Alabama Expected To Roll Over The Competition In College Football Playoffs

Can you please rewrite the following sentence as a question?<br><br>”The cat is sitting on the mat.”

Four proud programs are prepared to contend for the national championship as the field for the College Football Playoffs has been officially set.

Although no Michigan team is included, the NCAA football playoff brings a sense of relief during a year filled with challenges. The question remains: out of the four teams, who will ultimately claim the title?

There are four formidable teams – Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State, and Notre Dame. However, only a single team will emerge as the ultimate champion.

Before we delve into the odds of winning the title and the College Football Playoff odds for each semifinal matchup, let’s address a straightforward question: When are the bowl games scheduled?

When are the College Football Playoffs?

Bowl	Teams	Date	Time	Where	Watch	Attendance
Rose Bowl	No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 4 Notre Dame	Jan. 1	4 p.m. ET	AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX	ESPN	Limited
Sugar Bowl	No. 2 Clemson vs. No. 3 Ohio State	Jan. 1	8 p.m. ET	Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans	ESPN	Limited
CFP National Championship	Winner of Rose Bowl vs. Winner of Sugar Bowl	Jan. 11	8 p.m. ET	Hard Rock Stadium, Miami	ESPN	Limited

2021 College Football Playoffs: Odds soundly behind Alabama

In the College Football Playoffs, the highly-ranked Alabama team will face off against Notre Dame, who holds the fourth position. Meanwhile, Clemson, ranked second, will engage in a fierce competition with Ohio State, ranked third.

Odds to win the College Football Playoffs	BetMGM	DraftKings	FanDuel	PointsBet	William Hill
No. 1 Alabama	-155	-167	-160	-200	-175
No. 2 Clemson	+270	+175	+270	+250	+280
No. 3 Ohio State	+525	+800	+500	+800	+500
No. 4 Notre Dame	+2000	+3300	+2200	+2500	+2000

According to odds from various sportsbooks, it is widely anticipated that Alabama will secure the title. The Crimson Tide’s odds range from -155 to -200, as stated by oddsmakers.

In terms of odds, Clemson has the next best chance of winning, with odds ranging from +175 to +280. Ohio State falls behind, being listed with odds ranging from +500 to +800. Notre Dame, on the other hand, is considered a significant underdog, with odds ranging from +2000 to +3300.

Semifinals feature lofty point spreads for Alabama, Clemson

The Rose Bowl will witness a face-off between Alabama and Notre Dame; however, this year’s game will take place at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, to accommodate some spectators. Meanwhile, the Sugar Bowl will witness a clash between Clemson and Ohio State.

College Football Playoff Semifinals	BetMGM	DraftKings	FanDuel	PointsBet	William Hill
Alabama vs. Notre Dame	ALA -1200 ND +725 O/U 65.5	ALA -1250 ND +600 O/U 65.5 (-106/-114)	ALA -1050 ND +630 O/U 65.5	ALA -1125 ND +730 O/U 65.5 (-115/-105)	ALA -1100 ND +700 O/U 65.5
Clemson vs. Ohio State	CLE -300 OH +240 O/U 65 (-110/-105)	CLE -286 OH +210 O/U 65.5 (-105/-117)	CLE -265 OH +210 O/U 65.5 (-106/-114)	CLE -320 OH +250 O/U 65.5	CLE -290 OH +235 O/U 65.5

According to oddsmakers, Alabama is heavily favored to win, with a significant point margin. The majority of sportsbooks have set Alabama as a 19.5-point favorite against the Fighting Irish. Additionally, the over/under for total points scored in the game is set at 65.5.

Clemson is favored by 7.5 points against the Buckeyes, according to oddsmakers. The over/under is set at 65.5 points.

Let’s delve deeper into the four teams and analyze the numbers that reveal a clear story about underdogs and clear favorites.

1. Alabama Crimson Tide: Bama seeks third playoff title

Alabama has won the College Football Playoffs twice since its inception in 2014, both times as the No. 2 seed.

Despite being the top seed on three separate occasions, Alabama has continually fallen short of securing a championship victory as the No. 1 team.

Bama has a flawless 11-0 record this season, and they have an impressive 8-3 record against the spread.

Alabama’s dominant offense has propelled the Tide forward, with an average of 49.7 points and 543.9 yards per game, both of which rank within the nation’s top five.

