For the fourth-consecutive season, the College Football Playoff Final will exclusively include teams from the ACC and SEC. The MAC is one of five conferences yet to be represented on college football’s grandest stage, but the conference has plenty of ties to Monday night’s high-stakes clash.
Former Kent State defensive back Nick Saban has led Alabama to a 14-0 record entering the game, pursuing the first 15-0 record in FBS history. The 1970s Golden Flashes standout turned head coach has maintained a No. 1 ranking in the AP Poll throughout the entire 2018 season. Alabama’s offense, anchored by former Central Michigan head coach Dan Enos, has dominated all challengers, winning each contest by double-digits with an average scoring differential above 30 points.