Tigers vs. Tide - Clemson, Alabama To Play For Football Championship

There's no ACC basketball tonight so we thought we'd take New Years as a chance to congratulate Clemson for beating Oklahoma and advancing to the finals of the college football playoffs, where they'll play mighty Alabama, where Nick Saban has done the near impossible and escaped the shadow of Bear Bryant.

The other teams to make the playoffs were Oklahoma, dispatched by the Tigers 37-17, and Michigan State, booted by the Crimson Tide 38-0.

It's the second time in three years that the ACC and SEC have squared off in the national championship - two years ago Florida State beat Auburn 34-31.

Last year, in the first title determined by the new playoff system, we saw Alabama, Oregon, Florida State and Ohio State meaning that so far, the national sport of southern America has only seen one team from the SEC participate. It's the best of the bunch to be sure, but if only Alabama makes the field and Alabama loses again, the SEC brand takes a bit of a hit, no?

Even if Alabama wins, things have changed a bit. The SEC won  in 2006 (Florida), 2007 (LSU), 2008 (Florida), 2009 (Alabama), 2010 (Auburn), 2011 and 2012 (Alabama).

That's a pretty stunning stretch of dominance, even if the titles were voted on.

Starting in 2013, a bit of athletic diversity kicked in, with Florida State winning and then last year with the SEC not reaching the finals.

Clemson is undefeated of course and having a historic season by any standard. And beating Alabama is never going to be easy.

But if the Tigers manage to pull this off, that would give the ACC two titles in three years, That would be pretty impressive.

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• It's set: Clemson-Alabama
• Clemson executes fake punt | Defines season