GLENDALE, Ariz. — On this day 34 years ago, Perry Tuttle became the first Clemson player in history to grace the cover of Sports Illustrated.

The picture, which shows Tuttle holding the ball up in the air in celebration, was taken after the All-American secured his 19-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Homer Jordan in the third quarter of the Tigers’ 22-15 victory over No. 4 Nebraska in the 1982 Orange Bowl. The headline simply says, “No. 1.”

Now, 34 years later, No. 1 Clemson has an opportunity to repeat history when the Tigers play No. 2 Alabama in tonight’s National Championship Game at The University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.

“It is kind of surreal to think about it,” said Clemson running back Wayne Gallman, who graced the regional cover of last week’s Sports Illustrated, which read, “Still the One.”

“We knew we could be here when we started the season. We felt like we had all the right pieces and just the way all the guys worked this season. But to be here and to be actually living it, it’s kind of cool,” Gallman continued. “This is what we have worked for, and now it is here.”

And the Tigers (14-0) are here playing against the team no one thinks they can beat, very similar to what the 1981 team experienced heading into its game against Nebraska.

“No one gave us a chance,” said Jeff Davis, the All-American linebacker from the 1981 team, who now works as an associate athletic director on the Clemson football team. “People did not even know where we were from. They thought we were from North Carolina. But all that stuff drove us. It motivated us even more.

“Nebraska was the power establishment at the time. They had the best facilities. They had the strongest players. We knew if we beat them. Then no one could say anything and we would get the respect we deserved.”

Clemson physically dominated the Corn Huskers that night in Miami, finishing off what was the greatest season in Clemson history. But now the 2015 team has a chance to add to that legacy, and they know a win tonight over the “Gold Standard” in College Football, otherwise known as Alabama, would end all the talk on whether Clemson belongs or not.

The Tigers are a seven-point underdog to Alabama (13-1), despite being the only undefeated team in the country and despite being the only team in the country to beat five teams with at least 10 wins and three top 10 teams.

“We just don’t pay attention to it. A lot of people respect us. Nothing that we have earned has been given to us,” Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson said. “Each and every week, we go out there and earn it. We don’t pay attention to it. We go do what we do and focus on Clemson.

“If we do that, everything else will take care of itself.”

That’s what the Tigers did in wins over No. 6 Notre Dame, No. 16 Florida State, No. 8 North Carolina and No. 4 Oklahoma. They just played their game, and in each case they found ways to win, while doing it all in different ways.

“I’m very proud of our team. To go 14-0 is really difficult to do, and for these guys to rise up and accept every challenge and have themselves ready each and every week is a great compliment to our team.”

So here they are, 34 years later trying to shock the College Football world once again.

“We are trying to be the best in America. Now we have to go earn it,” Watson said.