National Championship 2016: 5 keys to victory for Clemson Tigers
By John Buhler
The Clemson Tigers are the underdogs to the Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2016 National Championship. Here are the five keys to victory for Clemson.
The No. 3 Clemson Tigers (13-1) will play the No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide (14-0) in the 2016 College Football National Championship Game. Kickoff from Raymond James Stadium in Tampa will be at 8:00 p.m. ET on Monday, Jan. 9. ESPN will have the national broadcast.
This is a rematch of the 2016 National Championship that saw No. 2 Alabama defeat No. 1 Clemson 45-40 to win the second annual College Football Playoff at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale on January 12.
Alabama is the favorite in this neutral-site game in Tampa. Here are the five keys to victory for Clemson to win its first national championship since the 1981 NCAA season on Monday night.
5. Wayne Gallman has to move the chains
Time of possession will be crucial in this game. The team that milks the clock the best will likely win the national title. Alabama has a stout running game with tailbacks like Damien Harris and Bo Scarbrough. Clemson, though, has a strong tailback as well in junior Wayne Gallman. His success in the ground game is paramount for Clemson’s chances at winning it all.
Gallman has rushed for over 1,000 yards in consecutive seasons. Though he won’t touch his 1,514 total from 2015 (1,087 in 2016), Gallman has come up big in getting into the end zone for the Tigers this year. He has 16 rushing touchdowns in 2016, eclipsing his combined total of 14 from 2015.
We know that Alabama can move the chains consistently with its always stout running game. The Crimson Tide bury teams late in games with its anaconda defense and bludgeoning backfield barrage. Can Gallman be the guy that Clemson can lean on in the running game to keep the chains moving with third-and-short to third-and-medium scenarios?
Gallman is averaging 5.1 yards per carry this season and throughout his three years at Clemson. Even four yards per carry should be enough for Gallman to help give Clemson’s offense a chance. Five times has Gallman rushed for over 100 yards — not saying he needs to hit that threshold, but he’ll have to be within striking distance of it in the fourth quarter for Clemson to have a shot at the national title upset.