College Football Playoff: Can we get a break from Alabama v Clemson?
Another year, another Clemson vs Alabama match in the College Football Playoff game. They both deserve it but it’s far from the most exciting matchup.
To some extent, Clemson vs Alabama is good for college football. They’re the two best teams, but college football is awesome because it’s chaotic, not script.
It’s possible that Ohio State or Georgia might have been able to come in and shake things up—after all, look at what Georgia did last season in the SEC Championship game. They rebounded after a crushing defeat against Auburn and won the game against that same Auburn team with points to spare. This season, they certainly looked great in the first half against Alabama, so it’s highly possible Kirby Smart’s Dawgs could snatch the title from Nick Saban.
Ohio State has defeated Alabama before, and Urban Meyer would love to end his career on a high note. Beating Alabama would certainly qualify—Meyer would go down in history for that one. Syracuse dominated Clemson for most of that game this season. Kentucky trounced Florida, who in turn went on to bulldoze a shell-shocked Michigan in that bowl game. I’ll grant that Notre Dame looked woefully outmatched, but leaving them out of the National Title conversation after an undefeated season seems punitive, particularly in light of their schedule.
Some would argue the very predictability of this matchup that makes it great. It certainly has turned into quite a rivalry, and both teams are chock-full of talent. But again, outside of death and taxes, nothing in the universe is truly predictable. Nobody likes the predictable; nobody would watch a movie or read a book in which they knew what would happen. The two teams are both outstanding, with depth at every position, but we all love an underdog.
Next. What if college football doesn't need one champion?. dark
How much fun would it have been if Georgia had rallied and beaten Alabama this year? Or if Syracuse had taken down the mighty Clemson Tigers? The CFP would have been much, much different, and that is what is good for college football. We all love a story like Rudy, where hard work brings success. It’s about overcoming adversity. And it’s about scrappy underdogs taking on giants—and finding a way to win.