College Football Playoff Championship 2015: Semifinals Bracket and Predictions
The inaugural College Football Playoff sure succeeded in causing plenty of intrigue across the nation. Following the conclusion of Championship Saturday, the case for a playoff berth could legitimately be made for six different teams; however, there were only four spots available.
Heading into Selection Sunday, debates raged on, as everyone wanted a final answer to one burning question: Who's in?
The esteemed members of the College Football Playoff selection committee have painstakingly dissected the resumes of all contenders in an effort to bring the official Top Four to fruition. With their job now done, here's a look at the bracket:
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There we have it. No. 1 Alabama, No. 2 Oregon, No. 3 Florida State and No. 4 Ohio State will represent the nation in the playoff. Unfortunately for No. 5 Baylor and No. 6 TCU, they are in the unfortunate positions of being the first two out after impressive seasons.
With the Top Four finally revealed, here's a look at the matchups, schedule and early predictions for the playoff's semifinal clashes.
Sugar Bowl
Matchup: No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 4 Ohio State
When: Thursday, Jan. 1, 2015
Where: Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans
Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
Channel: ESPN
Live Stream: WatchESPN
Prediction
There shouldn't have been any question over Alabama's No. 1 ranking. The Crimson Tide entered the SEC Championship Game as the top seed and went on to dismantle the Missouri Tigers by a score of 42-13. The victory extends the team's winning streak to eight games heading into the Sugar Bowl.
Ohio State was the surprise team in the Top Four, leapfrogging TCU to earn a playoff berth. One big question surrounding this team was the loss of quarterback J.T. Barrett before the Big Ten Championship Game; however, Cardale Jones quickly quelled any doubts, leading the Buckeyes to an impressive 59-0 win over Wisconsin. That performance was certainly playoff-worthy.
While Jones was electrifying against the Badgers, he'll be severely challenged against an Alabama defense that ranks fourth in the nation, allowing an average of just 16.6 points per game. The Crimson Tide aren't a team that allows many big plays, and that could cause problems for a young quarterback who didn't need to sustain many long drives against Wisconsin—none of Ohio State's drives were longer than seven plays.
Although, Aaron Suttles of TideSports.com raises an interesting concern for Alabama:
Ohio State's defense is coming off a brilliant shutout performance, limiting Heisman hopeful running back Melvin Gordon to just 2.9 yards per carry and just his second game this season with fewer than 100 rushing yards.
It's difficult to predict how Jones will fare against a tough Alabama defense after just a small sample size. There's no doubt he's a talented quarterback, but he may not be ready for the defensive wrinkles head coach Nick Saban will employ against him. Expect the Crimson Tide to limit big plays from the Buckeyes offense while Amari Cooper and Co. chip away at Ohio State's 13th-ranked pass defense in a close game.
Prediction: Alabama 31, Ohio State 27
Rose Bowl
Matchup: No. 2 Oregon vs. No. 3 Florida State
When: Thursday, Jan. 1, 2015
Where: Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California
Time: 4:30 p.m. ET
Channel: ESPN
Prediction
Following Marcus Mariota's stellar performance against Arizona in the Pac-12 Championship Game, it was easy to factor the Ducks into the College Football Playoff immediately. Oregon's signal-caller accounted for five touchdowns in a huge 51-13 victory over a team that had given him issues in the past.
Florida State finally produced a more convincing showing Saturday, defeating Georgia Tech 37-35. While the Seminoles defense struggled to contain the triple-option of the Yellow Jackets, quarterback Jameis Winston put up one of his best games this season, passing for 309 yards and three touchdowns.
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport tweeted a bit of extra motivation for both quarterbacks:
Winston will need another big performance if the Seminoles are to keep pace with Mariota and the Ducks. Florida State is ranked 49th in the nation against the pass and has allowed 20 passing touchdowns this season. The team has yet to face a quarterback nearly as dangerous as Mariota.
Through Oregon's 13 games this season, Mariota has completed 68.3 percent of his passes for 3,783 yards, 38 touchdowns and just two interceptions while adding 669 rushing yards and another 14 scores. He's even scored on a 26-yard reception. That's a pretty impressive resume and gives him a strong case for the Heisman Trophy.
Winston will have room to throw against Oregon's 100th-ranked pass defense, but he's been far too inconsistent to warrant any kind of confidence in a big game. Meanwhile, Mariota has produced on a record pace this season, and that will be the difference-maker in a game that will produce some big numbers on the scoreboard.
Prediction: Oregon 42, Florida State 35
All team rankings and statistics courtesy of NCAA.com and current as of Dec. 7.
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