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2017 NCAA College Football Playoff National Championship Game Expert Picks and Predictions

2017 NCAA College Football Playoff National Championship Game Expert Picks and Predictions

So here we are again. Almost a year since the Alabama Crimson Tide trounced the Clemson Tigers in the previous edition of the CFP Championship Game, the two heavyweight programs will do it all over again this coming Monday. Let’s hear what the experts are saying.



Expert Picks for Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Clemson Tigers



Bleacher Report

Experts Pick
Tyler Conway Clemson
David McCracken Alabama

Bleacher Report isn’t going to allow itself get left behind in picking winners and predicting games. We all know that. And for this year’s CFP Championship Game, two of the publication’s experts have picked different champions. Interesting!

First up, we got Tyler Conway. Conway doesn’t have anything groundbreaking to say about the matchup, noting Alabama’s scary good defense and Clemson’s elite play on both ends of the ball. Nevertheless, he offered an interesting insight, particularly about the sudden departure of Lane Kiffin as Alabama’s offensive coordinator. While Conway points out that Clemson only has a week to plan around Alabama’s offense that’ll run under new OC Steve Sarkisian, he also suggests that ‘Bama is also pressured to adapt quickly to such an abrupt change. In the end, Conway is going for the underdog Clemson winning 27-24.

David McCracken, meanwhile, is siding with Alabama, which is, as of this writing, the favorite by 6.5 points. In his prediction, he admired the way Clemson played the part of Amanda Nunes to Ohio State’s Ronda Rousey in the two program’s CFP semifinal matchup, but highly doubts whether the Tigers could do the same to Alabama. He predicts Alabama to emerge victorious in Tampa, 31-20.

Sports Illustrated

Experts Picks
Andy Staples, Colin Becht Alabama
Pete Thamel, Lindsay Schnell, Brian Hamilton, Joan Niesen , Gabriel Baumgaertner Clemson

The panel of seven experts over at Sports Illustrated sure likes the underdog Tigers. All except two from the group select Clemson to capture the title this coming Monday. Andy Staples and Colin Becht have ‘Bama with the former believing that the Crimson Tide’s defense will be unforgiving to Tigers quarterback Deshaun Watson, who, as terrific as he has been all season long, is someone who has a tendency to throw interceptions.

For the Brian Hamilton, he is picking Clemson simply because the Tigers have the deeper talent on offense. He sees the game as a struggle offensively with both teams deploying great defenses. That said, the Tigers have so many weapons on offense, which Hamilton are looking to give Clemson just enough yards and points to outlast ‘Bama.

International Business Times

Expert Pick
Greg Price Alabama

International Business Times has been a good source of sports content for some time now thanks to guys like Greg Price. In his preview of the colossal matchup between Alabama and Clemson, Price mentions the qualities that have made both programs so good this season. Price praises Alabama’s defense and the fact that Jalen Hurts is a win away from being the first true freshman quarterback to win the national title. In the end, Price has Alabama winning, but failing to cover the spread, 27-23.

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Rex
Written by Rex

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