College Football Playoff 2014: Full Schedule, Predictions for Semifinal Matchups
Nothing is given in the College Football Playoff. That was made extremely clear Selection Sunday when the committee decided the Top Four teams in the final bracket.
In the end, it will be Alabama, Oregon, Florida State and (surprisingly enough) Ohio State playing for a shot at the national championship. The Buckeyes received the final spot thanks to a 59-0 bludgeoning of Wisconsin in the Big Ten title game.
As a result, both TCU and Baylor missed out of the semifinal matchups despite convincing wins of their own. Neither was crowned the sole Big 12 champion, ultimately hurting the chances for each program.
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With the playoff now set, here's a look at the bracket, schedule and predictions for the semifinal matchups.
| Sugar | Jan. 1, 2015 | No. 4 Ohio State vs. No. 1 Alabama | Alabama |
| Rose | Jan. 1, 2015 | No. 3 Florida State vs. No. 2 Oregon | Oregon |
Predictions Breakdown
It might be a controversial matchup, but Ohio State taking on Alabama in the Sugar Bowl will have no shortage of fireworks.
Both programs feature offenses playing at a very high level, but the Buckeyes come in after rolling Wisconsin. Cardale Jones got his first start under center and responded with three touchdowns to go along with Ezekiel Elliott's 220 rushing yards and two scores.
Playoff chairman Jeff Long noted the decisive victory thrust Ohio State into the playoff, per Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports:
Elliott and Jones will be in for their biggest test of the season against Alabama. The Crimson Tide ranked second in the country in rushing yards allowed per game (88.7) and fourth in scoring defense (16.6) to go along with their potent offense.
ESPN Stats & Info points out a staggering note about the Tide's defense this season:
In the end, it will be Alabama moving on from the Sugar Bowl to play for a fourth title in the last six seasons. While the Buckeyes will put up a good fight, Nick Saban will flex his defensive muscle against Urban Meyer as he did in the 2009 SEC Championship Game.
Out on the West Coast, Oregon will be close to home in the Rose Bowl against Florida State. Each team's quarterback comes in with aspirations of being a first-round pick in the future, but Marcus Mariota has been the best player in the country all season.
On the other side of Mariota will be defending Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston. Both come in as two of the best college signal-callers in recent memory, as College GameDay points out:
Winston vs. Mariota will be the biggest storyline—and rightfully so—but two freshmen might steal the show.
Oregon's Royce Freeman has tallied 1,438 yards from scrimmage and 17 total touchdowns. Dalvin Cook has 905 rushing yards and eight touchdowns, including a 220-total-yard performance in the ACC Championship Game for Florida State.
Corey Clark of the Tallahassee Democrat passed along a comment from head coach Jimbo Fisher on how special Cook has been:
The second semifinal will end with Mariota raising the roses after potentially taking the Heisman away from Winston. Cook has closing ability, but Freeman and Mariota will be too much for the Seminoles, and Oregon will play for a national title.
What happens after that will be determined by how the teams respond during the first semifinals in college football. Both matchups will be special, but the national championship is setting up as yet another huge showdown.
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