College Football Playoff 2014-15: TV Schedule, Key Matchups for Postseason Bouts
Reserve your spot on the couch now before New Year’s Day because college football fans couldn’t ask for better playoff matchups than the doubleheader featuring Florida State against Oregon and Ohio State against Alabama.
College football royalty, Heisman Trophies, All-Americans and championship-level coaches will be on display in the College Football Playoff.
Even with all that talent, there are bound to be particular matchups that ultimately shape the outcome of the contests. With that in mind, here is a look at the schedule and key matchups to watch for the two playoff showdowns.
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Rose Bowl
Matchup: Oregon vs. Florida State
Date: Thursday, Jan. 1
Time: 5 p.m. ET
Place: Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California
TV: ESPN
Sugar Bowl
Matchup: Ohio State vs. Alabama
Date: Thursday, Jan. 1
Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
Place: Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana
Channel: ESPN
Key Matchups
Rose Bowl: Ifo Ekpre-Olomu vs. Rashad Greene
Oregon doesn’t have a lot of weaknesses, but pass defense is certainly one of them, at least statistically.
The Ducks were an abysmal 103rd in the country against the pass, which may be a serious problem against Florida State’s No. 14-ranked passing offense. Jameis Winston could have some windows to exploit, and he will look Rashad Greene’s way when they open up.
You would be forgiven if you assumed that Greene was the only wide receiver Winston threw to, although that is partially because of the presence of tight end Nick O’Leary as the third-down security blanket.
Greene tallied 1,306 receiving yards and seven touchdown catches, while the next highest wide receiver for the Seminoles was Travis Rudolph at 459 receiving yards.
The task of containing Greene will fall on cornerback Ifo Ekpre-Olomu’s shoulders. If the future NFL player can negate Greene and take him out of the passing game, it will force Winston to look elsewhere. Remember, Winston threw 17 interceptions this season, and Oregon will try to force more by getting him out of his comfort zone.
The Ducks may struggle against the pass, but they were third in the country in turnover margin. If Ekpre-Olomu can blanket Greene, Winston may force the issue elsewhere and turn it over. Considering how consistently excellent Ekpre-Olomu has been throughout his career, as Ryan Thorburn of The Register-Guard (Eugene) noted, that is a possibility:
Sugar Bowl: Alabama Offensive Line vs. Joey Bosa and Michael Bennett
While much of the attention surrounding Ohio State leading to the playoffs revolved around third-string quarterback Cardale Jones, the defensive line may be the strongest unit on the team.
The Buckeyes were seventh in the nation with 40 sacks and tallied at least three sacks in nine different games. The main reason for that dominance was Joey Bosa, who led the Big Ten with 13.5 sacks and finished with 20 tackles for loss. Don’t overlook defensive tackle Michael Bennett’s contributions, though, because his ability to swallow up blockers on the inside freed Bosa up to beat guys on the outside.
Wisconsin right tackle Rob Havenstein discussed the prospect of matching up with Bosa before the Big Ten Championship Game, via Jesse Temple of Fox Sports Wisconsin:
"If you're watching it from just the fans' perspective, you're like, 'This is exciting to watch. I'm excited seeing this.' If you're sitting in an offensive tackles' shoes, you're like, 'Oh, gosh. [Bosa] does that real well.' You look at something else, another aspect of the game, he does that real well. This guy's a complete player.
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If there is one team in the postseason built to slow Bosa and Bennett down, it is Alabama.
The Crimson Tide allowed a measly 13 sacks all season, which was 11th in the nation, and did not give up three sacks in a single game all year. It is nearly impossible to run a successful offense without protection up front, and the Crimson Tide front provided that in spades.
What’s more, the pass rush from Ohio State will have a direct impact on Amari Cooper’s overall success. The All-American receiver won’t have as much time to beat Doran Grant if Bosa and Bennett can get a successful pass rush, which would give the Buckeyes secondary a fighting chance against Cooper.
Consistent penetration will also give the linebackers an opportunity to make plays against running backs T.J. Yeldon and Derrick Henry.
It is much easier said than done, but Ohio State needs to pressure the Crimson Tide up front to pull off the upset in the Sugar Bowl.
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