This college football season has been unlike any other in history. And we expect a championship game to bring excitement to match this year. We finally have our champions as Ohio State Buckeyes are set to take on the Alabama Crimson Tide.
The Buckeyes are on a special hot streak coming into the final. They recently took down their rivals, the second-ranked Clemson Tigers. This was a coup, as they had recently lost to them and were outranked.
It is anyone’s guess as to if this hot streak will keep the fire under their butts or if they will succumb to overconfidence. Though this could be good news for the Buckeyes as they will be going up against Alabama, to whom they have lost three of their four encounters. Perhaps they are on a revenge-heavy run.
However, the Alabama Crimson Tide seems to be unstoppable at the moment. They took out number-four-ranked Notre Dame without a problem. If they can take out the fourth team 31-14, then it is likely they will be able to handle the number three team as well. Most people are picking Alabama for this final game. Of course, if the Buckeyes win, those bettors will come away with even more money.
People are expecting this game to be high-scoring. They are offensive heavy teams. Sportsbooks will each set their own spread, but we are seeing them at 76. You would then of course bet if the total points will be more or less than 76. That means each team scoring many points more than an average game.
Alabama is the favorite at -210 and the Buckeyes are the underdog currently priced at +270. 12jk12
These two programs have faced each other four times in total dating back to the 1978 Sugar Bowl. While history can be a guide to what will happen in the upcoming NCAAF championship game, in reality, we can never be sure until the fat lady sings of course.
In their first meeting, the Crimson Tide absolutely drowned out Ohio State. At 35-6, the ninth-ranked Buckeyes never stood much of a chance. Of course, this game was several generations ago. Nonetheless, it will be on their minds as they take the field.
Their second meetup was the Kickoff Classic of 1986. Here again, Alabama outranked Ohia State and was able to handle the game successfully. At 16-10, this game was much closer than their last one. At this point, Crimson is on top 2-0.
In 1995, their third meeting was the Citrus Bowl. Once again Alabama outranked Ohio State and the final score showed. However, at 24-17, this was far from a blowout.
Finally, the Buckeyes get their first and only win thus far in this series. In 2015, at the Sugar Bowl, although Alabama outranked Ohio State, they were able to pull out a high-scoring victory. At 42-35, the game was a storm of excitement.
About the Author
As a devout aficionado of sports, Chris Boline has carved a career within the athletic realm. A skilled scribe, he boasts a decade-long portfolio that encompasses coverage of the NBA G League, the Los Angeles Chargers, football and basketball across the country. Beyond his professional pursuits, Chris is deeply invested in his community and dedicates his leisure hours to serving on boards, collaborating with community organizations, and cherishing the company of loved ones. CURRENTLY Business Development and freelance sports writing RESIDES IN Reno, NV EDUCATION University of Nevada BS and MBA EXPERTISE -Sports writing proficiency in: NFL, NBA, UFC, boxing, golf, and some motor sports -Topical news -Promotional and marketing ideas/updates -Business development Summary Chris Boline serves in a business development sales capacity as his day job. He has previously held sales/marketing positions with The Applied Companies (TAC), KTVN 2 News and the NBA G League’s Reno Bighorns, affiliate of the Sacramento Kings. He is a Reno native and is a member of various community boards including the Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, NCET and the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA). Chris graduated from the University of Nevada in 2015 with a bachelors in management and economics and also earned his MBA from Nevada in 2023. More about Chris: Past president of the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA) 2022-23 Two-time honoree for University of Nevada Alumni Chapter of the Year (Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, 2017 & COBAA, 2021) 2021 NCET award for Professional Services Organization of the Year with TAC Northern Nevada Human Resources Association 2020 Best Places to Work-Northern Nevada, Second Place with TAC 2016-17 Reno Bighorns MVP from the Sacramento Kings The Nevada Sagebrush editor-in-chief 2013-15 Associated Collegiate Press 2015 Four-year Non-daily Newspaper Pacemaker honoree University of Nevada, Reno College of Business Dean's List honoree (5x) from 2011-2015 Nevada Press Association award for Best Sports Column – Community in 2015 Education
Read Chris's ProfileAsk Chris about this guide: