Three Reasons Why the Alabama Crimson Tide Will Win the National Championship
Written by Ryan Wright
Twitter: @RyanWrightRNG
Alabama cleaned house throughout the 2020 college football season eating up the nation’s toughest conference with a 12-0, 10-0 SEC, record winning games by a margin of 29.17 points per outing. It took a Heisman Trophy candidate at quarterback, a first team All-American at tight end, and a second team All-American at receiver to get close to the Tide, and that was after the team effectively shut it down going up 35-17 at halftime, for a close contest in the SEC Championship Game (52-46). This top-ranked Alabama squad is on a path to glory, and there appears little No. 3 ranked Ohio State can do about it in the National Championship Game.
While Alabama was romping on four ranked teams, two in the Top 10, Ohio State cruised to a 5-0 regular season seeking an exemption from the Big Ten to represent the East Division in their title game after missing three scheduled games. After kicking Indiana out of the way, the Buckeyes struggled against Northwestern needing to come from behind to escape with a 22-10 win. Ohio State surprised all with their 49-28 win against Clemson in the College Football Playoff Semifinal advancing to the championship round.
When we last saw the Crimson Tide, they were dismantling the hopes and dreams of another college football blueblood in Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish were effectively put away by halftime down 21-7 on the way to a 31-14 victory for Bama. Alabama smothered the ACC regular season champs to 375 total yards turning away two red zone chances.
Hopes may be high for Ohio State fans, but Alabama head coach Nick Saban is focused on hoisting his seventh college football national championship, sixth with the Crimson Tide, Monday night at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
Why Alabama Will Win the National Championship
Running Back Najee Harris
Najee Harris is third in the nation in rushing yards (1,387) carrying the rock 20 and 50 times less the leaders. Harris is leading the nation with 24 rushing scores averaging an impressive 6.1 yards per carry. The 6-2, 230-pound, beast has shown up when called upon rushing for 152 yards against then- No. 3 Georgia, 178 yards against No. 7 Florida, and 125 yards against No. 4 Notre Dame.
Ohio State has not faced a running back like Harris nor an offense that can ram it down a team’s throat like Alabama. The best rushing attack the Buckeyes faced during this season was in their opener against a 3-5 Nebraska team. The Cornhuskers were 28th overall in the nation in yards per game. The next “great” rushing attack faced on the field was No. 42 Minnesota. Don’t be fooled by Ohio State rush defense holding teams to 89.14 yards per game. For comparison, Clemson’s rush offense is ranked 75th.
Quarterback Mac Jones
There are great reasons Mac Jones was a Heisman Trophy finalist, and it all has to do with his arm, decision making, and how he takes care of the ball. Jones enters the big game second in the nation in passing yards (4,036) and touchdowns tossed (36) but leads all in three significant categories: completion percentage (77.0), QB Rating (203.0), and yards per completion (11.3). The impressive numbers continue with a 36:4 touchdown/interception ratio and has only taken 11 sacks in 357 pass attempts. On the other side of the ball, Fields has a 21:6 touchdown/interception ratio and has already taken 20 sacks in just seven games played. Mac Jones’ “worst” game came in a 63-3 blowout of Kentucky completing 16 of 24 passes for 230 yards with two scores and one interception. Fields’ worst was a 12 of 27 game against No. 14 Northwestern throwing for 114 yards without a score and with two interceptions.
When Jones drops back, he has Heisman winner DeVonta Smith running routes. Smith produced the game’s best season as a receiver hauling in 105 passes for 1,641 yards with 20 touchdowns. Other arrows in Jones’ quiver includes John Metchie (47 yards/835 yards/6 TDs) and Najee Harris (36/346/3).
Alabama’s Defense
Even in a seven-game schedule that included only two squads with winning records during the regular season, Ohio State enters this contest with the nation’s 41st best defense giving way to 370.3 yards per game. Having played a full season that now includes five ranked teams, three in the Top 5, the Crimson Tide are stuffing the opposition to 353.2 yards a contest. The opposition is only averaging 110.3 yards per game on the ground and 242.92 passing. This Alabama unit is among the best in the country getting after the quarterback averaging 2.83 sacks per game.
The Tide’s defense is stocked with talent featuring three All-Americans led by cornerback Patrick Surtain II. Surtain has compiled 35 tackles with a pick while swatting away 11 passes on the season. The tone is set in the trenches by third team All-American Christian Barmore. Barmore was a force at tackle ending 32 plays with 7.5 tackles for a loss, seven sacks, and six quarterback hurries while forcing three fumbles. Roaming the box is yet another All-American, third teamer Dylan Moses. Moses led the squad with 74 stops adding 6.5 tackles for a loss with an interception and a forced fumble.
The entire Big Ten only had six defensive players make one of the three All-American teams.
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Photo credit: USA Today; No. 22 Najee Harris leaps Notre Dame defender