By Alex Buettgen ’22

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The annual College Football National Championship will take place on Monday, January 13 in the Mercedes – Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The game consists of two perennial powerhouse programs in the LSU Tigers and the Clemson Tigers. Both teams are led by fantastic quarterbacks who have shredded opposing defenses week in and week out. 

Trevor Lawrence, the quarterback of the Clemson Tigers, is a perfect 25-0 as a starting quarterback in college. Lawrence quarterbacked the Tigers to a national championship title last year as a true freshman and is hoping to repeat this year and lead the Tigers to their third national championship in 6 years. Lawrence has had a phenomenal season this year, completing 250 of his 370 pass attempts this year for 3,431 yards and 36 touchdowns to just 8 interceptions. He also has shown his hidden ability to run with 514 yards and 8 touchdowns on the ground, including a huge 67-yard touchdown run in the semi-final game against Ohio State. 

Lawrence is surrounded by incredible athletes, including running back Travis Etienne and Wide Receivers Justyn Ross and Tee Higgins. Etienne has had a monster year, rushing for 1,536 yards and 18 touchdowns and has also shown his versatility with 396 receiving yards and 4 touchdowns. Higgins has dominated defenses as well, snagging 56 passes for 1,115 yards and 13 touchdowns. Ross has also been electric this year, hauling in 61 receptions for 761 yards and 8 touchdowns. 

The Clemson defense has been consistent this year, but they have not yet faced a team with the firepower that LSU has. The Bayou Bengals are led by Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback, Joe Burrow. Burrow has been absolutely fantastic this year, completing 371 of his 478 attempts for a mind-blowing 5,208 yards for a crazy 55 touchdowns. Burrow put up a ridiculous stat line against Oklahoma in the semi finals, when he threw for 493 yards and 7 touchdowns, all of which came in the first half. Burrow’s production has not come without any help, though. The three headed monster consisting of Biletnikoff Award winner Ja’Marr Chase, electric receiver Justin Jefferson, and sophomore sensation Terrace Marshall Jr. Altogether, this sensational group of receivers has hauled in 220 receptions for 3,618 yards and 48 touchdowns, absolutely mind- boggling numbers. Both defenses will need to step up their game to be able to stop these incredible offenses. 

This will be an absolutely fantastic game with lots of fireworks, but the LSU Tigers will reign victorious over the college football world.