In the past century, Michigan alone has won more football games than Ohio State and Alabama, and only one victory distinguishes the Buckeyes and the Crimson Tide.
Ohio State has won 929 games; Alabama has won 928. The Crimson Tide has 15 national championships, while the Bookies have eight claims.
On January 11, Ohio State and Alabama will visit only for the fifth time in their five-story history – this time at the College Lage Football Playoff National Championship (ET, ESPN / ESPN app) Gardens, presented by AT&T at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
In the CFP semifinals of The Rose Bowl game presented by Capital One, ranked No. 4 defeated No. 4 Notre Dame 31-14. After No. 3 Ohio State, No. 2 Clemson stunned 49-28 in the Allstate Sugar Bowl.
The Buccaneers won their last meeting against the Crimson Tide, a 42-35 Sugar Bowl victory in 2015.
Here’s what you need to know about the 2021 CFP National Championship.
How Alabama got here: Playing only one conference schedule due to the coronavirus epidemic, the Crimson Tide became the first team in SEC history to advance 10-0 against conference enemies in a regular season. It was Tide’s fifth unbeaten regular season under Nick Saban. Alabama has won its 10 regular-season games by 15 points or more (seven by four touchdowns or more), including the youngest after 28-points. 13 Texas A&M, No. 3 17 points over Georgia and No. 22 Auburn 29 points. No. 1 in Alabama’s toughest Test SEC championship game. The Ma-number had a 46-victory victory over Florida, with the Gators scoring 29 points in the second half and offending 462 yards to cover a deficit of about 18 points. Recruitment in the CFP semifinal games improved 5-1 with a win against Notre Dame on Friday.
Alabama offensive player to watch: WR Devonta Smith. Senior Heisman is a finalist for the trophy and became the first AP College footballer to win this week since the award was established in 1998. In the six games before the CFP semifinals, Smith had 53 catches for 955 yards with 135. Touchdown, while a total of 199 yards with a touchdown on eight punt returns. In the first 11 games, Smith recorded 768 of his 1,511 yards after the catch.
Alabama to see the defensive player: CB Patrick Suren II. Junior FBS was the top cornbuck in Pro Football Football Focus, with a Rose Bowl with 87.0 grades in the first 11 games and a ranked No. 10 defensive player. According to the PFF, Smith earned a coverage grade of 86 86..3, ranking sixth in the FBS and second in the power second. Before facing the Fighting Irish, Surent allowed Targe to complete just 1 comple on 43 targets out of 60,060 accelerations. He was allowed to complete once every 24.2 instant, ranking third among FBS players.
MupChap which supports Crimson Tide: Alabama’s vast receivers vs. Ohio state secondary. Even without the injured Jelan Waddell, Tide’s adoption is a nightmare for any team. The Bookies held well against Clemson’s thin receiver corps, but they finished last in the Big Ten in pass defense in the first six games, allowing 261.3 yards per game. Buckley did a good job of getting our Rogers out of the game, but there are more weapons in the tide.
Personal matchup to watch: Alabama Defensive Coordinator Pete Golding vs. Ohio State QB Justin Fields. Fields put together a lifetime game in the Sugar Bowl against Clemson, throwing with six touchdowns in the Buckeyes ’exciting route for 386 yards. Fields looked confused in previous games against Indiana and Northwestern, when he threw five interceptions and was dismissed eight times. He was pretty flawless in every other game. Golding has been criticized for an inconsistent game of Alabama defense, and he will have to work with a solid game plan to put pressure on the fields.
Alabama X factor: Will Will Richard. In the past, Alabama fans have taken their collective breaths while taking the field in Tide’s kicker postseason. Not this season. Alabama’s Hoover’s Soommore Richard was 12-for-12 full on field goals, including a 52-yard against Georgia, and 73-for-73 on extra points in the first 11 games. She is a finalist for the Lou Groza Award.
If Alabama wins: The tidal offensive line protects Mac Jones. Alabama’s offensive line, led by Alex Leatherwood and guard Dionte Brown, is pretty good. If Tide can protect Jones and give him time out of pocket, he’ll probably do what he’s done all season. In his first 11 games through the Alabama quarterback his 73, passing9ards were the most passing yards, and he was completing his 75 75..6% effort with a touch 75 touchdown and four interceptions.
What’s at stake for Alabama: Alabama is aiming for its 16th national championship, the highest in the AP voting era, and the second in college football history. Yale won 18 national titles from 1874 to 1927. Soap will win its seventh national title in 16 years, including six in Alabama. His seven national titles (he won one at LSU in 2003) will see him out of the tie with the most tidy coach in college football history, Paul “Bear” Bryant.
