Alabama Football: The Tide Will Lean On Heisman Winner To Win National Championship
The focus for the final pick ’em this year is obviously going to be Alabama football, as the Tide will contend for the national championship against Clemson.
Since week one of the college football season, the crew here at Southbound and Down has been picking games and we were largely successful. I was able to pull out the best records in both head to head matchups and picks against the spread. I got a little cocky, though, and didn’t do nearly as well during bowl season (the final marks on bowl games will be posted after the national championship).
Needless to say I need to pick this one right.
Just like with many of the bowl games, the crew here is pretty split. We’ve got 3 pickers this week and not all of them are choosing the Alabama football team to win the national championship. I’m actually still making up my mind as I type this. It’s a good sign in a way, meaning it should be a close and fun game to watch. I just want to be right, dang it.
How Alabama can Win:
Jake Coker doesn’t need to have an extraordinary performance like he did against Michigan State for Alabama to pull out the victory here. What the Tide need is for Derrick Henry to not have another average performance. Sure it was a part of the plan and he still managed 2 touchdowns. But no one expected the Heisman Trophy winner to be held under 4 yards per carry. Clemson has a tall and rangy secondary but they don’t have near the front 7 that Michigan State has. Henry should be able to average better than 6 yards a carry and look like an animal leading the Crimson Tide to the National Championship.
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How Alabama can Lose:
Mobile quarterbacks with huge upside have been Alabama’s kryptonite. Bo Wallace wasn’t an all-time great but had the capacity to play like one. He did just that when he guided Ole Miss to a victory against Alabama last year. The key? Extending plays with his feet, 3 passing touchdown and no interceptions. Cardale Jones wasn’t about to scamper like a deer but was able to guide his Buckeyes to a victory against Alabama in last year’s College Football Playoff. The key? Extending plays with his feet, hitting bombs deep once the secondary broke down and Ezekiel Elliott. Chad Kelly quietly had a monster season in 2015, including another Ole Miss victory against Alabama. The key? Extending plays with his feet, a little lucky, 3 passing touchdowns, a rushing touchdowns and (wait for it) no turnovers. Deshaun Watson fits the mold. His 68% completion percentage, 31 passing touchdowns, 3,699 passing yards, 1,032 rushing yards and 12 rushing touchdowns all bode well for the upset bid.
The Picks
John:
The matchup against Michigan State was easy to predict in my mind. There’s no way Michigan State was going to out “Alabama football” the Crimson Tide. Alabama football is built on stopping the run and having a two-pronged attack to take advantage of their opponent’s weakness on defense. Clemson fits the bill of Alabama’s kryptonite, though. The key isn’t a dual-threat quarterback. None of the 3 quarterbacks who have beaten Alabama the last 2 years have even approached 100 yards rushing. The key is mobility to extend plays and take shots deep down the field when the secondary has lost their receiver. Ahhh! This is such a tough game. I really can’t wait to watch. It is just too hard to pick against Alabama and Saban in these situations. Give me the Tide in what turns out to be a shootout. Alabama 38-31.
Andrew:
This matchup should be a doozy. Alabama has dominated since the Ole Miss loss early in the season thanks to stout defensive play and an absolute bruiser in the backfield. Clemson, on the other hand, has looked good all season long and boasts its own Heisman-quality contributor in quarterback Deshaun Watson.
It’ll be a slugfest, but I think the Crimson Tide’s secondary — as it did against the Rebels — will get carved up by Watson and Co. The No. 1 Clemson Tigers “upset” the favored Alabama Crimson Tide 31-28 and claim their first national championship since 1981.
More sec: SEC Football: Final Power Rankings (14-7)
Ben:
When Alabama was set to play Michigan State I was right in thinking that they could “stop” Derrick Henry. I thought that if the game was put into Jake Coker’s hands, Michigan State could pull off the upset. I’ve never been more wrong. Jake Coker proving he is a competent quarterback on such a huge stage makes me think the Tide are unbeatable. Yes, Clemson will give Alabama fits with Deshaun Watson and his ability to move and avoid the rush, but I still think they will come up short. Bama wins 31-14.
