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College Football Playoff: 5 Reasons Alabama will win National Championship

By Hunter Kinniburgh

Dec 3, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban celebrates with his team after the SEC Championship college football game against the Florida Gators at Georgia Dome. Alabama Crimson Tide won 54-16. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 3, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban celebrates with his team after the SEC Championship college football game against the Florida Gators at Georgia Dome. Alabama Crimson Tide won 54-16. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 3, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Florida Gators quarterback Austin Appleby (12) is brought down by Alabama Crimson Tide defensive lineman Jonathan Allen (93) during the fourth quarter of the SEC Championship college football game at Georgia Dome. Alabama defeated Florida 54-16. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 3, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Florida Gators quarterback Austin Appleby (12) is brought down by Alabama Crimson Tide defensive lineman Jonathan Allen (93) during the fourth quarter of the SEC Championship college football game at Georgia Dome. Alabama defeated Florida 54-16. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports /

3. Jonathan Allen

One of, if not the best player on the Bama defense, Jonathan Allen has made plays all year along the defensive line and has been one of the most dominant defensive lineman in all of college football. Allen even received 17 first place votes for the Heisman Trophy after he finished the season with 56 tackles and 8.5 sacks on the season.

Allen is crucial for the Alabama defense to be able to get pressure on the elite quarterbacks that they will face, first off with Washington’s Jake Browning, and then either Deshaun Watson or J.T. Barrett. Allen is disruptive and made plenty of plays against some of the top quarterbacks that he faced, including a 75-yard interception return touchdown against Ole Miss quarterback Chad Kelly.

Not only is Allen a playmaker but he draws double and triple teams which open up opportunities for other Alabama defenders to make plays in the backfield. Essentially, Jonathan Allen creates plays whether he’s a part of the actual play or not. With Allen on the defensive line, Alabama can create immediate pressure, he hasn’t been stopped all year and it likely won’t happen in the biggest games of the season; expect to hear the name Jonathan Allen a few times during the Playoffs.

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