Here’s how the state of Ohio got: Buccaneers did not take off until Oct. 24 after Big Ten delayed the start of the season due to COVID-19 concerns. Ohio State beat two ranked teams in the regular season: then-no. 31 Penn State on the road on October 31-25 and then-no. 21 Nov. Indiana 42-35 at home on the 21st. Ohio State’s three regular-season games were canceled due to a coronavirus issue. The Big Ten voted on December 9 to change its policy that teams had to play six games to qualify for the conference championship game. Despite not having 22 players, including leading receiver Chris Olav and starting linebacker Baron Browning, the Buckeyes have the then-no. 14 Northwest 22-10 in the Big Ten Championship game, to win their fourth straight league title.
Ohio State to see offensive player: While quarterback Justin Fields is the transfer that gets the most attention for the bookies, running back Tray Train Sermon, who played for Oklahoma the previous three seasons, is just as important. The graduate transfer from Marietta, Georgia, is the highlight of Ohio State’s last three games. He led the Buckeyes to a 52-12 victory over Michigan State in the last regular-season game, then went 112 yards, then set a record of 331 yards with two scores on 29 carry against Northwestern in the Big Ten Championship game. . He broke the 314-yard OSU single-game record set by Eddie George against Illinois in 1995, and his rushing total was the highest in the conference title game. There were 112 yards on 17 carries in the first part of the sermon, putting Master Tugue aside. ESPN According to statistics and data research, Sermon has had 4૨4 rushing yards in the last two games, the most in two-games played by an OSU player in history.
To see the Ohio State defensive player: Ohio State LB Pete Werner. He was the bookies ‘leading tackler to reach the CFP semifinals and was instrumental in shutting down the Tigers’ tailback Travis Etienne. Werner moved out of the linebacker this season and had 37 tackles, 2 tackles for loss and 1 sack in his first 37 games. He’s very good at coverage against tight ends and running backs and will be important in trying to slow down Alabama’s Nazi Harris.
Match that favors bookies: Ohio State DT Haskell Garrett v. Alabama Sea Chris Owens. Garrett was shot in the face and spent two days in hospital in early September. The Las Vegas senior was not medically cleared to play this season just four days before the opener. He has emerged as the best interior lineman in the country with 17 tackles in the first six games, 4 tackles for loss, 2 sacks and 1 obstacle. Garrett was the highest-grade defensive lineman with a grade of 92.1 before the CFP semifinals at FBS, according to Pro Football Focus. Owens was pushing into the starting lineup when starter Landon Dickers tore his ACL against Florida in the SEC Championship game.
Personal matchup to watch: Ohio State CB Shawn Wade v Alabama WR Devonta Smith. Wade dropped out of the season to prepare for the NFL Draft, but changed his mind and remained OSU’s secondary leader. ESPN analyst Mel Keeper Jr. ranks him as the fourth best cornbuck prospect for the 2021 NFL Draft. Wade was named an All-American by ESPN and the Associated Press, and is OSU’s first winner of the Big Ten’s Tatum-Woodson Defensive Back of the Year award.
Ohio State X Factor: Clemson senior linebacker James Skelsky took a hateful shot to Fields ribs with 5:57 to go into the second quarter. Scalsky was set to score, and Fields was slow to get in and he seemed to be in pain. He missed a play before returning to give wide receiver Chris Olaw a touchdown for a 28-14 lead over the Tigers. He wore extra padding on his left side for the rest of the game. Fields was injuring the toe, but he seemed ready to go. Will the rib injury last for 10 days before he faces the crimson tide? He doesn’t seem to be bothering her since he threw for six touchdowns against Clemson.
If Ohio State wins: The Buckeyes play as they do against Clemson. They completely defeated the Tigers in the Sugar Bowl, taking a 35-14 lead at halftime. Fields was in full control and used his running back and tight end to use Clemson’s defense. Defensive coordinator Carrie Coombs planned a great game to put pressure on Clemson quarterback Trevor Larens, a Heisman Trophy finalist, and the bookies, and the bookies will also need to push Jones.
What is at stake for the state of Ohio: The bookies are 23-1 in the second season of coach Ryan Danny. After years of waiting to win a national title, Ohio State could win its third since 2002. He beat Miami 31-24 in two overs to win the 2003 Fiesta Bowl under Jim Tracel, and then won his first CFP by beating Oregon 42-20. Under Urban Mayor in 2015.
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