The College Football Playoff National Championship is approaching, and for the first time since 2014, the Alabama Crimson Tide will not be making an appearance in the title game.  After the Crimson Tide suffered a loss in their last regular season game to Auburn, they failed to make the playoffs and to contend for yet another national title.

LSU, Ohio State, and Clemson all went undefeated and won their respective conferences to secure themselves a spot in the playoffs.  Only enduring one loss this season, Oklahoma clinched the fourth seed after winning their conference.

The Committee named the undefeated SEC Champion, LSU, as the number one ranked team in the country, which set them up against the fourth seeded Oklahoma. LSU and their high-powered offense, led by Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Joe Burrow, got off to a fast start and never let their foot off the pedal. Burrow threw for seven touchdowns in the first half alone which prompted the 63-28 final score as the LSU Tigers rolled past the Oklahoma Sooners.

The undefeated The Clemson Tigers, ACC Champions, were given the third seed and played the second seeded Ohio State Buckeyes in a game that was much closer than the first playoff game and came down to the final seconds. The Buckeyes took a 16-0 lead early on until Clemson Quarterback Trevor Lawrence took charge and led a Clemson comeback, as the Tigers scored with just under two minutes remaining to win 29-23 and advance to their fourth championship appearance in the last five years.

After LSU’s strong semi-final performance, there are questions as to whether Clemson’s defense can stop Joe Burrow. Clemson is a team with experience in this position, and if we learned anything from last year’s National Championship Game, in which Clemson dismantled heavily-favored Alabama 44-16, it is to never count out Coach Dabo Swinney and his Clemson Tigers.

The National Championship will be aired on ESPN on Monday, January 13, 2020 at the Mercedes Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana at 8 p.m.