Tick-tock. Tick-tock. Tick-tock goes the countdown clock.

Time is dwindling down to kickoff of the 2013 Discover BCS National Championship on Monday at Miami Gardens, Fla., and I can’t wait.

Second-ranked Alabama will face top-ranked and undefeated Notre Dame in what will be a classic clash of two traditional college football teams.

Alabama (12-1) will be playing for its third national championship in four years. Notre Dame (12-0) last won the crystal trophy in 1988.

Hype for this game has grown exponentially since Christmas Day, as networks have broadcast their take on the game.

Both teams have considerable weapons to make this game one of the best in BCS National Championship history.

The Crimson Tide has a wicked roster filled with talent on both sides of the ball.

Leading the offense are Alabama junior quarterback A.J. McCarron; junior running back Eddie Lacy and freshman running back T.J. Yeldon, to name a few. Don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten All-American center Barrett Jones, who returned to the practice field on Monday, or receivers Amari Cooper, Christion Jones and Kevin Norwood.

Defensively, Alabama has Andalusia native and senior linebacker Nico Johnson; fellow linebacker C.J. Mosley; defensive backs, Robert Lester and Dee Milliner; and defensive linemen, Vinnie Sunseri and Jesse Williams.

For the Irish, it starts and ends with senior inside linebacker Manti Te’o.

Te’o was a front-runner to win the Heisman Trophy this year, but Texas A&M phenom Johnny Manziel won the honor.

Additionally, Notre Dame’s Everett Golson at quarterback and Tyler Eifert at tight end are also threats for UA.

As iron sharpens iron, I think both teams compliment each other well.

Now, I keep hearing the spread is 10 points in Alabama’s favor for the game. I think that’s too much.

Notre Dame is coming off its best season in quite some time, and Alabama barely made it back in the title game with the help of a couple big losses of top-five ranked teams during the regular season.

Since Alabama beat Georgia to win the SEC Championship — which it didn’t do last year, but won its 14th national title — I’ve been eagerly awaiting the match up.

Growing up a Crimson Tide fan, “Go Bama!” has been a constant phrase around my home, and it’s picked up in fervor as the game is drawing nearer.

Folks keep asking me what I think about the game and what may happen.

My answer is that I hope my team wins and that it’s going to be a good game between two traditional schools.

So, whether it be Catholics vs. Cousins or Forrest Gump vs. Rudy, the national championship will be a game for the history books.