The No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide is set to take on the No. 4 Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the Rose Bowl on New Years Day. As it sits, Alabama is a 20-point favorite, according to BetMGM.
The last time these two teams played, the Tide handed the Irish a 42-14 beatdown in the 2013 BCS Championship. But both teams have come a long way since then — or at least we think they have.
So, how does the Roll Tide Wire staff think this game is going to play out? Check out their predictions below!
AJ Spurr, Contributor
Ian Book has a few solid plays to keep some drives alive, but will hardly get a chance to see the ball into the endzone, as the Alabama defense will get the best of the Irish offense.
The defense put an emphasis on Najee Harris during their media availability, which is an odd aspect to focus on when half of the heisman finalists are the Crimson Tide quarterback and wide receiver. Keep an eye on John Metchie in this game, as they will try to limit Smith’s production.
Final score: Alabama 42, Notre Dame 17
Clint Lamb, Managing Editor
The big question mark for Notre Dame is whether or not the offense is dynamic enough to keep up with Alabama’s offense.
The Fighting Irish bring a balanced approach with Ian Book and Kyren Williams, but the skill position players for Florida look like they would be tougher to defend. Getting the run game going early will be crucial because it keeps the Tide’s offense off the field and takes pressure off Book.
Notre Dame’s defense has also been solid this season, but the secondary doesn’t match up well against Alabama’s high-powered passing attack. The injury to Landon Dickerson hurts, but this offense’s ability to attack in multiple ways mitigates the loss somewhat.
Final score: Alabama 45, Notre Dame 24
Stay tuned for more updates from Roll Tide Wire, part of the USA TODAY Sports College Wire network!
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