondary, a lock down corner who usually shadows the opponent’s best receiver. This time, that’s Calvin Ridley of Alabama. Alexander has six pass break ups, but zero interceptions — mostly because quarterbacks don’t test him much.
FACTS & FIGURES
Alabama leads the country with 97 victories since 2008. Clemson has 77 victories in that same span. … Clemson has never appeared in a No. 1 vs. No. 2 game. … Alabama has won last 12 meetings with Tigers, the last game between the two a 34-10 win to start the 2008 season. … Clemson’s three winningest coaches (Frank Howard, Danny Ford, Dabo Swinney) are all graduates of the University of Alabama. … The Crimson Tide held Michigan State to 239 yards of offense, the 10th time season an opponent been kept below 300 yards. … Clemson kicker Greg Huegel tied the school’s single-season scoring record of 128 points set by All-American tailback C.J. Spiller in 2009.