mybookie App
Download App
What was the best National Championship game of the last 15 years?
— ESPN CollegeFootball (@ESPNCFB) January 8, 2016
Defense, NCAAF Lines and Winning The National Championship
A few months back, I wrote about waking up in a cold sweat after a nightmare that featured Alabama linebacker Reggie Ragland and his band of merry mates trying to gang-tackle me. All jokes aside, the Crimson Tide do have a defense that his given opposing offenses, head coaches and offensive coordinators likely, literal nightmares. Alabama ranked second in total defense, 18th against the pass, first against the run and first in points allowed (13.4 ppg) and has not allowed more than 16 points in each of their last seven games. “I mean, they’re as good as it gets,” Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said recently. “No. 1 in about everything defensively, but the biggest thing is they just have great depth in their defensive line. They roll them guys in there, play a lot of guys, a bunch of subs, and they all play at a really, really high level. That’s why they’re a great team.” Apparently, the closer their opponents get to scoring, the stingier the Tide become. Alabama has not allowed a red-zone touchdown since the first quarter against Auburn over a month ago. Defensive end Jonathan Allen finished sixth in the nation in sacks (12) while linebacker Tim Williams added 11. Defensive lineman A’Shawn Robinson and linebacker Reggie Ragland are first-team All-Americans while safety Eddie Jackson is on the third-team. Robinson has 42 tackles, 7.5 tackles for a loss, 3.5 sacks and nine quarterback hurries. Ragland recorded a team-high 90 tackles, 6.5 stops for a loss, 2.5 sacks, six pass breakups and two forced fumbles. Jackson finished the season with five interceptions. Arkansas head coach Bret Bielema recently had this to say about Alabama’s defense. “I can’t even tell you, I’m not great with numbers, but they probably had six guys in our opinion that there was no difference in any way they played. And then the next six were just a matter of experience.” Bielema said. “I’ve been doing this 10 years as a head coach, 20 years as a coach overall. I have never seen a defense of that caliber in all my years of playing this game and coaching it.”Derrick Henry
Another reason you might want to wager on the Tide to win it all is the bruising rushing of Heisman Trophy-winning running back Derrick Henry. The powerful junior has rushed for a stunning 2,061 yards and 25 touchdowns, including a two-touchdown effort against Michigan State in the CFP semifinals. The bottom line for the Clemson Tigers is that, if they want to beat the Tide, they’re going to have to find a way to slow down Alabama’s Heisman Trophy-winning running back. “Everything starts with the running game for them,” Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said of Alabama. “If you don’t stop the run, you have zero chance. Absolutely zero.”
