Alabama and Clemson Advance to College Football Championship Game Again
Top ranked Alabama got off to a 28-0 lead over #4 Oklahoma and held back a Sooner comeback to win the Orange Bowl 45-34 on December 30th and advance to the College Football Championship game for the fourth year in a row.
Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Kyler Murray of Oklahoma completed 19 of 37 passes for 308 yards and two touchdowns, but it was Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa who was the star of the show. All he did was complete 24 of 27 passes for 318 yards and four touchdowns. Neither QB threw an interception, and Murray rushed for a touchdown and 109 yards on 17 carries. But the Sooner defense, which had given up a lot of yards and a lot of points all year, dug too deep a hole for the prolific Oklahoma offense to climb out of. The Sooner’s 34 points were the most scored against the Crimson Tide this year. Oklahoma finished 12-2; Alabama is now 14-0.
Alabama will face a familiar College Football Playoff foe in the National Championship Game on January 7th, 2019 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. Second ranked Clemson took on #3 Notre Dame in the Cotton Bowl for the right to advance. The two traded first quarter field goals before the Tigers ran off 27 unanswered points to blow out the Fighting Irish 30-3. Clemson had 538 yards of offense vs. 248 for Notre Dame. Clemson improved to 14-0 while Notre Dame finished 12-1.
This will be the fourth year in a row that Alabama and Clemson have met in the College Football Playoff, and the third time in the Championship Game itself. Three years ago, the Crimson Tide beat Clemson 45-40 in the championship, two years ago Clemson prevailed 35-31 to win the championship, and last year Alabama beat Clemson 24-6 in the Sugar Bowl semi final on the way to the Championship Game. Alabama beat Georgia 26-23 to win the championship.
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And Alabama with a Hawaiian QB! So I guess I have to root for the Crimson Tide. Overall I find this system much better, there is no question who is champion. In the old days you sometimes had three schools claim the title….14-0 vs 14-0…something has to give. Should be a high scoring game, might even go into OT if Clemson has a good day and can contain ‘Bama’s offense to a degree.