Just like sports has seen with rivalries like Ali-Liston and Cavaliers-Warriors, Alabama football vs Clemson renews another chapter of two giants.
It is rare in sports we see two “dynasty’s” be able to get rematches again and again in championship games like we have seen with Alabama and Clemson. It’s similar to Lakers-Celtics in the 60’s and 80’s in the NBA and Mike Tyson-Evander Holyfield in boxing, but I don’t know if any rivalry has a chance to continue at a high-level like the Crimson Tide and the Tigers, where they end up battling each other for the national championship year in and year out.
In my honest unbiased opinion, I do believe we will see plenty more championship showdowns between Alabama and Clemson. Looking at recruiting statistics, Alabama currently holds the #1 class in the Class of 2019, which would be Nick Saban’s 8th #1 class at Alabama. While Clemson holds the #6 class in the 2019 cycle, they are set for the future with young stars such as quarterback Trevor Lawrence, running back Travis Etienne Jr., and receiver Tee Higgins.
People are weary about the continuous match-ups between Alabama and Clemson and Twitter has been full of people expressing their disinterest in the game due to it showcasing the same teams year in and year out. Alabama head coach Nick Saban was asked on Sunday if Alabama and Clemson playing again was good for college football.
It may sound selfish of Saban to say that, but when you really think about it, why should he care what other people think? He’s the leader of the greatest dynasty of the 21st century in any sport and he’s the last person who wants to see it end and I’m sure Dabo Swinney feels the same way as well. If you’re tired of these two teams making it to the championship every year, then get better than beat them, it’s simple enough.
When all is set and done, the Alabama-Clemson rivalry may have more chapters than the entire Star Wars movie series, and while it may be derided by critics, the entertainment value and public interest will always have a much bigger impact than the vocal minority.