College Football Playoff? Not quite, but this Bama-Clemson showdown has massive intrigue
At one point in the College Football Playoff, the national championship picture was dominated by Alabama and Clemson. Nick Saban vs. Dabo Swinney became one of the best rivalries in the sport while driving the rest of the country bonkers at consistent matchups.
From 2014-21, at least one of Clemson or Alabama made an appearance in the 4-team Playoff. 5 of those occurrences included both the Tide and Tigers in the Playoff field with 4 head-to-head showdowns.
Entering 2024, things look much different with Saban retiring and Clemson not reaching the CFP since the 2020 season. Yet, March Madness has given fans a blast from the past in the Elite 8.
During Sweet 16 action, Alabama and Clemson both advanced with wins over North Carolina and Arizona, respectively. Now, Nate Oats and Brad Brownell will etch their own story into the postseason rivalry on the hardwood.
Inevitable reaction
The showdown between the two programs was not missed by fans. Many on social media were quick to point out the historically strong football programs making an unusual postseason matchup in basketball, and CBS Sports even tackled the idea in a segment.
Check out all the reaction to the matchup:
Tired: Clemson vs. Alabama in the CFP title game
Wired: Clemson vs. Alabama in the Elite 8 pic.twitter.com/DjhyDj8snP
— College Sports Only (@CollegeSportsO) March 29, 2024
"What a performance from Alabama. … If you ever hear Clemson and Alabama are competing in Los Angeles, you assume it's a College Football Playoff, not an Elite 8 game. But here we are."
—@GaryParrishCBS pic.twitter.com/8MNfpBLLe0
— CBS Sports College Basketball ? (@CBSSportsCBB) March 29, 2024
Clemson-Alabama in the Elite 8, ?writers adapting the 2015-18 ?script is an interesting creative decision
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) March 29, 2024
The last time Clemson and Alabama played in California…pic.twitter.com/vkMDudyd5Q
— FanDuel Sportsbook (@FDSportsbook) March 29, 2024
Alabama vs Clemson for a spot in the Final Four.
I’m not talking about football.
— College Football Report (@CFBRep) March 29, 2024
Clemson and Alabama will meet in the NCAA Tournament for the 1st time, an event that dates to 1939. The 2 schools have met 4 times in the College Football Playoff, which dates to 2014. The 2 schools are 2-2 vs each other in the CFP, but Clemson 2 wins were National Champions.
— Tim Bourret (@TimBourret) March 29, 2024
Clemson vs. Alabama. In a Playoff.
Just like the good ol' days.— Saturday Down South (@SatDownSouth) March 29, 2024
So we get a playoff game between Clemson and Alabama and it’s not in football?
— JT (@Jaberuski) March 29, 2024
The NCAA Tournament shows that the College Football Playoff could expand to 68 teams and we'd still get Alabama vs Clemson.
— Andrew Lind (@AndrewMLind) March 29, 2024
wait Alabama playing Clemson in a major collegiate sporting event with big ramifications, has that happened before?
— The Sickos CBB Committee (@SickosCBB) March 29, 2024
What’s at stake?
The opening line for Saturday favors Alabama with ESPN Bet setting the Crimson Tide as a 3.5-point favorite against Clemson. Fans can track that line movement and get in on the action with SDS’s betting apps for real money.
Beyond the game line, history for each program is on the line Saturday night with a shot to reach the Final Four. Neither Alabama nor Clemson has reached the Final Four in their history, and the Tigers have not even reached the Elite 8 in over 40 years.
Clemson’s last appearance in the Elite 8 came in 1980 when the Tigers lost to UCLA. The Tigers were already making their first Sweet 16 appearance since 2018 and their first appearance in the Big Dance since 2021.
Meanwhile, Alabama is in a more familiar position though still in search of its first trip to the Final Four. Under Nate Oats, the Crimson Tide have appeared in the Sweet 16 3 of the last 4 seasons but are in the Elite 8 for the first time since 2004.
