Clemson vs. Alabama, Sugar Bowl 2018: Preview and prediction
By Brad Weiss
In the third straight College Football Playoff battle between the two teams, the Alabama Crimson Tide will take on the Clemson Tigers in the Sugar Bowl.
The Alabama Crimson Tide and Clemson Tigers will battle it out in a Sugar Bowl for the ages, as it is a rematch of the last two College Football Playoff National Championship games. The series is tied up at 1-1, with the Tigers beating the Crimson Tide in stunning fashion at the end of last season. Alabama beat Clemson the year before and was expected to make it two in a row, but for the second year in a row, Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson had the Tide’s number.
Watson is no longer playing college football, as he handed the reins off to Kelly Bryant after winning the national championship. Bryant has done a tremendous job replacing the legendary quarterback and has led an offense that lost eighty percent of their production from last season. Clemson comes into this game with only one loss on the docket, though they will be facing an Alabama team that is hungry to show people they belong in the College Football Playoff.
The Crimson Tide were one the top-ranked teams in the country throughout the season but were a controversial selection after missing out on their conference title game. However, there is no denying the amount of talent on the roster, and head coach Nick Saban would like nothing more than to end the Tigers season, especially after falling to them in the title game last season.
Game Info
Date: January 1, 2018
Start Time: 8:45 p.m. ET
Location: New Orleans, Louisiana
Stadium: Mercedes-Benz Superdome
Point Spread: Clemson Tigers (+3.0)
TV Info: ESPN
Live Stream: WatchESPN, FuboTV
While it is not the national title game, it will still be must-watch television. Both of these teams have been in the top of the college football rankings throughout the season, so it is no surprise that they would be two of the final four teams standing. As we inch closer to kick off, let’s take a list at what each team is going to have to do to come out on top, and what our prediction is for the Sugar Bowl.