National Championship 2016: 5 keys to victory for Clemson Tigers
By John Buhler
1. Clemson must win turnover differential to have any shot
There are two things we know will happen in this game: 1.) Alabama will run the football well against the Clemson front seven. 2.) Watson will be difficult for the Alabama defense to contain. The one thing we don’t know that will be critical on whomever wins this game is who wins the turnover differential?
If Alabama is +2 in turnover margin or better, the Crimson Tide will win the 2016 National Championship in a laugher. At +1, Clemson has a slim chance at best to thwart the Crimson Tide’s chances at a repeat. Should Clemson win the turnover battle, then this 2016 group could go down as the best team in Clemson football history. That’s how Clemson beats a historically dominant Alabama team.
The reason that this is so important is that Alabama has an uncanny ability to get instantaneous points on defense and in the special teams. Alabama calls it joining The Six Club when a non-offensive player gets into the end zone. The player that finds pay dirt gets to hold on to a cool championship wrestling belt on the sidelines for the time being.
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It’s more that Clemson can’t turn the football over than forcing its own turnovers. The Tigers don’t have the personnel with the ball skills of the Alabama back-seven. However if they do force an Alabama turnover, the Tigers need to get points on that ensuing possession. If it’s only a field goal, that’s fine because little becomes big over time. The more that Clemson has the football, the better its chances to win it all on Monday night in Tampa.