Oats and his offensive system have drawn different reactions throughout the season, but the Tide came up with the defensive plays needed to get past UNC after stifling Grand Canyon in the Round of 32.
So, without a historical context to investigate, how should you approach Saturday’s game? Alabama is the higher seed, but a look at Clemson’s regular-season schedule is intriguing.
In fact, Clemson made a trip to Tuscaloosa to face Alabama in nonconference play. The Tigers held Alabama to 34% shooting inside Coleman Coliseum while winning 85-77. That head-to-head matchup (particularly as a road game for Clemson) should carry some weight, but it’s not the only positive outcome for the Tigers.
Overall, Clemson went 4-2 this season in games against AP Top 25 teams, including road victories against Alabama and UNC. The Tigers also had a chance to beat Duke on the road before a controversial ending in Durham.
Translation? Both these teams are battle tested, and neither team is going to feel overwhelmed when things tipoff Saturday night. The Tigers also are likely to hold a slight edge with the knowledge they have already beaten the Crimson Tide.
This isn’t the College Football Playoff, but these two teams are primed for a similarly epic struggle on the basketball court.
GO CLEMSON!!! BEAT THE MOTHER MURDERERS OF TUSCALOOSA!!!
I’m still waiting on AFan to tell me if I’m doing this correctly.
Hey Donk. Don’t worry. I still own you.
See you soon. We both know you’re going to crawl into my comments.
Anybody doubt my theory that Bama owns this guy now?
Does anybody doubt my theory that I own this guy now? Stay on my nuts donk. I knew you’d come crawling to me.
You always do and you always will.
Bow to your king b!t&h.
If that were true I would be on every comment you make on Vil articles. I am not and your Vils don’t own me like Bama does you. When someone reminds you of it the 3rd grade insults and shouting begins. Thanks for the examples of it. Keep em coming because I will never comment on your comments about the Vils. 34-20 still hurts I see.
It is true. You comment on me every time. Imagine being so insecure that you have to get on here and defend a team that’s been highly successful for almost 2 decades against from a team that hasn’t. Wait, you don’t have to. Cause you’re pathetic.
I can’t wait for your response….
Wait…let me help…cause you have an IQ of 4
Bama owns you.
You’re obsessed
3rd grade insults
I’m donk and I lie on the internet about having a MBA
I’ll never leave the Bama comments cause I’m a big puss.
There you go. No need to comment now. I did it for you.
But you still will. Know why?
Because I own you. Plain and simple. See you soon loverboy
Don’t congratulate yourself so much. I call out other trolls just as much as I do you. I will have to say that you are eat up with Bama envy much more than most. MBAs are not all that uncommon. It is just a master’s degree in business. My CPA was much harder to obtain. Keep coming back Bama articles so I can deliver more pain to a Vil. We both know you must live on Bama articles. Keep em coming. 34-20
Hello sweetheart. What took you so long. I knew you would come back. You always come back.
You’re eaten up with VFL_88 envy. You’re obsession is beyond repair. I don’t comment on Bama articles like you comment on me. I might comment on 50% of Bama articles. You comment on 100% of my post on those articles.
Numbers don’t lie. You say you’re a CPA. You do the math. If you don’t see it, you’re a terrible CPA and I guarantee you’re the reason multiple businesses have shut down.
I like that delivering pain line. It’s hilarious. You’re internal pain is the only pain in these comments. But like your other stuff, you’re starting to overuse it. Get new material. Or good material.
See you soon sweet cheeks.
Ever notice that I never comment on your Vil article comments? Well that blows the argument you own me doesn’t. Unlike how Bama owns you. Here you are days later getting so upset about someone pointing out your trolling. Every time you come back to a Bama just confirms what I am saying. Please comment more on Vil articles so I can prove you do not own me. Keep em coming Vil fan. 34-20 and looking for 17 out of 18 next year. I will be waiting for your comeback that we both know you can’t resist.
You don’t venture from here cause you’re not very smart and you’re scared. It’s obvious. I do own you. Check how often you come looking for my comments. Daily. You always comment on me on these articles. You can’t resist.
