College Football National Championship: 5 keys to victory for Alabama vs. Ohio State

Alabama key to victory No. 1: Mac Jones must be steady, dominant

Especially considering what the preseason conversation around Mac Jones was, the quarterback has been phenomenal throughout this season. He finished third in Heisman Trophy voting after completing 77 percent of his passes for 4,036 yards with 36 touchdowns and four interceptions. Yes, he’s aided by his dynamic group of pass-catchers but his individual performance has been a head-turner.

He’s been undeniably dominant throughout the year but two things have stood out the most. The first is his propensity for avoiding mistakes and being consistently efficient. His completion and interception rates show that in a major way. And for Alabama to win on Monday, that’s something that must continue. Jones can’t afford to make any costly mistakes or bad decisions when a more than capable offense sits on the opposite sideline.

The other part of the equation for Jones, however, has been his ability to deliver his best performances in the games he’s been needed most. Jones threw for over 400 yards on four occasions this year and they just so happened to be in matchups against the four best offenses they faced this season. His ability to create big plays with his deep passing has shown up when it’s mattered most.

This might seem diminishing of his accomplishments this season but Jones must simply be the player he’s been all season in the National Championship Game. Ohio State may be the best team he’s seen all season but they aren’t perfect and the quarterback has the proven ability to exploit their weaknesses. And by doing what he’s done for 12 games already, he’ll help Alabama reach the mountaintop once again.

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