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The culmination of a really fun season of college football happens tonight when Clemson and Alabama play for the National Championship.
This is a rematch of last year's title game when 'Bama beat Clemson 45-40 (Although it wasn't as close of the score suggested with Clemson scoring a very late TD to get within five points of the Tide.)
By all accounts, Alabama is the better team as the 6.5 point spread indicates. But they went through a major disruption last week with offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin abruptly leaving his job and Nick Saban replacing him with Steve Sarkisian, who hasn't done any play-calling since he was let go from Southern Cal a couple of years ago.
Clemson was all but perfect when they played a very good Ohio State team on New Year's Eve. I think they have a legitimate shot at beating the Tide.
Buuuutttt, I always go back to the Alabama defense and their ability to get a score when Bama's offense sputters, as it did against Washington in the semi-final.
Prediction:
Alabama - 30
Clemson - 27
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Much as I hate to do it, I'll predict an Alabama victory.
I would be happy to be wrong.
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While I applaud both of these venerable institutions of higher learning for the high caliber student athletes they produce, I'm going to revert to pure power, athleticism, physicality, runability, throwability, catchability, blockability, and tackleability, and go with 'Bama.
Run, Forrest . . . Run !
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I just hope it is a good game.
I really don't care about or for either team.
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Yes, indeed.
There sure wasn't much suspense in the semi-finals
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What. A. Game!
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Yes it was.
I almost went to bed at 17-7. But, thankfully I hung in there.
I'm dragging this morning, but coffee will fix that.
Last edited by Goose (1/10/2017 8:03 am)
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That was a good game by both teams.
I have to comment once again, however, that the NCAA and its officials really aren't serious about enforcing targeting fouls. If they really were serious about player safety and avoiding head injuries, there were at least two and possibly four hits that should have been called from my perspective.
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Rongone wrote:
That was a good game by both teams.
I have to comment once again, however, that the NCAA and its officials really aren't serious about enforcing targeting fouls. If they really were serious about player safety and avoiding head injuries, there were at least two and possibly four hits that should have been called from my perspective.
The one early hit against Clemson WR Mike Williams was egregious. Particularly since the 'Bama DB who made the hit had a a history of targeting calls.
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TheLagerLad wrote:
Rongone wrote:
That was a good game by both teams.
I have to comment once again, however, that the NCAA and its officials really aren't serious about enforcing targeting fouls. If they really were serious about player safety and avoiding head injuries, there were at least two and possibly four hits that should have been called from my perspective.The one early hit against Clemson WR Mike Williams was egregious. Particularly since the 'Bama DB who made the hit had a a history of targeting calls.
That hit was one of the ones I thought should be called. Also, Clemson's quarterback was hit twice by Alabama's #10. Once in the backfield on a pass play he was clubbed in the head by a haymaker from #10, and again on a run #10 launched himself at the guy's head that spun him around in the air. Alabama's quarterback was clobbered by one of Clemson's linebackers (I think it was #40) on a pass play early where he launched himself at the guy's head. The commentators explained it away by saying the crown of the linebacker's helmet only hit the side of the quarterback's helmet. "So what", I say. A deliberate hit to the head with your helmet or clubbing the head with your arm, fist or any other part of the body should be targeting . . . But only if you're serious about player safety.