Alabama vs. Clemson College Football Playoff 2017: Early Betting Odds, Prediction, Preview For National Championship

Each coming off dominant performances and seemingly destined to meet for the second straight year, the No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide (14-0) will put their national championship on the line when they face No. 2 Clemson Tigers (13-1) in the College Football Playoff title game Monday night at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.

The Tigers and Tide were both stupendous in their national semifinal victories last week, and have set up the first rematch in the CFP’s now four-year history. Alabama looks to be the tournament’s first repeat champion, while Clemson hopes to avenge last year’s 45-40 loss that saw the Tide score 24 fourth-quarter points.

Alabama’s much lauded and top-ranked defense held off No. 4 Washington, 24-7, while the offense gained 269 total rushing yards. The Tide forced three Huskies turnovers and limited them to 44 rushing yards – 194 total yards overall.

Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Hurts, who hopes to be the first true freshman to win a national title since 1985 and just the second ever, was asked to pass only 14 times, completing seven attempts for 57 yards. Instead, he gained 50 rushing yards and allowed running back Bo Scarbrough to rush for 180 yards and two scores.

But Alabama’s offense could see some shakeup after head coach Nick Saban announced former USC coach Steve Sarkisian would be running the attack instead of Lane Kiffin, who is now focusing full-time on his new job as head coach of Florida Atlanta. Saban said the move was “mutually agreed upon,” but other reports have surfaced about discontent involving Kiffin’s play calls against the Huskies.

It’s an abrupt move at the most critical juncture of Alabama’s season and especially for Saban’s career. Now in his ninth season in Tuscaloosa, the 65-year-old is aiming to equal Alabama great Bear Bryant’s record of six national championships.

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney, however, doesn’t think the switch to Sarkisian will result in monumental changes to the Tide’s rush-heavy offense.

“Not really – I guess you've got some nuances that might be a little bit different maybe from a play call or something like that, but you're not going to – it's not like they're going to come out and run the triple option. They're going to dance with who brung 'em. They're going to do what they do. It's just as simple as that,” Swinney said in a teleconference with reporters Tuesday.

"Maybe it would be a little bit different if they had a month to get ready, like that first game, but you've got basically a game week to prepare. You're not going to vary too far from – and why would they? They've been really, really good. They've won 26 in a row. I don't think they're going to do much different.”

Clemson, seeking its first national title since 1981, enters the matchup perhaps even hotter than the Tide. The Tigers pummeled No. 3 Ohio State 31-0 by gaining 205 rushing yards and three scores on the ground, while two-time Heisman Trophy nominee Deshaun Watson overcame two interceptions to complete 23 of his 36 pass attempts for 259 yards.

Betting Odds: Alabama -6

Over/Under: 51 points

Prediction: Alabama over Clemson, 27-23