Bowl record: 2-0 Season: 113-41
The ACC got its bowl season off to a terrible start Thursday with uninspired Miami laying an egg in a 14-0 loss to Louisiana Tech in the Independence Bowl. Pittsburgh started out poorly against Eastern Michigan, too, in the Quick Lane Bowl, but fought back for a 34-31 win. Now, let's see how North Carolina, Wake Forest, and Clemson do. This next round of picks includes the College Football Playoff, featuring LSU-Oklahoma and then the hotly anticipated meeting between the defending national champion Tigers and Ohio State in prime time.
Today's games
Military Bowl in Annapolis, Md.
North Carolina (6-6) vs. Temple (8-4), Noon, ESPN
The Tar Heels got off to a 2-0 start in Mack Brown's return to Chapel Hill but then went 2-6 in eight games. They finished 2-0 to get to their first bowl game since 2016. They were one of the most exciting teams in football in one particular way -- close games. Nine of UNC's 12 games were decided by a touchdown or less, including being the only team to nearly beat Clemson in a 21-20 loss in which the Tar Heels went for two and the win after a late touchdown. QB Sam Howell was a breakout star and the ACC freshman of the year, but he's been sacked 37 times, one of the worst marks in the FBS. And the Owls are good at getting to the QB, picking up 37 sacks, or 3.25 per game, 10th best in the country. Temple was the only team to defeat Memphis this season, but followed that big win up with losses to SMU and UCF. The Owls finished winning three of four -- with the loss coming by two points to Cincinnati. Its other loss came in September to Buffalo by 16. Temple also defeated Maryland and Georgia Tech. The Owls use two QBs, Anthony Russo, the starter, and Todd Centeio, a change-of-pace dual threat. I think the motivation level for both teams will be about the same, and I can see this one going either way. UNC is favored by six.
North Carolina 30, Temple 27
Pinstripe Bowl in New York
Michigan State (6-6) vs. Wake Forest (8-4), 3:20 p.m. ESPN
The Spartans were just not very good this season. They had to beat lowly Maryland Rutgers in the final two weeks to get bowl eligible. MSU beat Indiana, which went 8-4, but Sparty wasn't competitive against any of the great Big Ten teams. It lost to Ohio State, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Penn State all by at least three touchdowns. Wake started very hot at 7-1, with some wondering if it had a shot to take down Clemson. But an injury to star wideout Sage Surratt against Virginia Tech seemed to throw everything off, and the Demon Deacons lost to the Hokies 36-17 after leading 10-6 at the half, then got blown out by Clemson before defeating Duke by 12. They ended with a disappointing loss to Syracuse, which went only 5-7. MSU is favored by four, but I'm going to take Wake to regroup and have a good outing. The Deacons have won their past three bowl games.
Wake Forest 24, Michigan State 20
Saturday's games
College Football Playoff semifinals
Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl in Atlanta
No. 4 Oklahoma (12-1) vs. No. 1 LSU (13-0), 4 p.m. ESPN
The Tigers' dominant victory over Georgia in the SEC championship pushed them from No. 2 to No. 1, where the first-time playoff semifinalists will face the Sooners, who are making their third straight appearance and fourth overall in the playoff. They are 0-3, with losses to Clemson, Georgia, and Alabama. The Sooners are led by QB Jalen Hurts, the Alabama transfer who revived his career with offensive guru Lincoln Riley. Oklahoma's lone loss came against Kansas State, 48-41. The Wildcats went 8-4. The Sooners had a lot of close calls, though, needing a huge comeback against Baylor in their first meeting (down 28-3, won 34-31) while also defeating Texas, Iowa State, TCU, and Baylor in the second meeting all by seven points or less. The Tigers, meanwhile, were ruthless, winning all but two games -- Alabama and Auburn -- by at least 14. LSU's offense, led by Heisman-winning quarterback Joe Burrow, is one of the best in the nation. The defense hasn't been as good as a typical LSU defense, but did end on a positive note, holding Texas A&M and Georgia to seven and 10 points, respectively. Simply put, LSU is the better team, and I'm fully expecting it to show just that, as is most of the country. The Tigers are 13.5-point favorites.
LSU 45, Oklahoma 30
PlayStation Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Ariz.
No. 3 Clemson (13-0) vs. No. 2 Ohio State (13-0), 8 p.m. ESPN
If the Tigers were frustrated that they were just ranked third at 12-0 as the defending national champions, they may have taken it out on Virginia in the ACC championship, winning 62-17. This is Clemson's fifth consecutive appearance in the playoff. Like last season, the Tigers pretty much had one close call -- this year, it was at North Carolina -- and then proceeded to run roughshod over the rest of their competition. Their lowest margin of victory since eking out the 21-20 win over UNC? Thirty-one against South Carolina. It's hard to pick the top player on offense. An argument can be made for QB Trevor Lawrence (no interceptions in his past six games), WR Tee Higgins, or RB Travis Etienne (ACC player of the year). Ohio State was just as dominant for most of the season. In
fact, the Buckeyes don't have any victories by fewer than 11 (that 28-17 win came against Penn State). They led the nation in scoring margin (36.2 points per game). Clemson was second (35.9). OSU dropped off just a tad as the regular season closed, but that was the toughest part of its schedule: vs. Penn State, at Michigan, and Wisconsin in the Big Ten championship. OSU is led by Justin Fields at QB (incredible 40-1 TD-INT ratio) and RB J.K. Dobbins on offense and Heisman finalist LB Chase Young on defense. Both of these teams' offenses and defenses are among the best in the country. This is shaping up to be an awesome game. Clemson beat OSU, 31-0, in the 2016 semifinal. This one should be much closer. The Tigers are pegged as two-point favorites, and I'm not going to go against the team that has won 28 in a row now.
