National Championship (1/7): #2 Clemson 44 vs. #1 Alabama 16

[Chieftain2009]

Well, 4th time Clemson and Alabama will meet each other in the playoff era.

Let's get some thoughts going.

[countywide35]

Buckeyes yet again get the short end of the stick. Clemson/bama gettin old and quick. they both have the easiest paths to get there. Clemson plays a very weak schedule AND conference. Honestly , who in the heck does Clemson have to get up for week in and week out ?? Duke? FSU? Wake forest? Yea they are good teams but they aren’t killers. Bama plays citadel? A tough game against a few conference opponents?? CFP has to change things up or all you will ever see is this title matchup with these two teams. And it’s already starting to show. How many times now has this matchup been ?!!! Come on now. Somethings gotta change. Rest assure when the national title game is on. I’ll be flipping over there to see the score not watch and breakdown the game. Very disappointed college football fan this morning. Not. Only because the real team was left out. But the results of last night of leaving them out. Those teams weren’t even close to being comparable.

[Omega]

As to the actual game, I believe the outcome could go either way, but Roll Tide should prevail if they can maintain focus for a full four quarters. Bama 28-24.

Even though Bama phoned in the second half of their game, I do not believe anybody doubts that the two best teams are playing for the championship. While I do not think the outcomes would have been different , it would have been interesting to see what Haskins could have done against Dabo's and Saban's teams.

[Chieftain2009]

I can definitely agree that the top two teams will be playing each other for the championship.

For Bama, this will be a completely different game, as they will not be able to run up and down the field on the Clemson defense. Playing against the Clemson defense will really show what the Bama offense is made of. Plus, the Clemson offense can be dominant at times as well. If Bama wants to win, they'll have to actually come out an play a full game under composure.

For Clemson, obviously, this will be their biggest test of the year. This will be a completely different game for them as well. Unlike against ND, the Bama offense actually knows it's front side from it's back side. And the defense speaks for itself.

This "should" be a very good game. Even though I'm sure fans are tired of watching this match up. It's just good football, between the top two teams.

[YOU'RE TIGER BAIT]

I honestly think this one is up for grabs. and could go either way.

[farmer]

Alabama against Oklahoma made to many inforced penalties and cheap shots. The false starts really hurt. The cheap shot on a kick off that had nothing to do with the play. The defensive cheap shots and running their mouths. If these thing happen against Clemson in a tight game sure could be the difference.

When a player gets kicked out of a game they must leave the sideline but when the NCAA suspends a player as with Clemson they are allowed on the sidelines. Doesn't make sense.

[farmer]

Alabama against Oklahoma made to many unforced penalties and cheap shots. The false starts really hurt. The cheap shot on a kick off that had nothing to do with the play. The defensive cheap shots and running their mouths. If these thing happen against Clemson in a tight game sure could be the difference.

When a player gets kicked out of a game they must leave the sideline but when the NCAA suspends a player as with Clemson they are allowed on the sidelines. Doesn't make sense.

[Bleeding Red]

Sorry, I cant get into it after watching a ND team get thrashed after I've said all along they didnt belong.

Both OSU and Georgia were WAY better.

Cant watch any more beauty pageants. I'll watch the Rose bowl and others but probably wont watch the ESPN invitational....I mean CFP NC.

[farmer]

Sorry, I cant get into it after watching a ND team get thrashed after I've said all along they didnt belong.

Both OSU and Georgia were WAY better.

Cant watch any more beauty pageants. I'll watch the Rose bowl and others but probably wont watch the ESPN invitational....I mean CFP NC.

The ESPN Beauty Pagent was talked about so much on some games on ESPN like the games they were doing really didn't matter.

[FANOSPORTS]

OSU would get trashed by either defense if we're being realistic much like 10 years ago. They are both great against the run which OSU didn't do much of this year and Haskins would be blitzed all night long by either team. They should destroy Washington but against these 2 it would get ugly quick. The 2 best teams are there. This is a toss up.

[Bleeding Red]

OSU would get trashed by either defense if we're being realistic much like 10 years ago. They are both great against the run which OSU didn't do much of this year and Haskins would be blitzed all night long by either team. They should destroy Washington but against these 2 it would get ugly quick. The 2 best teams are there. This is a toss up.

Totally disagree.

[noreply66]

Alabama against Oklahoma made to many inforced penalties and cheap shots. The false starts really hurt. The cheap shot on a kick off that had nothing to do with the play. The defensive cheap shots and running their mouths. If these thing happen against Clemson in a tight game sure could be the difference.

