One of the new great rivalries in Southern football is renewed on Monday night in Santa Clara, CA when Nick Saban’s Alabama Crimson Tide takes on Dabo Swinney’s Clemson Tigers in the College Football Playoff National Championship.

This marks the fourth straight year that these two schools have met in the postseason and the third time in four years that it’s for a national title.

Ahead of Monday night’s game, let’s take a look back at the recent history between these two powerhouse programs.

January 11, 2016 – Alabama 45, Clemson 40

The Crimson Tide and Tigers both got to the title game relatively unscathed.

Bama’s three-headed monster of quarterback Jake Coker, running back Derrick Henry and wide receiver Calvin Ridley ran roughshod over Big 10 Champions Michigan in the Cotton Bowl to the tune of 38-0 to return to the final a year after losing the national title to Ohio State. Meanwhile in the Orange Bowl, Baker Mayfield and the Oklahoma Sooners put up more of a fight, but ultimately fell to Deshaun Watson and the Tigers, 37-17.

The meeting in Glendale, AZ was the first time the Crimson Tide and Tigers had met since 2008. In a Week 1 encounter, 24th-ranked Bama was victorious in a 34-10 win in Atlanta. In fact, it was only the third time the two teams had faced off with one another in 42 years.

The game was an instant classic with two juggernaut offences on display – the Tigers finished with 550 yards offence with the Crimson Tide at 473 – and one marked by a bold play call that turned the tide (ugh, I’m sorry) in Bama’s favour.

Clemson held a 24-21 lead heading into the fourth quarter. Almost five minutes in, Bama capped a 2:33 drive with a 33-yard Adam Griffith field goal to even matters. It was at this point that Saban once again proved why he’s widely considered one of college football’s greatest minds ever by gambling huge.

With nearly 10 minutes left in a tied game, Bama went for an onside kick. If it paid off, Saban would be hailed as a genius. If it flamed out, he’d be assailed. Genius won the day. Griffith delivered a “pop kick” that was recovered by defensive back Marlon Humphrey near midfield.

On the ensuing possession, Coker found tight end O.J. Howard for a 51-yard touchdown reception for a 31-24 Bama lead. Both teams would go on to score again, including a 94-yard kick-off return TD by Crimson Tide running back Kenyan Drake, but Bama wouldn’t relinquish the lead, holding off the Tigers for a 45-40 victory and a third national title in five years and a fourth under Saban.

January 10, 2017 – Clemson 35, Alabama 31

After the late dramatics in the previous year’s title game, not only were fans treated to a rematch in the 2017 final, but they received an even more exciting encounter.

Bama advanced to a third straight title game with a comfortable 24-7 win over Pac-12 champions, the Washington Huskies in the Peach Bowl. The Bama defence punished quarterback Jake Browning, picking him off twice, including a pick-six from Ryan Anderson, and limited the Huskies’ offence to just 194 total yards. The Tigers had an even easier go of it, skunking 2015 champions OSU in the Fiesta Bowl, limited the Buckeyes to just nine first downs.

In Tampa Bay, Bama got out to an early 14-0 lead thanks to a pair of rushing TDs from Bo Scarbrough. Midway through the first quarter, a Watson rushing TD made sure the game didn’t get out of hand and by the middle of the second quarter, a Watson TD pass to Hunter Renfrow pulled the Tigers within three at 17-14. But the Tigers’ comeback hopes seemed to be snuffed out quickly thereafter when Jalen Hurts found Howard for a 64-yard TD reception and a restored 10-point lead heading into the fourth at 24-14.

It’s foolish to sleep on anybody with the skill of Watson and he showed why early in the final frame. A nine-play, 72-yard drive was capped with a four-yard TD pass to Mike Williams, pulling the Tigers back within three. Then, after the two teams traded scoreless possessions, Clemson took its first lead of the game with a little bit more than four minutes remaining. A goal-line rush from Wayne Gallman finished a six-play, 88-yard drive and the Tigers led 28-24 with scant time for Hurts and the Tide to answer back.

But they managed to when the QB called his own number. With 2:07 remaining, Hurt scampered in for a major on a 30-yard run to wrest back the lead for Bama at 31-28. Clemson’s 35-year title drought was about to become 36...except Watson had other ideas.

Watson led a drive down field that featured a big grab from Williams and with 14 seconds remaining, Jordan Leggett’s sensational catch got the Tigers inside the 10. A pass interference call then put Clemson at the two with six second left. Watson had time for one shot at the end zone before a field-goal attempt to force overtime.

Utilizing a pick from Artavis Scott, Renfrow found himself open in the end zone and the former walk-on hauled in his second TD pass of the night from Watson to give the Tigers the win and their first national title since 1981 in a 35-31 victory.

January 1, 2018 – Alabama 24, Clemson 7

Like The Godfather, Back to the Future and The Hangover before it, the third installment of Bama vs. Clemson failed to live up to its predecessors.

Last year’s Sugar Bowl between the two teams – the first of their three meetings where the national title wasn’t on the line – just wasn’t very entertaining if we’re being honest. Of course, that doesn’t mean there weren’t good performances.

Smothering defence has been a hallmark of Saban’s Bama teams and it was no different in NOLA. The Tigers’ offence couldn’t get anything going against the Crimson Tide. Quarterback Kelly Bryant finished the game with two picks and 124 yards passing, while Travis Etienne’s 22 yards on four carries were enough to make him Clemson’s rushing leader on the night.

The game was ostensibly put to bed in late the third quarter when Bama scored two touchdowns within :13 of one another with both coming through defensive players.

First, defensive tackle Da’Ron Payne picked off Bryant and got the Bama offence back on the field. With the ball on the one, Payne entered the game on offence and hauled in a touchdown reception from Hurts on a trick play to put the Crimson Tide up 17-6 with 5:40 left. Then, on Clemson’s first offensive play after the kick-off, a Bryant pass intended for Deon Cain was deflected into the hands of Mack Wilson, who ran it back 18 yards for the pick-six that wrapped up the victory at 24-6.

A week later, Bama went on to win an overtime thriller against their SEC rival Georgia Bulldogs, 23-20, in the CFP Championship Game to secure a third national title in four years for Saban and Tide.