Strengths and Weaknesses of Each College Football Playoff Team

When all four College Football Playoff teams hit the field on New Year's Day, the spotlight will shine on their greatest strengths. But Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State and Notre Dame are hoping the bright lights won't also expose a lingering weakness

Each team's profile is considerably more interesting than a strength and weakness. Simultaneously, it's important to know the backbone of—and backbreaker for—each program.

For a viewer, it's valuable to understand what to expect from the four programs. However, these details are also the foundation of how coaches plan to attack the opponent and attempt to minimize a vulnerable area of their own team.

The order is specifically tied to the matchups; Notre Dame plays Alabama in a Rose Bowl game that's moved to Arlington, Texas, and Ohio State takes on Clemson in the Sugar Bowl ahead of the Jan. 11 national title game.

Strength: Defense

Is the glass half full or half empty?

Against non-Clemson opponents, Notre Dame surrendered a 4.9 yards per snap and 14.6 points per game. That includes a dominant game at North Carolina in which the Irish limited a powerful Tar Heels offense to 298 yards and 17 points. Notre Dame has racked up 86 tackles for loss in 11 outings.

But the Clemson games—1,014 yards and 74 points—happened. It won't be any easier opposite Alabama.

At its best, Notre Dame's defense is a disruptive, stingy unit. We've also clearly seen the worst version too.

Weakness: Playmakers

Notre Dame has two excellent offensive tackles (Liam Eichenberg, Robert Hainsey) and two reliable guards (Aaron Banks, Tommy Kraemer). Even after the loss to Clemson, Notre Dame is averaging a respectable 8.2 yards per pass and 5.1 per carry.

As the ACC Championship Game clearly showed, though, this offensive line isn't perfect. The absence of starting center Jarrett Patterson (foot) isn't helping, either.

And if the line struggles to hold up, Notre Dame doesn't have a player to elevate the scoring attack.

While quarterback Ian Book is a quality scrambler, that's not a sustainable way to succeed on offense. Running back Kyren Williams is only as good as his blocking. The receivers only have 14 catches of 30-plus yards in 11 games.

Strength: Overall Excellence on Offense

Mac Jones leads the nation with 11.4 yards per pass attempt. Najee Harris leads the nation with 24 rushing scores. DeVonta Smith leads the nation with 1,511 receiving yards.

Pretty simple, right?

Alabama has a lethal blend of total production and efficiency, averaging 49.7 points per game while notching 7.8 yards per snap. And while the Crimson Tide have lost one turnover in all 11 games, they've committed exactly one in each game. They create big plays, score a bunch and avoid numerous giveaways.

This offense leaves opponents a razor-thin margin for error.

Weakness: Pass Defense, Sometimes

Throughout the last decade-plus, Alabama has regularly boasted an elite pass-rusher or two and a strong secondary. While the 2020 defense is mostly good and occasionally great, the Tide don't consistently perform at an elite level.

Texas A&M's Kellen Mond threw for 318 yards. Mississippi piled up 647 total yards, including 379 through the air. Florida's Kyle Trask scorched the Tide for 408 passing yards.

Yes, the talent is there.

Patrick Surtain II is one of the nation's top cornerbacks, and linebacker Dylan Moses is a likely Day 2 NFL draft pick. Freshman edge-rusher Will Anderson Jr. is a rising star too. They highlight a defense loaded with highly recruited players.

But talent doesn't always lead to execution on game day.

Strength: Skill-Position Talent on Offense

Similar to Notre Dame, this is a question of perspective.

Ohio State has leaned on Justin Fields, the offensive line/running game and the receivers at various points this season. Staying dominant on offense for 60 minutes has been a problem, though. Hot starts against Penn State, Rutgers and Indiana fizzled, and the Buckeyes struggled with Northwestern.

Still, Fields is one of the best quarterbacks in the country. Trey Sermon just rushed for a school-record 331 yards against Northwestern, and Master Teague III has 449 yards on the ground. Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson are both averaging 100 receiving yards per game.

If everything comes together for the Buckeyes, this offense is built to compete with any defense.

Weakness: Pass Defense

On season numbers alone, the secondary looks fine. Ohio State has surrendered only seven yards per attempt, which is slightly above average as the No. 43 mark nationally.

However, the eye test is less favorable. Penn State, Indiana and Northwestern all successfully pushed the ball vertically.

Shaun Wade hasn't locked down receivers on the outside like he did at nickelback last season. Sevyn Banks, Marcus Williamson and Marcus Hooker have surrendered huge plays. Miscommunications and blown assignments have popped up repeatedly.

Ohio State needs a steady secondary to survive a possible two-game stretch of Clemson and Alabama.

Strength: Trevor Lawrence

Running back Travis Etienne is awesome. Cornell Powell's breakout season is perfectly timed, considering the minor production from young receivers. But it truly is this straightforward.

Trevor Lawrence is Clemson's main strength.

As a freshman, he carried the Tigers with his arm. They unleashed him on designed runs last season, and he responded with 563 yards and nine scores. Lawrence has developed into a pass-first player who can shoulder major responsibility as a runner. Look at the ACC Championship Game; he threw for 322 and ran for 90.

Factor in his three seasons of experience—including three ACC title games and four CFP matchups—and Lawrence is the undisputed cornerstone of this Clemson team.

Weakness: Offensive Line

Clemson has the fourth-most rushing touchdowns (31) in the country, and that red-zone success is vital. But the Tigers—in a considerable change from recent years—aren't an efficient running team.

Entering the CFP, Clemson ranks 51st in yards per carry. For comparison, the offense led the FBS in that category in 2019 and ranked second in 2018. During those two years (30 games), Etienne ripped off 40 runs of 20-plus yards. This season, he has seven in 11 games.

In fairness, this may be changing. Clemson tallied a shade over eight yards per carry in the last two outings, scorching Virginia Tech for 238 yards and Notre Dame for 219 on a combined 57 carries.

Based on the season-long trend, though, the Tigers' recent success on the ground is an outlier.