When a player gets kicked out of a game they must leave the sideline but when the NCAA suspends a player as with Clemson they are allowed on the sidelines. Doesn't make sense.

Could be one is the results of game play and the other is off the field results.

[countywide35]

OSU would get trashed by either defense if we're being realistic much like 10 years ago. They are both great against the run which OSU didn't do much of this year and Haskins would be blitzed all night long by either team. They should destroy Washington but against these 2 it would get ugly quick. The 2 best teams are there. This is a toss up.

Totally disagree.

I agree with you too red. Bucks wer playing awesome at the end of the year with the real Heisman winner. We would have held our own rest assure of that and we would’ve put up more of an effort than those other teams did. CFP a joke. Changes have to be made. Just have to be.


Too much human emotion involved In the decision process. And if people think there’s not. They are just choosing not to knowledge it.

[YOU'RE TIGER BAIT]

how interesting it would be if the top 8 teams made it in. there may be some disagreements as to how they were actually ranked. but the top 8 at the end of the season would have looked like this.
1 bama vs. 8 Michigan
2 Clemson vs.7 ucf
3 Oklahoma vs. 6 ohio state
4 notre dame vs. 5 Georgia.

settle it on the field. the top 8 get in. no 2 ways around it. and for pete's sake. what does ucf have to do to get a shot. they have won like 25/26 games in a row. they were undefeated last year, beat auburn in the bowl game.auburn beat bama and they were the sec champs, went undefeated this year and have lsu in a bowl game. I mean seriously. with these mega conferences of 14 schools. the only thing ucf can do is play who is in their league and have an aggressive ooc schedule. who would not have loved to see this played out this way. some may say they disagree with the final rankings in whatever way or fashion. but this is how it panned out. let the top 8 play each other. and personally, just me personally here I think ohio state or Georgia would have beat Oklahoma or notre dame after what I saw. and another thing, in no way am I saying either one didn't deserve to be there. but personally I feel if you are an independent and are national championship caliber. in other words you may play for a national championship. you should be in a league. that way you too play for a conference title. in this case that would only really apply to byu, and notre dame. no other independent teams has a shot, like army, liberty, new mexico state, etc. I think it's imperative you play the extra game for the title. if you are considered a contender in a national title race.

[FANOSPORTS]

how interesting it would be if the top 8 teams made it in. there may be some disagreements as to how they were actually ranked. but the top 8 at the end of the season would have looked like this.
1 bama vs. 8 Michigan
2 Clemson vs.7 ucf
3 Oklahoma vs. 6 ohio state
4 notre dame vs. 5 Georgia.

settle it on the field. the top 8 get in. no 2 ways around it. and for pete's sake. what does ucf have to do to get a shot. they have won like 25/26 games in a row. they were undefeated last year, beat auburn in the bowl game.auburn beat bama and they were the sec champs, went undefeated this year and have lsu in a bowl game. I mean seriously. with these mega conferences of 14 schools. the only thing ucf can do is play who is in their league and have an aggressive ooc schedule. who would not have loved to see this played out this way. some may say they disagree with the final rankings in whatever way or fashion. but this is how it panned out. let the top 8 play each other. and personally, just me personally here I think ohio state or Georgia would have beat Oklahoma or notre dame after what I saw. and another thing, in no way am I saying either one didn't deserve to be there. but personally I feel if you are an independent and are national championship caliber. in other words you may play for a national championship. you should be in a league. that way you too play for a conference title. in this case that would only really apply to byu, and notre dame. no other independent teams has a shot, like army, liberty, new mexico state, etc. I think it's imperative you play the extra game for the title. if you are considered a contender in a national title race.

Of the Top 8, Notre Dame & Michigan were never in their game, Ohio State and UCF had good first half's but didn't finish well and Georgia and Oklahoma had terrible first half's playing from behind and couldn't catch up. Alabama and Clemson put a whole game together and looked good. The 2 best teams are playing in the final, whether we like it or not. To your point Bait, I've always thought that the extra week with 8 teams would be the best scenario also. Hell, if the other divisions can have 16 teams (and they're usually more studious anyway) it should be a no brainer.