YOU COMMENTED ON ME FIRST YOU DUNCE…
MBA….WHAT A F*&CK!NG JOKE
I. OWN. YOU. CHECK THE RECORDS….
SEE YOU SOON BOO THING…..WHILE YOU SPOUT OFF THE SAME BS DAY IN AND DAY OUT.
3…2…1…
Poor Vil. Just cannot keep from coming back to Bama articles. It would be sooooo easy to get rid of me revealing your obsession with all things Bama. Just stick to your team. Of course we both know you cannot refrain from living on Bama articles desperately trying to relieve that pain Bama cause you. Too bad you have no control over it. Try commenting on a Vil article and see if I am there to remind you of the unbearable pain Bama gives you. Give it a try since you think you own me. Each comment just reals how much it causes you to lose your temper. Funny to watch as you have no control over it. Try this on a Vil article. It will not happen because your fightin pumpkins don’t own me and neither do you. Keep looking for my comment to your comment on a Vil article because it will not happen. Keep em coming as I like see you lose your temper and start shouting 3rd grade insults. Very entertaining. Ready for the next one as Bama has so much control over you. Here is a little gas on that temper of yours. 34-20.
Again….nobody and I mean nobody ever expects to see you on anybody else’s articles. For a couple of reasons.
1. You’re retarded and don’t have the mental capacity to hold any sort of logical conversation.
2. You’re a scared little puss
3. I have caught you outside of the Bama comment section before and obliterated you in that comment section. You ran right back here and haven’t left.
That’s what ownership looks like.
Suck it Donkey. I own you. I’m leading you around here on a leash. What’s unfortunate is how much you like it.
You give off screaming, blue hair, pro-v@xx, l!ber@l vibes. That’s worse than being a Bama fan.
You are so hysterical losing your temper. If only you had the ability to stay away from Bama articles. We both know you can’t. I thought Humper had it bad but it looks like he might be conquering his addiction to Bama. With you there is no chance of it happening. Keep coming back because I enjoy seeing a pumpkin fan wallop in self pity. Please comment more on Vil articles so I can prove you don’t own me. This comment section certainly proves how much Bama owns you for sure. Keep em coming. 34-20 lol.
Cool as a cucumber. But the quicker you come back to me the angrier you get. You know how people that get real mad just say the same thing over and over…you know….just like you do. That’s a sign that you’re owned by me.
I’ll continue coming back because I’ve got a set of nuts you only dream of having. Let’s face it, you dream of my nuts often.
I love seeing this lowly Bama fan WALLOW in self pity. I’m certain that’s what you meant. There is that big education you claim to have showing out. Terrible vocabulary. That of a 12 year old.
How about this, you grow a set of balls like a full grown man, gather a few brain cells and catch me on another article and have a conversation over there. Talk football.
Until then, I’m sure you’ll chime in attempting to get the last word so you can go home to your dolls and whatever children are tied up in your basement and tell them about how you really got one over on the man that owns you and that you also love so dearly on the internet today. They’ll cheer for you, mainly due to them being imprisoned and not having a choice and you’ll have an entire sheet cake and tub of ice cream to celebrate. You’ll put on the view and follow it up with CNN and fall asleep with your hand in an 8 year old boy’s pants. Tale as old as time.
It’s truly sad. And pathetic.
I own you. Get over it.
One can always tell when someone is eat up with Bama envy. They start writing book length comments like Negan. Keep commenting on Bama articles and I will keep putting gas on your painful fire. It is fun to see how it tortures you. 34-20 and 16 out of 17. I can see why Bama tortures you so much and this is your attempt to relieve the pain. Truly fun to watch lol VIL_88. Shout some more next time. I will look for your next comment on a Vil article. Don’t expect a comment from me because your pumpkins team does not own me like Bama does you. Keep em coming.
Those were some dominant football highlights. I’m hoping we get a better ending to the upcoming basketball game. I’m definitely pulling for Alabama.