College football returns and Saturdays will be filled with fans cheering on their favorite schools across the country. Last year was different. The COVID-19 pandemic caused seasons to be altered for almost all teams, and only a few fans were permitted to attend games. Things are back to normal this year as the season began on schedule with packed stadiums.
This leads to the question: Who will win the College Football Playoff Championship? Alabama is the nation’s top-ranked team and reigning champions. The Crimson Tide has lost some great players, but they show no signs that they are slowing down.
“Winning, sort of, has a price,” Nick Saban, Alabama coach, said. per 247Sports. “How resilient are you gonna be? It’s a little easier to get complacent and have a little bit of a latent disregard for what’s right. I just look at every year as a new season, like I took a new job and this is a new team and what do we gotta do to get them to play well. You always lose about 25 percent of your team so that is a challenge in and of itself.” Here’s a look at seven teams that could win the national title in January.
1. Alabama
It is only right to have the national champions at top of the rankings. Saban has won six national titles as a Crimson Tide player, as well as nine SEC Championships. Saban will make sure his players are ready, no matter who the Alabama players may be.
2. Clemson Tigers
Clemson is a strong powerhouse, having won two national titles in five years and making it to the College Football Playoffs every six years. Trevor Lawrence is no more the quarterback. DJ Uiagalelei can lead Clemson towards a championship.
3. Ohio State Buckeyes
Ohio State won last year’s College Football Playoff title and is now poised to win it again. C.J. Fields, not Justin Fields, is now the Buckeyes quarterback. Stroud was the key to the quad’s win, throwing four touchdown passes against Minnesota.
4. Oklahoma Sooners
Oklahoma has not won a national championship since 2000 and has yet to be in a playoff game. After throwing for 3,031 yards, 28 touchdowns, and seven interceptions last year, the Sooners team believes Spencer Rattle is the Heisman Trophy candidate.
5. Georgia Bulldogs
Georgia doesn’t have sympathy for Oklahoma, as the Bulldogs haven’t won any national titles since 1980. Quarterback J.T. Georgia’s success will depend on Daniels, who had a strong finish to the 2020 campaign. The Bulldogs may have the best defense in the nation, which is definitely a plus.
6. Texas A&M Aggies
If Alabama or Georgia can’t win the SEC, Texas A&M has a chance to surprise the experts. The Aggies finished the 2020 campaign with a 9-1 record. This includes a win against North Carolina at the Orange Bowl. The Aggies lost their only game against Alabama in the second round of the season.
7. Iowa State Cyclones
Iowa State won nine games in 2020, which was the most since 2002. The Cyclones had to win the season, winning 34-17 over Oregon in Fiesta Bowl. Both polls placed the Cyclones at No. 9. Can Matt Campbell, the head coach of the Cyclones, take them to the next level?