Bowls: 7-2 Season: 92-46
I finally took a pair of losses in my ACC bowl picks with Louisville's loss to Mississippi State and Wisconsin's victory over Miami. To kick off the new year, we have the College Football Playoff semifinals, and obviously, fans are very much looking forward to these matchups, especially Alabama-Clemson III. Let's hope they deliver the goods.
Rose Bowl Game presented by Northwestern Mutual in Pasadena, Calif.
No. 3 Georgia (12-1) vs. No. 2 Oklahoma (12-1), 5 p.m. ESPN
In the first matchup, we get two traditional powers that have actually never met each other on the gridiron. It's also a somewhat surprising game in that, even though Oklahoma and Georgia are often in the conversation of top teams in college football, they both have very inexperienced head coaches leading them. The Sooners have a rookie coach in Lincoln Riley, he of the fantastic mind that has helped make Oklahoma the nation's most dangerous offensive team. Meanwhile, in just his second season, Nick Saban disciple Kirby Smart has taken the Bulldogs from 8-5 to the semifinals with a dominant defense, not unlike his mentor.
While Oklahoma has Heisman Trophy winner and senior Baker Mayfield guiding them, Georgia is inexperienced under center with true freshman Jake Fromm. But he's had a solid year, completing 63 percent of his passes 2,173 yards and 21 touchdowns with five interceptions. Meanwhile, Mayfield has completed an incredible 71 percent of his passes for 4,340 yards, 41 touchdowns, and five picks. Georgia mostly gets it done on the ground, with fantastic backs Sony Michel and Nick Chubb having combined for more than 2,100 yards and 26 touchdowns on the ground. The Sooners' leading rusher is Rodney Anderson, who has almost 1,000 yards and 11 TDs. All-America tight end Mark Andrews has 58 catches for 906 yards and eight TDs.
The Sooners got here by winning the Big 12, defeating TCU in the regular season and in the conference title game. Their loss came at home to surprising Iowa State. Georgia was undefeated until losing at Auburn in a blowout. But the Bulldogs recovered and then in the SEC title game, got the better of the Tigers in a rematch. I like Georgia's defense, with plenty of preparation time, to slow down Oklahoma enough to get the victory. Mayfield has been sick leading up to the game, and while he of course will play, it could make a difference with his stamina and focus against a tough defense.
Georgia 27, Oklahoma 24
Allstate Sugar Bowl in New Orleans
No. 4 Alabama (11-1) vs. No. 1 Clemson (12-1), 8:45 p.m. ESPN
Can the third meeting in three years between these powerhouses live up to the first two? Two years ago, the Crimson Tide topped the Tigers, 45-40, for the national championship. Last season, Deshaun Watson and Clemson edged 'Bama. 35-31, for the crown. Round 3 takes place in the semifinals, but the matchup is still highly anticipated. It's going to be hard to top the past two seasons, though.
Alabama's defense isn't quite as dominant this season, and the Tide are coming off a 26-14 loss to rival Auburn, which knocked it out of the SEC title game. Controversially, Alabama still ended up with the No. 4 seed in the playoff thanks to undefeated Wisconsin dropping its first contest of the season to Ohio State in the Big Ten championship. Some people thought two-loss OSU should've gotten in over one-loss Alabama, but the Tide did get the nod, with the Buckeyes' 31-point loss to Iowa being the likely deciding factor. Sophomore Jalen Hurts is back at QB for Alabama, and though he only has 15 passing touchdowns, he's also only got one pick and is completing 60.8 percent of his passes. He's the second-leading rusher for Alabama with 768 yards and eight scores. Damien Harris leads the team with 906 yards and 11 TDs. Star receiver Calvin Ridley has 55 catches for 896 yards but only three touchdowns (the team's second-leading receiver only has 14 catches).
Watson was taking the NFL by storm for the Texans this year before a major injury ended his rookie campaign, so Clemson had to turn to junior Kelly Bryant at QB this year. Though not as explosive, he's performed admirably, throwing 13 touchdowns to just six picks, but also 67.4 percent of his passes, and he's ran for 646 yards. Tavien Feaster and Travis Etienne have combined for more than 1,400 rushing yards and 20 TDs on the ground. Hunter Renfrow, who caught the game-winning pass in the final seconds last season for the title, leads the team with 55 catches with three TDs. Deon Cain has 52 catches and six TDs. Clemson's defense might be even better than Alabama's, led by a pair of dominant ends in Clelin Ferrell (17 tackles for losses, 8.5 sacks) and Austin Bryant (14.5 tackles for losses, 7.5 sacks).
This game will probably be lower-scoring than the other two, and Clemson's defense can certainly hang with Alabama's, if not outplay it. Bryant might not have to be great like Watson was, but he could also blossom before the nation's eyes. The Tide isn't as tested as Clemson, with its best win coming against LSU and a come-from-behind win at Mississippi State. The Tigers, meanwhile, have beaten Auburn and crushed Louisville and Miami. I'm taking Clemson to beat 'Bama again.
