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It’s finally here.
The two best teams in the country will face off in the College Football Playoff National Championship for the second year in a row. Alabama vs Clemson.
For Nick Saban, he is hunting his sixth National Championship and for Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney, he’s trying to end Clemson’s 36 year drought.
Clemson fans have been travelling down I-75 in groves with car flags, magnets, and even tiger tails hanging from their trunks. They’ve stopped in Gainesville along the way – taking pictures with the gator in front of The Swamp. It’s quite possible that Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson and playmaker Mike Williams are the best travel agents in all of South Carolina.
They have come to Florida equipped not only with a very talented team but also with $2 bills.
According to the Clemson University website, the tradition of bringing $2 bills to away games started in 1977 when Georgia Tech threatened to not play Clemson after that season. Out of protest, students and alumni traveled to Atlanta for the game and used $2 bills with tiger paws stamped on them. The amount of money Clemson fans brought to the area was so overwhelming that Georgia Tech continued to schedule Clemson.
The circulation of $2 bills in Tampa is about to increase significantly.
Breaking Down the Rematch
The Clemson Tigers are a -6.5 point underdog against Alabama. But that won’t bother them as they were also a -3 point underdog against Ohio State, and we all witnessed that 31-0 smack down.
On ESPN Gainesville with Steve Russell, SEC Network’s main anchor Dari Nowkah said that Vegas is getting this National Championship wrong.
Nick Saban is looking to lead Alabama to a 15-0 season which hasn’t been done in NCAA Division 1. Ever.
This week leading up to the National Championship game hasn’t been smoothing sailing for Alabama. Their offensive gameplan will be executed by a man who has never called plays for them before.
Insert – Steve Sarkisian.
The Sunday after Alabama’s win over Washington, 24-7, Lane Kiffin parted ways with Nick Saban and the University of Alabama.
Despite the obvious struggles this will present to the offensive side of the ball for Alabama. It also throws a curveball into the preparation for the Clemson coaching staff. Do they prepare for the offense that Lane Kiffin designed? Or do they go back in time to Steve Sarkisian’s head coaching tapes from USC and Washington?
No matter what Clemson will prepare for, Nick Saban can still shock you.
An onside kick by Alabama prompts the first on camera smile in N… #CFP College Footbal… ESPN https://t.co/ChyJctffnl pic.twitter.com/FtGXWpJz7c
— FanSportsClips (@FanSportsClips) January 12, 2016
Dabo Swinney will always remember this play. No one expected it. Has Saban ever gone for an onside kick before this?
Plays like these give Alabama the edge in this match-up. They can create something out of nothing. Especially on defense and special teams.
While on ESPN Gainesville, Laura Rutledge of the SEC Network says that Alabama will score two non-offensive touchdowns to win.
Kickoff is scheduled at 8 p.m. on ESPN.
