Picks record
Semifinal picks: 2-0 Bowls: 9-3 Season: 84-34
College Football Playoff championship
No. 1 Alabama (14-0) vs. No. 2 Clemson (13-1) in Tampa, Fla., 8 p.m. ESPN
So, this is pretty freaky. The whole college football season, I felt like I wasn't doing as well on my picks as last year, when I ended up with a 100-40 record after picking Alabama to beat Clemson in the national championship. Just now, I was calculating my numbers through the final ACC bowls and semifinals for this season, and I decided to see what my percentage is. If I pick tonight's game correctly, I'll finish 85-34 for the 2016 season. That's 119 games and a percentage of 71.428571. I picked more games last year, 140, but 100/140 as a percentage is what? 71.428571. Pretty amazing.
Alright on to the topic at hand. There's got to be a pay off for football fans at some point, right? The semifinals weren't very good. Washington did its best to hang with Alabama, but I think we all knew that once the Tide got up 17-7, it was probably over. 'Bama won, 24-7. And the Clemson-Ohio State game
was utter garbage. I was really hoping that would be one of the best games of the college football season. Instead, the Tigers completely dominated the proceedings in a 31-0 beatdown. And then this weekend, the NFL wild card games fell flat as well. Sure, the Giants-Packers game was close into the second half. But the final margin wasn't, and the average margin of victory for all four games was 19. Gross. I feel like we are due a good game and maybe this is it.
Last year's game certainly lived up to the hype. Clemson actually came in as the undefeated team, even though Alabama was the popular pick to win. The Tide prevailed, 45-40, in a terrific college football game. This year, Alabama is looking to be the first 15-0 team in history, and Nick Saban is trying to win his sixth national title, five in nine years with Alabama, to cement himself as one of the best, if not the best, college football coach of all time, while Clemson's Dabo Swinney is searching for that first crown that legitimizes his spot among the sport's elite coaches.
Clemson QB Deshaun Watson represents a running and passing threat, and he was special last year against the Tide -- 405 yards passing with four TDs, plus 73 yards rushing -- so he knows what it would take to do it again. Mike Williams has 90 catches for more than 1,200 yards and 10 TDs, a huge weapon for Watson. He was unavailable in last year's game because of a fractured neck. Watson did throw a pick in last year's game, and he's been susceptible to interceptions the past two seasons, throwing a combined 30 despite a very solid completion percentage of 67.3 to go along with 4,173 yards and 38 TDs. Taking care of the ball needs to be a huge part of the game for Clemson: Alabama has 11 fumble or interception returns for
touchdowns. Alabama's defense is giving up slightly more than 11 points per game and hasn't given up more than 16 since early October. It's collected 50 sacks. It is led by lineman Jonathan Allen (15 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks) and linebacker Reuben Foster (12 tackles for loss, 103 total tackles). Cornerback Minkah Fitzpatrick has six interceptions, and 'Bama has 16 total. Clemson features running back Wayne Gallman, a 1,000-yard rusher, but I think the Tigers' primary mode of offense will need to be through the air.
The Tide's breakout stars have been QB Jalen Hurts, a true freshman, and RB Bo Scarbrough, who has just 719 yards on the year, but is averaging 6.6 yards per carry and has 361 yards the past three games, including 180 against Washington. Hurts has completed 64.7 percent of his passes for 2,649 yards, 22 touchdowns, and nine picks. Like Watson, he is a major threat to run, with 891 yards and 12 TDs. 'Bama also has running back Damien Harris, who's ran for more than 1,000 yards but ceded carries to Scarbrough late in the year. Clemson's defense is led by linebacker Ben Boulware (9.5 tackles for loss, 121 total tackles) and defensive tackle Carlos Watkins (12.5 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks). Safety Jadar Johnson has six of Clemson's 20 interceptions. The Tigers haven't been as dominant as the Tide, of course, allowing 17.1 ppg, but is still very solid and is coming off what was probably a confidence-building shutout. Clemson has recorded 49 sacks.
