The top-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide will face off with the No. 4 Note Dame Fighting Irish in the College Football Playoff Semifinal presented by Capital One at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Friday, Jan. 1, 2021.
The Crimson Tide and Fighting Irish will meet for the eighth time in the history of the series that dates back to 1973. Alabama trails, 2-5, in the previous pairings but came away with a 42-14 victory in the most recent matchup between the two teams at the 2013 BCS National Championship in Miami, Fla.
The winner of the Semifinal between Alabama and Notre Dame will meet the winner of the contest between the No. 2 Clemson Tigers and the No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes, who will play in the CFP Semifinal Game at the Allstate Sugar Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, La., on Friday, Jan. 1, 2021. The 2021 CFP National Championship Game is scheduled for Monday, Jan. 11 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Fla.
Saban is 12-5 in postseason games at Alabama, earning wins over Michigan (2019 Citrus Bowl), Oklahoma (2018 CFP Semifinal Game at the Orange Bowl), Georgia (2018 CFP National Championship Game), Clemson (2017 CFP Semifinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl and the 2016 CFP National Championship Game), Washington (2016 CFP Semifinal Game at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl), Michigan State (2015 CFP Semifinal Game at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic).
Prior to the CFP, the Tide defeated the Fighting Irish (2013 BCS National Championship Game at the Orange Bowl), LSU (2012 BCS National Championship Game at the Allstate Sugar Bowl), Michigan State (2011 Capital One Bowl), Texas (2010 BCS National Championship Game at the Rose Bowl) and Colorado (2007 Independence Bowl).
