So, it’s official. The Alabama Crimson Tide (No. 4) will be playing the Clemson Tigers (No. 1) in the first round of the College Football Playoff.

This will be the third time in three years that the teams have met, with the teams splitting the past two matchups, both occurring in the national championship game.

Clemson won 35-31 last season with a late-game touchdown drive, but a lot has changed since then.

Here are 5 things that have changed since last year’s CFP final:

1. Bama’s defensive front-seven has seen a lot of turnover

Alabama’s defensive front-seven was absolutely dominant last season, but a lot of starters from that group are gone.

Jonathan Allen, Reuben Foster, Ryan Anderson and Tim Williams have moved on to the NFL — all were selected in the top three rounds of the draft.

That doesn’t mean this year’s unit isn’t solid, however.

The Tide should have a fully healthy group outside of inside linebacker Shaun Dion Hamilton, who just so happened to be injured against Clemson last season as well.

After going pretty much the entire season without edge rushers Terrell Lewis and Christian Miller — both were injured Week 1 — the duo returned against Auburn, and they should be even better by the time Clemson rolls around.

2. Brian Daboll is the offensive coordinator

After Lane Kiffin departed for Florida Atlantic, offensive analyst Steve Sarkisian replaced him for the national championship game. It was actually supposed to go beyond that, but Sarkisian chose to leave Tuscaloosa as well to join the Atlanta Falcons.

The Tide turned their attention to former New England Patriots tight ends coach Brian Daboll.

The good new is that he’s had an entire season getting comfortable calling plays — compared to Sarkisian who only had a week.

3. Scarbrough is healthy …

In last year’s national championship, it was apparent that Sarkisian wanted to build the game plan around Bo Scarbrough, and why wouldn’t he?

Scarbrough had rushed for 361 yards and four touchdowns in his previous three contests — averaging 7.7 yards per carry in the process.

That seemed to be the winning formula early — he mustered up 93 yards and two touchdowns early in the game — but a broken leg ended his day prematurely. Alabama’s offense wasn’t the same following his departure.

4. … and so are the rest of the running backs

There’s no doubt that Scarbrough was the workhorse down the stretch last season, but the Tide have one of the deepest stables of running backs in the country this go-round.

Expect the entire stable to be utilized, too.

Alabama has built its offensive success off of a strong run game — they’re 10th in country at 265.33 yards per game.

5. Clemson will be without Deshaun Watson

This year’s starting quarterback for Clemson (Kelly Bryant) is really good, but it will be hard to replicate the success that Deshaun Watson has had against Alabama the last two years.

Watson combined for 825 yards and seven touchdowns through the air while also adding another 116 yards and one touchdown on the ground. He completed 66 of his 103 passing attempts (64.1 percent).

That is the most production any player has ever managed to put up against Alabama’s defense. To expect anything close from Bryant would be unfair.