On a special teams note, Alabama has four punt return TDs, and Clemson has blocked four kicks. Last year's game turned on an onside kick by the Tide in the fourth quarter, so another special teams play could be a huge in a close game.
Like last season, I just think Alabama is the better and more dominant team. But it would not shock me to see Clemson win, and I think it will be a great game.
Alabama 27, Clemson 23 (same prediction as last year)
Semifinal picks: 2-0 Bowls: 9-3 Season: 84-34
College Football Playoff championship
No. 1 Alabama (14-0) vs. No. 2 Clemson (13-1) in Tampa, Fla., 8 p.m. ESPN
So, this is pretty freaky. The whole college football season, I felt like I wasn't doing as well on my picks as last year, when I ended up with a 100-40 record after picking Alabama to beat Clemson in the national championship. Just now, I was calculating my numbers through the final ACC bowls and semifinals for this season, and I decided to see what my percentage is. If I pick tonight's game correctly, I'll finish 85-34 for the 2016 season. That's 119 games and a percentage of 71.428571. I picked more games last year, 140, but 100/140 as a percentage is what? 71.428571. Pretty amazing.
Alright on to the topic at hand. There's got to be a pay off for football fans at some point, right? The semifinals weren't very good. Washington did its best to hang with Alabama, but I think we all knew that once the Tide got up 17-7, it was probably over. 'Bama won, 24-7. And the Clemson-Ohio State game
Last year's game certainly lived up to the hype. Clemson actually came in as the undefeated team, even though Alabama was the popular pick to win. The Tide prevailed, 45-40, in a terrific college football game. This year, Alabama is looking to be the first 15-0 team in history, and Nick Saban is trying to win his sixth national title, five in nine years with Alabama, to cement himself as one of the best, if not the best, college football coach of all time, while Clemson's Dabo Swinney is searching for that first crown that legitimizes his spot among the sport's elite coaches.
Clemson QB Deshaun Watson represents a running and passing threat, and he was special last year against the Tide -- 405 yards passing with four TDs, plus 73 yards rushing -- so he knows what it would take to do it again. Mike Williams has 90 catches for more than 1,200 yards and 10 TDs, a huge weapon for Watson. He was unavailable in last year's game because of a fractured neck. Watson did throw a pick in last year's game, and he's been susceptible to interceptions the past two seasons, throwing a combined 30 despite a very solid completion percentage of 67.3 to go along with 4,173 yards and 38 TDs. Taking care of the ball needs to be a huge part of the game for Clemson: Alabama has 11 fumble or interception returns for
The Tide's breakout stars have been QB Jalen Hurts, a true freshman, and RB Bo Scarbrough, who has just 719 yards on the year, but is averaging 6.6 yards per carry and has 361 yards the past three games, including 180 against Washington. Hurts has completed 64.7 percent of his passes for 2,649 yards, 22 touchdowns, and nine picks. Like Watson, he is a major threat to run, with 891 yards and 12 TDs. 'Bama also has running back Damien Harris, who's ran for more than 1,000 yards but ceded carries to Scarbrough late in the year. Clemson's defense is led by linebacker Ben Boulware (9.5 tackles for loss, 121 total tackles) and defensive tackle Carlos Watkins (12.5 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks). Safety Jadar Johnson has six of Clemson's 20 interceptions. The Tigers haven't been as dominant as the Tide, of course, allowing 17.1 ppg, but is still very solid and is coming off what was probably a confidence-building shutout. Clemson has recorded 49 sacks.
On a special teams note, Alabama has four punt return TDs, and Clemson has blocked four kicks. Last year's game turned on an onside kick by the Tide in the fourth quarter, so another special teams play could be a huge in a close game.
Like last season, I just think Alabama is the better and more dominant team. But it would not shock me to see Clemson win, and I think it will be a great game.
Alabama 27, Clemson 23 (same prediction as last year)
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