Posted on 01/09/2017 5:53:04 AM PST by blam
Their first College Football Playoff title game was a thriller, and odds are the rematch will be, too
Tom Fornelli
January 9, 2017
While it certainly isn't a rule, it's generally accepted that the sequel is never quite as good as the original. The logical explanation for this phenomenon is that a movie doesn't get a sequel unless the first installment was popular enough to warrant one, which means that the sequel has lofty expectations to live up to.
As do Alabama and Clemson when they meet Monday night in Tampa for a national championship rematch.
When these two teams met in Glendale, Arizona last year, they gave us all an exciting game. Even if the final minutes of the game didn't provide an incredible amount of drama, Clemson still put on an offensive performance against the Alabama defense that we just aren't used to seeing. Deshaun Watson accounted for 478 yards of offense and four touchdowns, but it just wasn't enough.
And now these two forces meet again.
There's Alabama, a team which seems unstoppable. A team whose rise to yet another national title has seemed pre-destined for just about the entirety of the 2016 season. On the other side is the one team that has truly offered a real threat to Alabama's supremacy in Clemson.
So will this sequel be any good? I don't know, but everybody's already bought their tickets and in their seats with a bucket of popcorn waiting to find out.
Players to watch
Deshaun Watson, Clemson QB: There is no player in this game more important than Deshaun Watson. Simply put, if Clemson wants to win this game, it will need Watson to play spectacularly. If he is just average, or plays subpar...
(snip)
(Excerpt) Read more at cbssports.com ...
Clemson comes from the ACC. The ACC year in and year out is not a top 5 power conference. Clemson had to play out of their ass to beat inferior ACC teams like NC State, VA Tech and Florida State. All those teams could have beaten them in the last few minutes of the game. Powerful house Troy only lost to them 30-24. Pittsburgh hung 43 on them and won the game. The only SEC team they played was a bad Auburn team they beat 19-13. If Bama plays their usual game of ball control they win this game fairly easy. Only way Clemson beats them is for Watson to go pass happy again and throw every time he goes back and be successful. That leads to interceptions. I’ve been wrong before but usually teams with a smothering defense wins the game, in the pros and college. So like I say Clemson might win, but I would be surprised. Alabama has to lose sometime.
Yup.
I believe Scarborough or Hurts will have to have a big night running if we are to win. Hurts can't throw to OJ Howard like Jake Coker did last year.
In fact, I'm almost ready to say that we should start looking for another starting QB next year, Hurts's throwing game is not improving.
I'd be the happiest guy around if Hurts had a big passing game though.
Hurts will have to earn his job every year. But he’s the 29th ranked QB in all the NCAA which is not too shabby for a true Freshman. He has a bevy of qualitative and leadership abilities that say a lot more. He’s a top notch player and will lead The Tide to victory for another 3 years if he stays healthy. I think there is a Heisman in his future.
Regardless who wins tonight, I’d like to heartily thank Clemson for humiliating OSU !
Is there a broadcast channel? ABC?
5.56mm
Our local ABC not broadcasting the game. We don’t have cable so I subscribed to Sling TVs seven day free trial. Lol
Numbers are regular season stats in yards:
Alabama Offense....... 40 Pass 9 Run
Clemson Defense....... 11 Pass 20 Run
Clemson Offense....... 7 Pass 37 Run
Alabama Defense.......9 Pass 1 Run
On defense, Clemson should stop ‘Bama’s passing game and could slow ‘Bama’s running game.
‘Bama’s defense should stop Clemson’s running game cold but the Clemson offense could have success with college’s 7th best passing game. ‘Bama’s 1st against the run but 9th against the pass.
Looks favorable for ‘Bama but if Clemson’s run defense holds and they find success in their very good passing game it could be close. Obviously, a good passing offense scores points more quickly than a running offense. So if one team had to come from behind, Clemson’s passing game would have a better chance than Alabama’s running game.
If you can’t get ESPN, you can listen to the gane on Westwood 1.
Tigers take the lead, up 4 with 4 and change to play!
Bama had a third and long, 4 plays later Bama is back on top, holy monkey Clemson D screwed the pooch!
Clemson WINS, tell me you were streaming it, great game!
Knew Clemson would win when Scarborough went out and Bama’s offense stalled time and again with the freshman quarterback. Knew it was a matter of time before Watson started unloading on the the Bama secondary. Bama defense was worn out because they couldn’t get any rest. Other than a couple big plays Hurts was terrible at quarterback. As bad as Bamas offense played their great defense kept them in the lead 59 out of 60 minutes. Alabama will be ranked #1 to start the season and Florida State will be #1 in the ACC, not Clemson, who lose Watson and the great tight end.
I saw enuf
great win by Tigers
very little night time football now. I can switch to my winter schedule and start getting up at 4 a.m.
Great game! Congratulations to Clemson and to Bama’s son, Dabo Swinney! We will call him one of Gene’s boys! Roll Tide! And even better is Dabo’s love for God!
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