By BJ Bennett
SouthernPigskin.com

Follow us at Twitter.com/SouthernPigskin.  Become a fan at the SouthernPigskin.com Facebook Page

When the Crimson Tide and Fighting Irish take the field for their final four pairing, the story of the sport will follow.

If two teams were to star in a college football biopic, it would almost certainly be Alabama and Notre Dame. In the Rose Bowl. For the national championship. Though the “granddaddy of them all” will be played in Arlington, not Pasadena, and a semifinal isn’t a title bout, this 2020 and this is about as good as it gets.

When the Crimson Tide and Fighting Irish take the field for their final four pairing, the story of the sport will follow: a combined 28 national championships, 1,803 wins and memories, dating back to 1892 and 1887, respectively, that mark the growth of the game. Alabama and Notre Dame have played just seven times, with the first four matchups being decided by a total of 13 points. The Crimson Tide have only beaten the Fighting Irish twice, most recently for the 2012 national championship.

Remarkably, Alabama and Notre Dame have both won 72.9% of their games all-time. The Crimson Tide have spent 824 weeks ranked in the AP poll, with the Fighting Irish at 832. Alabama has had 68 first round NFL Draft picks, Notre Dame has had 69. Of FBS programs, the two programs rank one-two in national championships with 17 and 11. More, in multiple respects, could be on the horizon.

In terms of college football tradition, this is history in houdstooth and generations of gold. By some measures, Alabama and Notre Dame can only compare themselves against each other. The line of scrimmage, once the Crimson Tide and Fighting Irish meet next Friday, will be a legacy of epic proportions. When Nick Saban and Brian Kelly look across the field at each other, they will do so with the perspectives of Bear Bryant, Knute Rockne and the legends that came before them.

This isn’t just a contest to determine greatness, rather a continuation of it.

The power of both Alabama and Notre Dame is that, though their upcoming showdown is for a spot in the title game, New Year’s Day will be as much about what has been as what will be.

It has been a banner year for the Crimson Tide and Fighting Irish alike, which has been good for college football. Alabama rolled through an all-SEC schedule, beating Florida for another league title. Notre Dame, in its first year ever in a conference, defeated top-ranked Clemson in November, finished the regular season perfect and advanced to the ACC Championship Game before falling to the Tigers in a rematch. Together, the Crimson Tide and Fighting Irish have helped headline this fall; it’s something they have done many times before.

Not only are Alabama and Notre Dame arguably the two biggest names in college athletics, they are now, inarguably, after some pre-announcement discussion regarding the Fighting Irish, two of this year’s final four.

Superstar playmakers lead the Crimson Tide, a trio of Heisman Trophy candidates in quarterback Mac Jones, running back Najee Harris and wide receiver DeVonta Smith. Alabama paces Power Five football with 49.7 points per game. Veteran signal caller Ian Book, the all-time winningest quarterback for the Fighting Irish, has been the tone-setter for his team. Two powerful front fives also anchor both sides as Alabama and Notre Dame were named finalists for the Joe Moore Award, recognizing the nation’s best offensive line.

Matchups between the Crimson Tide and Fighting Irish have been rare and they should be. History needs time to fine-tune our perspective. The game can only give us so much at once. When Alabama and Notre Dame meet, it’s a special occasion. New Year’s Day, with a spot in the national championship game on the line, will certainly be just that. This will be an important semifinal, yes, but also an important showcase. College football’s best will be on display.

The stage is set. It’s been years in the making.