The collision course has finally reached a pinnacle, as Alabama and Clemson—the nation’s clear best all season—are set to play in what figures to be a barnburner of a national championship game.
A matchup pitting the Tigers’ high-powered spread offense against the latest edition of Alabama’s archetypal defense has been destined, with these teams ranked 1-2 since the second College Football Playoff rankings were released in Week 11.
Despite a pair of lopsided semifinals—Alabama stampeded through Michigan State, 38-0, and Clemson ran away from Oklahoma, 37-16—such margins prove that the Tigers and Tide are truly the nation’s best.