The Alabama Crimson Tide have been unstoppable all season. Sitting at a perfect 10-0 record, the Tide have won every game by at least 24 points. Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has been the Heisman frontrunner through the first 11 weeks, and there is a great chance he hears his name called in New York on December 9. With Alabama having a favorable rest of the regular season schedule, who can possibly take out the Tide?
Alabama hosts the Citadel this Saturday in a non-conference matchup. This will be a breeze for the Tide, I expect a large margin of victory.
The final regular season game will take place on rivalry week against Auburn. This is one of the greatest rivalries in college football, but this year Auburn is not a top team like usual. Auburn has struggled all year with threats of firing head coach Gus Malzhan. I do not see Auburn proposing a big threat to Alabama, although crazier things have happened.
Then, Alabama will travel to Atlanta to take on Georgia for the SEC Championship. The winner of this game will punch their ticket to the CFP, with the other waiting on the bubble. Georgia has played better as of late, with D’Andre Swift finding his own in the offense. This will be a tough game for ‘Bama, as I don’t expect another 20+ point blowout, but still another W in that column.
The three teams I believe will qualify for a playoff spot with Alabama will be Clemson, Notre Dame, and Michigan (assuming Alabama would play one of these teams). Out of these three teams, who has the best shot to knock off Alabama in the Playoff?
Michigan: The Wolverine’s defense has carried Michigan in big wins on their “revenge tour”. This defense might be the top in the country, and would give Tagovailoa and company some troubles. Transfer quarterback Shea Patterson has stepped into a big role for the Michigan offense, adding another dimension Michigan has failed to find in previous years under Jim Harbaugh. Alabama’s toughest game so far this season was against another one of the so-called “best defense in the country” in LSU. The Tide handled the Tigers, 29-0. Michigan is much like LSU with their stout defense, but Patterson provides a better Michigan offense that LSU does not own. If they do play in the CFP, I would expect Michigan to give Alabama the most fits on offense they have seen yet, but Shea Patterson would not be able to outscore Tagovailoa and the Tide.
Notre Dame: The big quarterback change in week 4 by coach Brian Kelly may have saved the Irish’s season, changing from Brandon Wimbush to Ian Book. Book has been exceptional for Notre Dame, leading them to an undefeated season thus far with only a few tough matchups to go. To note, the Irish do not have a conference championship game. ND has a sneaky good team that could catch Alabama off guard. They are solid on both ends of the football. Notre Dame has the ability to put up points in a hurry, but Alabama has a very underrated defense. The Tide have allowed 0 points against the last two ranked opponents they have played, LSU and Mississippi State. Notre Dame has had some questionable performances against poor competition. For example, against Ball State, Vandy, and Pittsburgh, only winning by slim margins. Notre Dame would certainly have to play better if they want a chance at beating ‘Bama. If they play in the CFP, Notre Dame may stick with the Tide for a quarter or two, but in the end, the Notre Dame defense can’t stop Alabama for four quarters and Ian Book’s lack of big game experience, resulting in a blowout win.
The final team, Clemson. In my opinion, Clemson has the best chance to knock off Alabama. Clemson is very good on both sides of the ball. Freshman quarterback Trevor Lawrence has played phenomenal all season with great, talented receivers all around him. Running back Travis Etienne has taken the country by storm, stamping himself as a top RB in the country. This offense is for sure to put points up on the board against the Crimson Tide defense. On the other side of the ball, Clemson has the best defensive line in the country, with all four lineman projected first or second round picks in next year’s NFL draft. This front seven has the ability to take away Damien Harris, Najee Harris, and the Alabama run game. If these two play, it will most likely be the National Championship game. I think Trevor Lawrence definitely lacks big game experience, while Tua Tagovailoa played in last year’s National Championship game and won it. Clemson’s fairly easy schedule does not prepare them well for a team like Alabama, but you can only blame the rest of the ACC for not living up to expectations. I think Etienne would have a tough time with Alabama’s front seven, and you can even ask LSU how running the ball went against the Tide. The biggest glaring weakness for Clemson is their pass defense, which happens to be Alabama’s strongsuit. To illustrate, Texas A&M QB Kellen Mond threw for 430 yards against this Clemson defense. Tua Tagovailoa would shred the Tigers’ secondary apart. Clemson would have to book on getting to Tagovailoa before he can throw. All in all, Clemson would give Alabama a run for their money, but the Tide are too much for just about any team in college football.
In conclusion, Alabama is the best team in college football and it’s not really close. I expect Alabama to have a perfect season at 14-0 and be crowned back-to-back National Championships. But, wild things have happened and upsets do sometimes occur, so it will be no cakewalk for the Crimson Tide.
Image source: https://www.si.com/college-football/2018/11/10/tua-tagovailoa-knee-injury-quad-sacked-alabama
