Dabo Swinney made it clear after the Orange Bowl that a certain label isn't sitting well at Clemson.
"We ain't no underdog!" the Clemson coach told ESPN's Holly Rowe moments after his team beat Oklahoma 37-17.
The Tigers, however, are underdogs entering Monday's College Football Playoff National Championship presented by AT&T. Although Clemson is ranked No. 1 and owns the only perfect record in the FBS, Alabama is favored to win by a touchdown.
It's not only Brent Musburger's "friends in the desert" who think Alabama will triumph. ESPN Insider surveyed eight coaches -- head coaches, coordinators and position coaches -- who faced Clemson or Alabama this season.
Most coaches expect a close, entertaining game featuring contrasting styles and stars in all three phases. With one exception, they expect Alabama to win. The championship pairs the nation's best quarterback (Clemson's Deshaun Watson) against arguably the best and deepest defensive front in Nick Saban's Alabama tenure. Both teams run effectively but in different ways. Both have plenty of perimeter talent.
The coaches broke down the teams, the players to watch and the keys to winning. Some also offered their predictions for what happens at University of Phoenix Stadium.