[YOU'RE TIGER BAIT]

Buckeyes yet again get the short end of the stick. Clemson/bama gettin old and quick. they both have the easiest paths to get there. Clemson plays a very weak schedule AND conference. Honestly , who in the heck does Clemson have to get up for week in and week out ?? Duke? FSU? Wake forest? Yea they are good teams but they aren’t killers. Bama plays citadel? A tough game against a few conference opponents?? CFP has to change things up or all you will ever see is this title matchup with these two teams. And it’s already starting to show. How many times now has this matchup been ?!!! Come on now. Somethings gotta change. Rest assure when the national title game is on. I’ll be flipping over there to see the score not watch and breakdown the game. Very disappointed college football fan this morning. Not. Only because the real team was left out. But the results of last night of leaving them out. Those teams weren’t even close to being comparable.

amen brother. I saw on yahoo this morning that ticket sales have plummeted, and so have the prices. and it's in frisco. centrally locate this somewhere. it needs to be in a dome in February. so weather does not interfere. I know playing inside ain't the way it's supposed to be. but saw you have a gullywasher with rain, or really thick fog. I'd rather see the teams in a prime environment where something as big as a national championship ain't determined by a botched snap or fumble because it's pouring down the rain. or so foggy you can't see the game. with that said, GO CLEMSON, ROLL THE TIDE.

[YOU'RE TIGER BAIT]

how interesting it would be if the top 8 teams made it in. there may be some disagreements as to how they were actually ranked. but the top 8 at the end of the season would have looked like this.
1 bama vs. 8 Michigan
2 Clemson vs.7 ucf
3 Oklahoma vs. 6 ohio state
4 notre dame vs. 5 Georgia.

settle it on the field. the top 8 get in. no 2 ways around it. and for pete's sake. what does ucf have to do to get a shot. they have won like 25/26 games in a row. they were undefeated last year, beat auburn in the bowl game.auburn beat bama and they were the sec champs, went undefeated this year and have lsu in a bowl game. I mean seriously. with these mega conferences of 14 schools. the only thing ucf can do is play who is in their league and have an aggressive ooc schedule. who would not have loved to see this played out this way. some may say they disagree with the final rankings in whatever way or fashion. but this is how it panned out. let the top 8 play each other. and personally, just me personally here I think ohio state or Georgia would have beat Oklahoma or notre dame after what I saw. and another thing, in no way am I saying either one didn't deserve to be there. but personally I feel if you are an independent and are national championship caliber. in other words you may play for a national championship. you should be in a league. that way you too play for a conference title. in this case that would only really apply to byu, and notre dame. no other independent teams has a shot, like army, liberty, new mexico state, etc. I think it's imperative you play the extra game for the title. if you are considered a contender in a national title race.

Of the Top 8, Notre Dame & Michigan were never in their game, Ohio State and UCF had good first half's but didn't finish well and Georgia and Oklahoma had terrible first half's playing from behind and couldn't catch up. Alabama and Clemson put a whole game together and looked good. The 2 best teams are playing in the final, whether we like it or not. To your point Bait, I've always thought that the extra week with 8 teams would be the best scenario also. Hell, if the other divisions can have 16 teams (and they're usually more studious anyway) it should be a no brainer.

I'm like you fan, at every other level teams have a true playoff system from the smallest cooleges, to fcs. and I love their playoff system. even high school. if it takes 15/16 weeks to settle it, so be it. I don't think it should ever go beyond 16 teams. but I think 8 is perfect. and if they keep the same system without changing. then let 5 play 6. 7 play 8. and 9 play 10.

[YOU'RE TIGER BAIT]

the bowl games proved at least that ohio state is a better team than everybody in the country besides Clemson and Georgia. and I think ohio state should finish 2nd behind whoever wins the national championship.if given the chance they could have maybe given Clemson a better game or bama. ohio state showed that the 1st 3 quarters against Washington. after that I think they got complacent thinking about things. bosa deserting us, urban retiring, realizing they're not winning a national title, what coaching changes are coming next. bosa's gone, weber's gone, dre'mont jones is gone. and likely haskins. I think reality kinda set in. and honestly Washington wasn't showing much lifewise. but then they came back, and we almost got rear ended by them. washington has an excellent team. they were completely overlooked by the media and buckeye fans across the country. given no chance to win. and chris Peterson from Washington can coach with any man in the country. he brought boise state out of nowhere to a top 5/6 team in the country every year. and look what he's done already at Washington. or warshington as lee corso says. great game until we let off the gas, but I can understand with everything else going on behind the scenes.

[YOU'RE TIGER BAIT]

I mean we had Georgia lose, Michigan lose, Oklahoma and notre dame lost as well as a couple others, who is left besides us.the loser of the title game should be at least 3. unless it's just a barnburner till the last second.

[Bleeding Red]

Even high school kids in Ohio play 15 games to determine the Championship. That is after a 10 game season, meaning the final 5 are probably the toughest.

In FBS they play a 12 game season, only 3 of which would be post season if we had an 8 team playoff and they made it to the final game to make a total of 15 games played.

If the high school kids can handle it across the country, I am sure college athletes can as well.