Clemson 24, Alabama 23
I finally took a pair of losses in my ACC bowl picks with Louisville's loss to Mississippi State and Wisconsin's victory over Miami. To kick off the new year, we have the College Football Playoff semifinals, and obviously, fans are very much looking forward to these matchups, especially Alabama-Clemson III. Let's hope they deliver the goods.
Rose Bowl Game presented by Northwestern Mutual in Pasadena, Calif.
No. 3 Georgia (12-1) vs. No. 2 Oklahoma (12-1), 5 p.m. ESPN
In the first matchup, we get two traditional powers that have actually never met each other on the gridiron. It's also a somewhat surprising game in that, even though Oklahoma and Georgia are often in the conversation of top teams in college football, they both have very inexperienced head coaches leading them. The Sooners have a rookie coach in Lincoln Riley, he of the fantastic mind that has helped make Oklahoma the nation's most dangerous offensive team. Meanwhile, in just his second season, Nick Saban disciple Kirby Smart has taken the Bulldogs from 8-5 to the semifinals with a dominant defense, not unlike his mentor.
While Oklahoma has Heisman Trophy winner and senior Baker Mayfield guiding them, Georgia is inexperienced under center with true freshman Jake Fromm. But he's had a solid year, completing 63 percent of his passes 2,173 yards and 21 touchdowns with five interceptions. Meanwhile, Mayfield has completed an incredible 71 percent of his passes for 4,340 yards, 41 touchdowns, and five picks. Georgia mostly gets it done on the ground, with fantastic backs Sony Michel and Nick Chubb having combined for more than 2,100 yards and 26 touchdowns on the ground. The Sooners' leading rusher is Rodney Anderson, who has almost 1,000 yards and 11 TDs. All-America tight end Mark Andrews has 58 catches for 906 yards and eight TDs.
The Sooners got here by winning the Big 12, defeating TCU in the regular season and in the conference title game. Their loss came at home to surprising Iowa State. Georgia was undefeated until losing at Auburn in a blowout. But the Bulldogs recovered and then in the SEC title game, got the better of the Tigers in a rematch. I like Georgia's defense, with plenty of preparation time, to slow down Oklahoma enough to get the victory. Mayfield has been sick leading up to the game, and while he of course will play, it could make a difference with his stamina and focus against a tough defense.
Georgia 27, Oklahoma 24
Allstate Sugar Bowl in New Orleans
No. 4 Alabama (11-1) vs. No. 1 Clemson (12-1), 8:45 p.m. ESPN
Can the third meeting in three years between these powerhouses live up to the first two? Two years ago, the Crimson Tide topped the Tigers, 45-40, for the national championship. Last season, Deshaun Watson and Clemson edged 'Bama. 35-31, for the crown. Round 3 takes place in the semifinals, but the matchup is still highly anticipated. It's going to be hard to top the past two seasons, though.
Alabama's defense isn't quite as dominant this season, and the Tide are coming off a 26-14 loss to rival Auburn, which knocked it out of the SEC title game. Controversially, Alabama still ended up with the No. 4 seed in the playoff thanks to undefeated Wisconsin dropping its first contest of the season to Ohio State in the Big Ten championship. Some people thought two-loss OSU should've gotten in over one-loss Alabama, but the Tide did get the nod, with the Buckeyes' 31-point loss to Iowa being the likely deciding factor. Sophomore Jalen Hurts is back at QB for Alabama, and though he only has 15 passing touchdowns, he's also only got one pick and is completing 60.8 percent of his passes. He's the second-leading rusher for Alabama with 768 yards and eight scores. Damien Harris leads the team with 906 yards and 11 TDs. Star receiver Calvin Ridley has 55 catches for 896 yards but only three touchdowns (the team's second-leading receiver only has 14 catches).
Watson was taking the NFL by storm for the Texans this year before a major injury ended his rookie campaign, so Clemson had to turn to junior Kelly Bryant at QB this year. Though not as explosive, he's performed admirably, throwing 13 touchdowns to just six picks, but also 67.4 percent of his passes, and he's ran for 646 yards. Tavien Feaster and Travis Etienne have combined for more than 1,400 rushing yards and 20 TDs on the ground. Hunter Renfrow, who caught the game-winning pass in the final seconds last season for the title, leads the team with 55 catches with three TDs. Deon Cain has 52 catches and six TDs. Clemson's defense might be even better than Alabama's, led by a pair of dominant ends in Clelin Ferrell (17 tackles for losses, 8.5 sacks) and Austin Bryant (14.5 tackles for losses, 7.5 sacks).
This game will probably be lower-scoring than the other two, and Clemson's defense can certainly hang with Alabama's, if not outplay it. Bryant might not have to be great like Watson was, but he could also blossom before the nation's eyes. The Tide isn't as tested as Clemson, with its best win coming against LSU and a come-from-behind win at Mississippi State. The Tigers, meanwhile, have beaten Auburn and crushed Louisville and Miami. I'm taking Clemson to beat 'Bama again.
Clemson 24, Alabama 23
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