Texas Football: Primer for the 2018 College Football Playoff Semifinals

Setting the stage for the National Championship

Predicting the College Football Playoff National Championship Game is still too early to accurately do. Last year, the national title game featured two opponents out of the same conference which is something that sounds annoying to most college football fans. However, that game that featured the Crimson Tide and Georgia Bulldogs delivered on every bit of hype it had and more.

Most of the expectations foresee Alabama and Clemson in the national title game for the second time during the College Football Playoff-era. Alabama and Clemson have squared off three times in the Playoff altogether, with last year’s Semifinal meeting being the most lopsided of the bunch. The other two resulted in instant classics in the national title game.

Alabama and Clemson are favored over Notre Dame and Oklahoma by a combined margin of 24.5-points. This isn’t the most lopsided set of betting odds for the College Football Playoff Semifinal games that we’ve ever seen, but it is surprising considering the strength of the lower seeded teams. Notre Dame and Oklahoma aren’t going to give easily.

Moreover, most national pundits and college football fans in general would likely edge toward wanting an Alabama Clemson rematch for the third time in the national title game. Clemson might also be the most formidable opponent to the juggernaut that is the Crimson Tide this year. Alabama’s outlook does depend heavily on the health of Tagovailoa and how readily available backup quarterback Jalen Hurts is for the Playoff.