Sugar Bowl gameday guide: Clemson vs. Alabama TV info, watch online, more
Clemson faces Alabama on Monday in the Sugar Bowl. Here is what you need to know about the game:
Game info
Who: Clemson (12-1, 8-1 ACC) vs. Alabama (11-1, 7-1 SEC)
When: 8:45 p.m. Monday
Where: Superdome (76,468), New Orleans
Series history: Alabama leads 13-4 and has won 13 of the past 14.
TV: ESPN (Joe Tessitore, Todd Blackledge, Holly Rowe)
Online: Watch ESPN
Radio: 93.1 FM, (Don Munson, Rodney Williams, Sideline: Reggie Merriweather)
National radio: ESPN radio (Bill Rosinski, David Norrie)
Line: Alabama by 3
Weather: The game will be played in a dome. Outside it will be partly cloudy and windy with a low of 25.
What’s at stake
The winner of this game will earn a spot in the national championship game for the third consecutive year. Alabama and Clemson met in the title game each of the previous two years.
Clemson can perhaps surpass Alabama as the current top program in college football if it earns a second consecutive win against the Crimson Tide.
Clemson is 21-2 away from home over the past three seasons.
The teams, by the numbers
Clem | Bama | |
Points/Game | 35.4 | 39.1 |
Opp. Points/Game | 12.8 | 11.5 |
Yds. Rushing/Game | 204.1 | 265.3 |
Opp. Yds. Rush/Game | 112.8 | 94.1 |
Yds. Pass/Game | 244.1 | 200.1 |
Opp. Yds. Pass/Game | 165.1 | 163.7 |
Avg. Yds./Game | 448.2 | 465.4 |
Opp. Total Yds./Game | 277.9 | 257.8 |
Clemson players to watch
1. Quarterback Kelly Bryant has been playing his best football down the stretch. The junior is completing better than 67 percent of his passes and has also contributed 646 rushing yards and 11 rushing touchdowns.
2. Hunter Renfrow has torched Alabama each of the past two years, catching a pair of touchdowns in both games.
3. Defensive end Clelin Ferrell leads Clemson with 17 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks.
Alabama players to watch
1. Clemson coaches have said that linebacker Rashaan Evans is Alabama’s best defender. He has 10.5 tackles for loss, five sacks and seven quarterback hurries in 10 games.
2. Cornerback Minkah Fitzpatrick is expected to be a first-round pick in the NFL draft. He is Alabama’s best defensive back and could spend time at cornerback and safety.
3. Calvin Ridley is one of the top receivers in the country and has 55 catches for 896 yards.
Clemson depth chart
OFFENSE
QB - Kelly Bryant (Hunter Johnson or Zerrick Cooper)
RB - Tavien Feaster (Travis Etienne, Adam Choice or C.J. Fuller)
WR - Deon Cain (Diondre Overton, Tee Higgins)
WR - Hunter Renfrow (Trevion Thompson, T.J. Chase)
WR - Ray-Ray McCloud (Amari Rodgers, Cornell Powell)
TE - Milan Richard (Cannon Smith, D.J. Greenlee)
LT - Mitch Hyatt (Tremayne Ancrhum or Sean Pollard)
LG - Taylor Hearn (John Simpson)
C - Justin Falcinelli (Gage Cervenka)
RG - Tyrone Crowder (Maverick Morris)
RT - Sean Pollard or Tremayne Anchrum
DEFENSE
DE - Clelin Ferrell (Chris Register)
DT - Dexter Lawrence (Jabril Robinson, Nyles Pinckney)
DT - Christian Wilkins (Albert Huggins, Sterling Johnson)
DE - Austin Bryant (Justin Foster, Xavier Kelly)
SLB - Dorian O’Daniel (Jalen Williams)
MLB – Tre Lamar (James Skalski, Chad Smith)
WLB - Kendall Joseph (J.D. Davis, Shaq Smith)
CB - Ryan Carter (Marcus Edmond)
SS – K’Von Wallace or Tanner Muse
FS – Van Smith (Isaiah Johnson, Denzel Johnson)
CB – Trayvon Mullen (A.J. Terrell, Mark Fields)
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK - Alex Spence (Christian Groomes)
P - Will Spiers (Carson King)
KO - Alex Spence
LS (PK) - Patrick Phibbs (Austin Spence)
LS (P) - Austin Spence (Patrick Phibbs)
H - Will Swinney
PR - Ray-Ray McCloud or Hunter Renfrow
KOR – Tavien Feaster and Travis Etienne
This story was originally published January 1, 2018 at 6:30 AM with the headline "Sugar Bowl gameday guide: Clemson vs. Alabama TV info, watch online, more."