ALABAMA PASSING
Junior signal-caller A.J. McCarron has been stellar in his second season as a starter after leading Alabama to a title in his first year at the helm. McCarron is the nation's most efficient passer with a passer efficiency rating of 173. He has enjoyed the protection of the country's best offensive line, including Outland Trophy finalist Barrett Jones at center and top tackles D.J. Fluker and Cyrus Kouandjio. At wide receiver, freshman All-American Amari Cooper has torched defenses on passes down the field and in the flat. Cooper leads Alabama with 895 yards receiving and nine touchdowns through the air. Beyond Cooper, no Crimson Tide player has emerged as an elite receiving threat. Running backs Eddie Lacy and T.J. Yeldon are threats to catch the ball out of the backfield and make people miss on screen plays. Without an elite passcatching option behind Cooper, the Irish secondary will key in and try to force turnovers. Though the young group in the Notre Dame secondary was scrutinized heading into the season, they performed well against more prolific passing games than the one Alabama will bring to Sun Life Stadium.
EDGE: NOTRE DAME
ALABAMA RUSHING
The recent Alabama national championships have been built around a strong running game. 2009 Heisman winner Mark Ingram and All-American back Trent Richardson powered wins in the 2010 and 2012 incarnations of the BCS National Championship Game. This year's version of the Crimson Tide was expected to take a step back in the rushing department after Richardson departed to the NFL. Junior Eddie Lacy has taken the mantle as Alabama's rushing threat and established a physical presence in the Crimson Tide backfield. Lacy totaled 1182 yards and 16 touchdowns on the ground and rose to the occasion against Georgia in the SEC Championship Game. Lacy gashed the physical Bulldog defense for 181 yards behind a physical offensive line. Lacy's ascension has been boosted by the impressive freshman-year performance of T.J. Yeldon in the backfield. Yeldon added 1,000 yards of his own on 30 fewer carries throughout the season and scored Alabama's game-winning touchdown against LSU on the road. Notre Dame brings its own stout defense in the run game to clash with Lacy, Yeldon and the Crimson Tide offensive line. Defensive end StephonTuitt, nose guard Louis Nix and linebacker MantiTe'o form the foundation of the nation's best scoring defense. Notre Dame has been particularly strong in run defense, holding Oklahoma to an impossibly-low 15 rushing yards and limiting high-profile Big Ten rushers in Michigan's Denard Robinson and Michigan State's Le'Veon Bell.
EDGE: EVEN
ALABAMA OFFENSIVE COACHING
Alabama offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier has adjusted nicely to play-calling in his first season at the position. He has been interviewed for head coaching positions as a result of his success. But he faces a true chess match with the man recently named the best assistant coach in the country - Bob Diaco. Diaco has shown the ability to scheme against great offenses all season, bottling up USC, Michigan and Oklahoma.
EDGE: NOTRE DAME
ALABAMA SPECIAL TEAMS
Alabama employs a unique, two-kicker system to kick field goals. Short field goal kicker Jeremy Shelley is nearly automatic and has not missed on the season. Long field goal kicker Cade Foster is only 4-of-9 on the season but has a big leg. Christion Jones has a 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown and averages 30 yards per kickoff return.
EDGE: ALABAMA