Clemson 34, Ohio State 33
The ACC got its bowl season off to a terrible start Thursday with uninspired Miami laying an egg in a 14-0 loss to Louisiana Tech in the Independence Bowl. Pittsburgh started out poorly against Eastern Michigan, too, in the Quick Lane Bowl, but fought back for a 34-31 win. Now, let's see how North Carolina, Wake Forest, and Clemson do. This next round of picks includes the College Football Playoff, featuring LSU-Oklahoma and then the hotly anticipated meeting between the defending national champion Tigers and Ohio State in prime time.
Today's games
Military Bowl in Annapolis, Md.
North Carolina (6-6) vs. Temple (8-4), Noon, ESPN
The Tar Heels got off to a 2-0 start in Mack Brown's return to Chapel Hill but then went 2-6 in eight games. They finished 2-0 to get to their first bowl game since 2016. They were one of the most exciting teams in football in one particular way -- close games. Nine of UNC's 12 games were decided by a touchdown or less, including being the only team to nearly beat Clemson in a 21-20 loss in which the Tar Heels went for two and the win after a late touchdown. QB Sam Howell was a breakout star and the ACC freshman of the year, but he's been sacked 37 times, one of the worst marks in the FBS. And the Owls are good at getting to the QB, picking up 37 sacks, or 3.25 per game, 10th best in the country. Temple was the only team to defeat Memphis this season, but followed that big win up with losses to SMU and UCF. The Owls finished winning three of four -- with the loss coming by two points to Cincinnati. Its other loss came in September to Buffalo by 16. Temple also defeated Maryland and Georgia Tech. The Owls use two QBs, Anthony Russo, the starter, and Todd Centeio, a change-of-pace dual threat. I think the motivation level for both teams will be about the same, and I can see this one going either way. UNC is favored by six.
North Carolina 30, Temple 27
Pinstripe Bowl in New York
Michigan State (6-6) vs. Wake Forest (8-4), 3:20 p.m. ESPN
The Spartans were just not very good this season. They had to beat lowly Maryland Rutgers in the final two weeks to get bowl eligible. MSU beat Indiana, which went 8-4, but Sparty wasn't competitive against any of the great Big Ten teams. It lost to Ohio State, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Penn State all by at least three touchdowns. Wake started very hot at 7-1, with some wondering if it had a shot to take down Clemson. But an injury to star wideout Sage Surratt against Virginia Tech seemed to throw everything off, and the Demon Deacons lost to the Hokies 36-17 after leading 10-6 at the half, then got blown out by Clemson before defeating Duke by 12. They ended with a disappointing loss to Syracuse, which went only 5-7. MSU is favored by four, but I'm going to take Wake to regroup and have a good outing. The Deacons have won their past three bowl games.
Wake Forest 24, Michigan State 20
Saturday's games
College Football Playoff semifinals
Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl in Atlanta
No. 4 Oklahoma (12-1) vs. No. 1 LSU (13-0), 4 p.m. ESPN
The Tigers' dominant victory over Georgia in the SEC championship pushed them from No. 2 to No. 1, where the first-time playoff semifinalists will face the Sooners, who are making their third straight appearance and fourth overall in the playoff. They are 0-3, with losses to Clemson, Georgia, and Alabama. The Sooners are led by QB Jalen Hurts, the Alabama transfer who revived his career with offensive guru Lincoln Riley. Oklahoma's lone loss came against Kansas State, 48-41. The Wildcats went 8-4. The Sooners had a lot of close calls, though, needing a huge comeback against Baylor in their first meeting (down 28-3, won 34-31) while also defeating Texas, Iowa State, TCU, and Baylor in the second meeting all by seven points or less. The Tigers, meanwhile, were ruthless, winning all but two games -- Alabama and Auburn -- by at least 14. LSU's offense, led by Heisman-winning quarterback Joe Burrow, is one of the best in the nation. The defense hasn't been as good as a typical LSU defense, but did end on a positive note, holding Texas A&M and Georgia to seven and 10 points, respectively. Simply put, LSU is the better team, and I'm fully expecting it to show just that, as is most of the country. The Tigers are 13.5-point favorites.
LSU 45, Oklahoma 30
PlayStation Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Ariz.
No. 3 Clemson (13-0) vs. No. 2 Ohio State (13-0), 8 p.m. ESPN
If the Tigers were frustrated that they were just ranked third at 12-0 as the defending national champions, they may have taken it out on Virginia in the ACC championship, winning 62-17. This is Clemson's fifth consecutive appearance in the playoff. Like last season, the Tigers pretty much had one close call -- this year, it was at North Carolina -- and then proceeded to run roughshod over the rest of their competition. Their lowest margin of victory since eking out the 21-20 win over UNC? Thirty-one against South Carolina. It's hard to pick the top player on offense. An argument can be made for QB Trevor Lawrence (no interceptions in his past six games), WR Tee Higgins, or RB Travis Etienne (ACC player of the year). Ohio State was just as dominant for most of the season. In
Clemson 34, Ohio State 33
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