Sugar Bowl 2015: TV Schedule, Matchup Predictions and More
If I was a betting man, I'd wager that the Alabama Crimson Tide will be facing the Baylor Bears in the Sugar Bowl, aka the No. 1 vs. No. 4 matchup in the inaugural College Football Playoff.
Before we get into the explanation of this prediction, let's first talk about how you can catch the action from New Orleans on New Year's Day.
When: Jan. 1, 2015 at 8:30 p.m. ET
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Where: Superdome in New Orleans
TV: ESPN
Why Baylor over TCU?
Call me crazy, and you might as well put CBS Sports' Jerry Palm in the loony bin as well, but I believe that unless something unexpected happens, the Bears will leapfrog the TCU Horned Frogs and claim the fourth spot in the final College Football Playoff rankings.
Both teams have one loss, but the Horned Frogs lost to Baylor head-to-head in a 61-58 OT thriller. Most believe TCU gave the game away. Whatever the case, the fact of the matter is it lost.
Coming into the final game of the season, TCU will host a woeful Iowa State Cyclones team. The Horned Frogs will probably win and finish with just one loss. However, the Bears close things out at home against the No. 12 Kansas State Wildcats.
Bears quarterback Bryce Petty suffered a concussion in the team's win over Texas Tech, but he's expected to play. He has full confidence in Baylor's medical staff to get him ready and healthy, per the program's Twitter account:
A win in that game would give Baylor the Big 12 title and an impressive victory over a ranked opponent to close out the season. That dynamic would have to make Baylor a more attractive team to the committee.
For that reason, Baylor gets the fourth spot in my CFP projections and a date with the Alabama Crimson Tide in the Sugar Bowl.
Alabama Is Bound for The Big Easy
If you hadn't guessed, I've all but penciled in Alabama as a winner over the Missouri Tigers in Saturday's SEC Championship Game. The Tigers don't have the type of vertical passing game that can expose the few weaknesses in Alabama safety Landon Collins' game. He is the X-factor for the Tide defense.
The game will be played within the 20- to 25-yard range, and 'Bama is the best in the nation in short-to-intermediate situations. A win in the SEC title game will solidify Alabama's spot as the No. 1 team.
How About Ohio State?
The Bama-Baylor game would be an interesting clash of styles, but what about the Ohio State Buckeyes? If the Bucks beat the No. 14 Wisconsin Badgers in the Big Ten Championship Game, they would certainly have a case to reach the playoff.
The one loss on the team's record is a bad one, though. Losing to Virginia Tech, which wrapped up its regular season with a 6-6 record, damages Ohio State's body of work. Still, a conference title in a one-loss season warrants consideration.
Here's the thing: The Buckeyes won't beat the Badgers.
Playing without freshman sensation J.T. Barrett, the Buckeyes will start the inexperienced sophomore Cardale Jones under center in the biggest game of the season. there's a reason Jones was third-string behind Barrett and Braxton Miller this season.
He may ultimately have a decent career, but this moment is going to overwhelm him.
Ohio State's defense hasn't been stellar against the run this season, and it is about to go head-to-head with the Melvin Gordon, the nation's leading rusher, and a nasty offensive line. The Badgers will remove Ohio State from the CFP equation and further clear the path for Baylor to The Big Easy.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
