Alabama enters its Peach Bowl matchup as the heavy favorite over Washington, and there are plenty of reasons to like the Crimson Tide in this game.

As dominant a group as college football has seen in the past decade, Alabama should once again take care of business at the Georgia Dome. There are a few factors working against the Crimson Tide, though, that could help spur an upset if things fall the right way.

Before we get to what those may be, however, let’s take a look at why Alabama should breeze by the Huskies in their College Football Playoff semifinal.

5 reasons Alabama will beat Washington

1. Overall talent: Very few teams have been able to give Alabama a good game this season, despite a relatively tough slate of games. That is due to the overwhelming amount of talent on the Crimson Tide’s roster.

After breaking down just how many elite prospects Alabama is starting in this game, it became apparent why the Crimson Tide are the team to beat. The majority of Washington’s starters were once 3-star prospects, whereas half of Alabama’s starters had a 5-star designation.

That large talent gap will likely become apparent at some point in Saturday’s contest, most likely along the offensive and defensive lines.

2. Ferocious pass rush: Alabama’s pass rush has been among the best in college football this season. With 45 sacks, the Crimson Tide have the fourth most in the nation. Very few offensive lines have been able to hold up against the likes of Jonathan Allen, Tim Williams and Ryan Anderson.

It’s unlikely that the Huskies have the manpower up front to change that. The Crimson Tide defenders have been quick to point out Washington’s quickness on the line of scrimmage, but it will take more than that to stop Alabama.

Jake Browning has a plethora of weapons at his disposal, but he likely won’t be able to find them if his offensive line can’t give him enough time.

3. Dominance in the run game: The key to any victory usually starts on the ground. Alabama knows how to establish the run on offense and stop an opponent’s rushing attack on defense. The Crimson Tide average 245 rushing yards per game, good for 13th in the nation, and allow 63.38 to its opponents, which is the best mark by over 30 yards.Alabama’s run game isn’t the traditional power attack it’s been in years past. Jalen Hurts adds an entirely different element that stretches defenses horizontally and allows for greater downhill penetration. Washington is 20

Alabama’s run game isn’t the traditional power attack it’s been in years past. Jalen Hurts adds an entirely different element that stretches defenses horizontally and allows for greater downhill penetration. Washington is 20th in run defense, allowing just over 123 yards per game, but the Crimson Tide will be hard to contain.

Defensively, Alabama excels at forcing offenses off schedule. The Crimson Tide allow an average of 2.97 rushing yards on first down and a minuscule 1.91 yards on second down. This creates obvious passing situations that allow Alabama’s pass rushers to feed. Washington has a balanced offensive attack, but that might change if it can’t find room to run.

4. JK Scott: It might seem crazy to put Alabama’s punter on this list, but it’s often overlooked just how valuable he can be. On the rare occasions when the Crimson Tide do break down offensively, Scott can flip field position and make life hard for the opposition.

Scott averages 47.7 yards per punt, the best mark in the country, and his ability to pin offenses deep make Alabama’s defense all the more daunting. It’s extremely difficult to drive the ball 50 yards on the Crimson Tide’s defense let alone 75.

The momentum in last year’s national title game took a big swing toward the Alabama sideline with Adam Griffith’s successful on-side kick. We’ve seen special teams play a role in these games before, which makes Scott an invaluable tool.

5. Experience: Alabama is the only team to make the Playoff in all three years. Several key pieces are back from last year’s national title run, and the Crimson Tide somehow look even more dangerous than in 2015.

Nick Saban knows how to keep his team focused on the singular goal in front of them, and they won’t be flustered in this game. Add in the fact that Alabama just dominated Florida in the very same Georgia Dome where the Peach Bowl will be held, and there will be a major comfort factor for the Crimson Tide.

The same can’t be said for a Washington squad that is playing in its first Playoff and nearly as far away from home as possible.

3 reasons Alabama won’t beat Washington

1. Chris Petersen: Few coaches have developed a reputation for big-game wizardry like Chris Petersen. The Washington head coach made a statement with three incredible play calls in Boise State’s shocking 2007 Fiesta Bowl victory over Oklahoma.

Petersen is 15-6 in either season openers or bowl games – contests for which there is an ample amount of preparation time – and he’s sure to have something up his sleeve for Alabama. Add to that the fact that the Huskies have a wide array of talent, and Petersen might be able to create just enough magic to spur an upset.

2. John Ross: Arguably Washington’s best playmaker, wide receiver John Ross might create the toughest matchup for Alabama. The Crimson Tide’s secondary is stretched thin, but even injured star Eddie Jackson might have had trouble containing Ross.

Clocking in at a blistering 4.25 seconds in the 40-yard dash, Ross is one of the fastest players in college football. Add in the fact that his deceleration and acceleration skills are just as impressive, and Ross, who caught 76 passes for 1,122 yards and 17 touchdowns this season, could give Alabama fits.

The main concern for Washington is giving Browning enough time to find Ross. If that happens, however, he can make the Crimson Tide pay.

3. The Huskies’ secondary: Remove the effect that a pass rush has on a team’s pass defense, and Washington might actually have a slightly better secondary than Alabama. The Huskies surrender 5.8 yards per pass attempt, the same amount as the Crimson Tide, and have 19 interceptions on the season.

Washington can cover Alabama’s receivers one-on-one and can make Jalen Hurts pay for any poor decision. The Crimson Tide should be able to run the ball well enough to beat the Huskies, but things could become interesting if they have to throw the ball often on Saturday.

William McFadden covers the University of Georgia and the University of Alabama for Saturday Down South. For insight on these two SEC powerhouses, follow him on Twitter @willmcfadden.