Alabama Crimson Tide

Five reasons Alabama will beat Clemson in the national championship game

Published Jan. 1, 2016 12:31 a.m. ET

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Marcus Hartman

Alabama earned a spot in the national championship game with a dominating 38-0 win over Michigan State on Thursday night.

You can bet coach Nick Saban did not waste any time thinking about Clemson, the unbeaten, top-ranked team in the country.

What do the Crimson Tide need to do to end their national championship drought at two years -- yes, that's a drought by 'Bama standards.

Here are five reasons to believe they will get the job done.

1. Unfinished business

Saban said he felt like the Crimson Tide merely took part in the playoff last year when they lost to Ohio State. This year they had a better focus as they prepared for a Michigan State team that probably looked a lot like them as far as style of play.

When the roster many feel is the best in college football is properly motivated, that has to be a concern for everyone in the country -- including the Tigers.

2. Jake Coker

Who would have expected to read that a day or two ago? The Crimson Tide quarterback closed 2015 in grand style, completing 25 of 30 passes for 286 yards and two touchdowns against Michigan State.

He not only avoided the big mistake, he was efficient all night and opportunistic, too. His two 50-yard strikes to Calvin Ridley, one in each half, were major momentum-makers for the Crimson Tide. 

Coker improved during the season, and he has one more shot to take the Tide to the top. He'll be facing a Clemson defense that is very talented but prone to giving up big pass plays -- something we've already seen Coker produce in the postseason.

3. Derrick Henry

The Crimson Tide benefitted from the threat of their star running back more than his actual skills against Michigan State. He had a modest 75 yards on 20 carries with two touchdowns in the Cotton Bowl, but his presence certainly opened the door for Coker's big day.

Now could Henry see the reverse benefit him against Clemson? A defense built for speed (Clemson) as opposed to one built for power (MSU) could call for a different type of game plan than offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin drew up against the Spartans.

Henry should have fresh legs since he was not overworked in Dallas -- like he may have been late in the regular season.

4. That defensive line

A good Michigan State offensive line had a big problem dealing with the Alabama front seven. Jonathan Allen had two of the team's four sacks while linebackers Reggie Ragland and Dillon Lee benefited from being able to play without blockers in their faces and totaled 12 and eight tackles, respectively.

The Spartans managed only 29 yards on the ground, and it was not for lack of trying. They ran 26 times (including sacks) for an average of 1.1 yards per attempt. The Spartan tailbacks combined for only 31 yards on 15 carries.

Clemson will present another big challenge, but the Crimson Tide have been controlling teams up front all season.

5. Nick Saban

Is the master back? After being humbled by Urban Meyer's Buckeyes last season, the coach of the Crimson Tide took some heat in the offseason by talking about possible distractions his team faced leading up to the loss to Ohio State.

This season, he seems to have gotten his troops to rally after a loss to Ole Miss, and they are playing with great energy on both sides of the ball.

Clemson has had a great season under coach Dabo Swinney, but it is hard to bet against a Saban team when everything is on the line. His process is simply that proven.

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