It's finally Sugar Bowl game day in New Orleans. Almost a month of build up for Alabama-Clemson III ends at 7:45 p.m. CT in the Superdome for a spot in the College Football Playoff national championship game.
Before they can kickoff, it's up to the AL.com staff to publically state our predictions in a place easily found and rubbed in our collective/individual faces when they inevitably go wrong.
The crew is expecting a close game.
The average final score from the eight forecasts: Clemson 29, Alabama 27.
Here's what we're thinking and why we're thinking it:
Matt Zenitz
Two of the biggest keys for Alabama will be how its offensive line fares against a great Clemson defensive line and whether the combination of Minkah Fitzpatrick and Tony Brown can neutralize Hunter Renfrow.