Two players in NCAA championship game with CFL ties

The starting quarterbacks in the NCAA championship football game on Monday night each have CFL ties.

Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts makes the calls for the Crimson Tide offence. The 18-year-old is trying to become the second ever true freshman pivot to win a U.S. national college title. He resides on B.C.’s negotiation list, first reported by Arash Madani.

Hurts completed 64.7 percent of his passes for 2,649 yards with 22 touchdowns and nine interceptions, adding 891 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns while guiding Alabama to a 14-0 record. Eight of those wins came over ranked opponents.

Meanwhile, Deshaun Watson starts at QB for Clemson. The junior signal caller used to be on B.C.’s neg list, but he’s since been taken off after his NFL draft status has skyrocketed with the six-foot-three, 215-pounder expected to be a first-round – if not top ten – pick.

The 21-year-old has passed for 4,173 yards, 38 touchdowns and 17 interceptions with 586 rushing yards and eight touchdowns. Watson was the runner-up for the 2016 Heisman Trophy.