The Alabama Crimson Tide will be making their third straight College Football Playoff appearance, looking to avenge their loss in last year’s title game.
Heading into the 2017 college football season, many expected the Alabama Crimson Tide to be one of the last four teams standing. Coming off another trip to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game, Nick Saban and company had another loaded roster ready to go this season. The Tide was the top-ranked team in the country for most of the season, but a late-season loss to the Auburn Tigers put their playoff hopes on the ropes.
The race for the final spot in the playoff came down to really two teams, with those being the Tide and the Ohio State Buckeyes. The committee decided to give the fourth seed to Alabama, who will now try to avenge their loss in the title game last season. They will get a chance to do so right away, as they take on the Clemson Tigers in the semifinal.
Coaching Advantage
When it comes to coaching advantages, no team in college football is better at the top than the Alabama Crimson Tide. Head coach Nick Saban has been masterful since taking over the program and has won nearly 87 percent of his games as the man in charge. No matter who the opponent is, the Crimson Tide always put together a solid game plan, and Saban should be ready to go with so much time to prepare for the Tigers.
Over the last two national title games, the Tigers have had the Tide’s number, at least on offense. Deshaun Watson was masterful in both games against Alabama, though the Tigers only came away with one title in two tries. Still, the head coaching matchup between Dabo Swinney and Nick Saban is turning into one for the ages, and if the Tide can get past Clemson, they should be in good shape.
With either Oklahoma or Georgia waiting on the other side of the bracket, the Crimson Tide would have a big advantage at the head coach position. Sure, Kirby Smart has done a tremendous job for Georgia in his two seasons at the helm, but he is a Saban protégée and may find it tough knocking off his former mentor. Oklahoma has a first-year head coach in Lincoln Riley, so the stage may get too big for him when it comes down to a close one late.
Saban is seventh all-time in bowl wins, and he already has five national titles to his credit. He is a mastermind on defense, and his defensive front is one of the best in college football. He should be able to scheme to defeat whoever comes in his way, and in a tight game, there is no one else better at manning the sidelines on the biggest stages.