Mac Jones, the quarterback, holds the second position in the national rankings for passing yards, accumulating an impressive total of 3,739. In addition to this, his exceptional performance includes 32 touchdowns, while remarkably only throwing four interceptions.

DeVonta Smith, the nation’s leading receiver, boasts an impressive stat line of 98 receptions, 1,511 yards, and 17 touchdowns under Jones’ leadership. Meanwhile, Najee Harris has contributed immensely to the team’s success, accumulating 1,262 rushing yards and an impressive 24 touchdowns.

However, there is a notable worry for Bama as they head into the playoffs: their defense. In contrast to the majority of Nick Saban’s teams, this particular defense is not among the top 20 in the nation. Throughout the season, the Tide have conceded a minimum of 24 points in four games, with two of them resulting in a staggering 46 points scored against them.

2. Clemson Tigers: Looking to reclaim the championship

Clemson is set to compete in the playoffs for the sixth consecutive time. The Tigers emerged victorious in the playoffs during the 2018-19 and 2016-17 seasons, but unfortunately suffered defeat in the championship game last year against the LSU Tigers.

Clemson Tigers had a remarkable season, securing a record of 10-1. Unfortunately, their only defeat occurred against Notre Dame, as Trevor Lawrence was unable to participate due to COVID-19. Throughout their 11 games, Clemson struggled to cover the spread, ending with a record of 5-6.

Clemson has displayed dominance on both offense and defense, positioning themselves as the fourth-highest scoring team (44.9 points per game) and the eleventh-stingiest defense (17.5 points per game).

Although Lawrence missed out on some action, he managed to throw for 2,753 yards and score 22 touchdowns this season.

In terms of rushing, Travis Etienne amassed an impressive 882 yards and scored 13 times, establishing himself as the leader of the ground attack. On the receiving front, Amari Rodgers stood out as the top performer, securing 69 catches for an impressive 966 yards and seven touchdowns.

Clemson consistently applies pressure on defense, accumulating an impressive 44 sacks and forcing 26 turnovers.

Are the Tigers vulnerable in their run defense? Absolutely, as they currently hold the 65th spot nationally, permitting an average of 163.8 yards per game.

3. Ohio State Buckeyes: An undeserving playoff contender?

This year, Ohio State is set to participate in the playoffs for the fourth time. Notably, the Buckeyes achieved victory in the inaugural College Football Playoffs as the No. 4 seed.

There has been considerable discussion this year regarding Ohio State’s inclusion in the playoffs, primarily due to the team’s limited number of games played. The Buckeyes were only able to compete in six games this season due to COVID-19 challenges faced by the program and the Big Ten Conference as a whole. Nevertheless, Ohio State managed to achieve a perfect 6-0 record, although they did not fare as well against the spread with a 3-3 record.

The offensive prowess of Ohio State continues to shine, with an impressive average of 42.5 points and 529.2 yards per game.

In terms of statistics, Justin Fields has accumulated 1,521 passing yards and 15 touchdowns, alongside 274 rushing yards and five scores. Additionally, the Ohio State offense is consistently achieving an average of 275.7 rushing yards per game.

Ohio State’s defense has shown vulnerabilities when it comes to defending against the pass. Currently, they are conceding an average of 260.8 passing yards per game, which could pose a challenge against Lawrence.

4. Notre Dame Fighting Irish: Coming off a Clemson beatdown

Notre Dame will be participating in the College Football Playoff for the second time. Their initial entry took place during the 2018-19 season, resulting in a 30-3 defeat to Clemson in the semifinals.

Before facing a formidable Clemson team at the ACC Championship last weekend, the Fighting Irish had an impressive 10-0 record this season. However, in the game, Notre Dame was thoroughly outplayed, being outgained in total yards 541-263, and beaten convincingly in every aspect of the match.

Nevertheless, Notre Dame was able to secure the last playoff spot, even though they have a record of 5-6 against the spread this season.

Throughout the season, the Irish have been surrendering a mere 18.6 points and 335.1 yards per game. Conversely, on the offensive front, ND has been consistently averaging 35.2 points and 455.1 yards per game.

Ian Book has been a dependable asset for Brian Kelly, effectively orchestrating the offense. He has accumulated 2,601 passing yards and 15 touchdowns, in addition to rushing for 430 yards and scoring eight times.

On the ground, Kyren Williams is amassing an impressive total of 1,061 yards and has scored 12 touchdowns.

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