CFP Championship: Who has the coaching edge and why it's more than just a rematch

In retrospect, maybe we should have seen Clemson's rout of Ohio State in the College Football Playoff semifinal coming.

Head coach Dabo Swinney's team is deeper, more experienced and ready to play for the National Championship against an Alabama team that just barely got the best of them in 2016 in the same title bout. Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide might be favored going into the final game of the season, but Swinney has his Tigers hitting their stride at the exact right moment.

What makes Monday's battle for the title more than a rematch though? Can Swinney outmaneuver Saban in what could be one of the best coaching matchups we'll see in college football? We posed these questions and more to our experts ahead of what already promises to be one of the best football games of the year.

College Football Playoff Championship 
Clemson #2 (13-1, ACC) vs Alabama #1 (14-0, SEC)
Location: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa
Time: Monday, Jan. 9, 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT
Channel: ESPN

What makes this game more than just a rematch of the 2016 National Championship?

Sam Greszes: Both teams are better – it's that simple. Deshaun Watson was a legitimate Heisman contender this year and he has a corps of legitimately scary receivers to throw to. On the other hand, Alabama got better as well, on the defensive side of the ball, so they will be better prepared to deal with Watson. Last year's game was a shootout – this year's game likely won't be.

Shiloh Carder: Well, this time Alabama in the undefeated team and Clemson has the loss. Really, the game isn't a rematch just due to Clemson's experience and Bama having a freshman quarterback. I also love that this game is smack dab in both ACC and SEC country so both fan bases should be well represented, plus it is outdoors. Alabama's last five bowl games were in domes while Clemson has played 7 of their last 10 bowl games outside. (Not that it matters, I just wanted to point that out.)

In reality, I don't think this game will be the 45-40 shootout of last season. I believe it will be a much lower scoring contest.

Daniel Tran: The difference between this national title game versus the last is that Clemson has national championship game experience to build on. Last year, they took Alabama to the brink, 45-40. And the Tigers didn’t lose as a result from “Clemsoning” either. It was a gutsy onside kick from the Crimson Tide that ended up being the difference in the game.

Clemson made Alabama appear mortal in their first national championship appearance since 1981. This year is promising because Clemson and Alabama are on more equal footing than they were the last time they met, adding a revenge factor that makes this matchup even more intriguing.

Dabo Swinney crushed coaching legend Urban Meyer in the playoff, earning the right to have his name in the "best of the best" debates. Nick Saban is the closest college football has to a living legend. Is there a coaching edge this week?

Sam Greszes: Yes, and Nick Saban has it. Much has been made of the departure of Lane Kiffin, but I really do feel like that is something that the media has latched onto to give viewers some hope that Clemson might have a chance to out-coach the Crimson Tide amid the turbulence.

That won't happen. Saban runs a tight ship, and will keep Sarkisian in line. I also don't think Swinney is quite there yet, despite crushing Ohio State. He's in the conversation, sure, but coaches like Urban Meyer and Nick Saban are established as legends already. Swinney hasn't been. Or at least, he hasn't been yet. If he pulls the upset, well, that's a different conversation.

Shiloh Carder: Last weekend, I would say Saban in a heartbeat. He is among the greatest coaches college football has even had and is looking to a ridiculous fifth title in eight years. But with the recent upheaval of Lane Kiffin's departure, the flat offensive showing against Washington and the Tide's struggles to stop Clemson in last year's College Football Playoff Championship my confidence in Alabama has shaken a tiny bit. I mean, it is still Nick Saban and his attention to detail and well, he's great, but it is obvious that there is more concern for this game against the Tigers than he usually let's on.

Clemson has been an underdog in their last six bowl games and have won five of them (the one loss was against Alabama last season). In those games Swinney's teams beat Urban Meyer's Ohio State Buckeyes twice, Bob Stoops' Oklahoma Sooners twice and LSU's Les Miles – all National Championship winning coaches. That's some good coaching Swinney and his staff have done and he is close to being added to this list.

Daniel Tran: I’m sorry. Nick Saban didn’t hear this question over his ringsssss.

Dabo Swinney may have been having a lot of success lately, but Saban has been proving his coaching ability for most of the last decade. If Swinney really wants to be considered an elite coach, he has to take down the College Football King with five national championships.

Who wins the matchup between Clemson's stud wide receiver corps or Alabama’s physical secondary?

Shiloh Carder: Clemson's wide receiver corps. Mike Williams is an elite receiver and Alabama's secondary in rather thin. They will try to be physical with Williams, knock him off routes and likely give help to limit big plays. However, Clemson's stable of receivers can also make big plays and move the chains. Most importantly they will occupy Saban's defense and allow running lanes for Watson.

Sam Greszes: You have no idea how much I want to say that Clemson wins this matchup. And they very well might prove me wrong. But Alabama is just... they're huge. And fast. And impossibly strong. I fully expect Clemson to rip off some deep plays, but the battle will, eventually, be won by the Crimson Tide secondary.

Daniel Tran: Clemson’s wide receiver corps is one of the most talented in the country. In any straight up battle with a secondary, they will win more times than not. They have speed, but more importantly, they have the physicality to fight for position against even the toughest secondaries in the country. If Alabama's defensive line is neutralized this game, Clemson’s receivers are going to eat.