The College Football Playoff National Championship game with Alabama and Clemson starts at 8:30 pm ET on ESPN. The CFP National Title matchup is live from University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale and live stream coverage will be on WatchESPN for the game.
Alabama comes in at number two in the rankings, while Clemson is number one after being undefeated through the regular season. Clemson won over Oklahoma in the semifinal round, while Alabama shutout Michigan State to advance into the title game. The matchup puts Clemson in position to complete an undefeated season at 15-0 if they can win, while Alabama is looking to finish the season 14-1 if they can get the victory over the Tigers.
Clemson comes in after winning 37-17 against Oklahoma, while Alabama put up a 38-0 shutout against the Spartans. The Alabama-Michigan State game was 0-0 after the first quarter, but Alabama pulled away after that and never looked back. Oklahoma was actually leading Clemson after halftime, but the Tigers held the Sooners scoreless in the second half to get the victory.
Clemson won the ACC this season and the team is looking to win the national title for the first time in over 30 years, while Alabama is looking to win its first title since 2012. The team has won three titles with Nick Saban over this last stretch of years and a win on Monday would give the team its fourth title in seven seasons with Saban at the helm. A win for Clemson would make the Tigers the first team in the FBS to win 15 games in a season, while Saban is going for his fifth championship overall after previously winning one at LSU.
Derrick Henry comes in after winning the Heisman trophy this season and he won it over Clemson QB Deshaun Watson. Those two players will be the most important ones to watch for their respective teams and the game could hinge on whether the defenses can step up and stop them. Henry had a fantastic season with 1986 rushing yards and 23 touchdowns, while Watson comes in after passing for 3512 yards and 30 scores this season.
Jake Coker has been good enough for Alabama this season and if he can limit any mistakes or turnovers in the title game, the team will be in solid position to win. Coker comes in with 2489 passing yards and 17 TDs this season and Calvin Ridley was his leading receiver with 75 catches for 893 yards and five TDs. The Clemson offense is a powerful one and the team has Wayne Gallman coming in after rushing for 1332 yards and 10 scores, while Artavis Scott had 84 catches for 805 yards to lead the team in receiving.
Check here for the CFP schedule for the Alabama and Clemson game.