College Football Playoff 2014-15: Odds, Schedule and Predictions for Semifinals

For the first time in history, four teams remain in contention for the national championship as bowl season approaches thanks to the inaugural College Football Playoff. Many of us had been hoping for this kind of change for quite some time, and with plenty of compelling storylines surrounding both the Sugar Bowl and the Rose Bowl, the playoff appears to have been worth the wait.

The Alabama Crimson Tide are led into the Sugar Bowl by coach Nick Saban, who has a career record of 182-58-1, and they will face off against the Ohio State Buckeyes, led by coach Urban Meyer, who is 140-26-0 for his career. Needless to say, neither coach is used to losing.

The Florida State Seminoles and Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Jameis Winston will take on the Oregon Ducks and reigning Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota in the Rose Bowl. Winston won the national title during his Heisman season, and Mariota will be aiming to accomplish that same feat.

As we impatiently await for New Year's Day to roll around so we can watch these storylines unfold, let's take an updated look at the odds, the schedule and predictions for each semifinal clash.

Sugar Bowl

Who: Alabama vs. Ohio State

When: Thursday, January 1, 2015

Where: Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana

Time: 8:30 p.m. EST

Channel: ESPN

Live Stream: WatchESPN

Betting Info (via Odds Shark):

• Over/Under: 58.5
• Spread: Alabama -9.5

Prediction

The funny thing about this contest is the fact that the most talked-about player is sophomore quarterback Cardale Jones, who is making just his second career start. However, when a player leads his team to a 59-0 victory over the Wisconsin Badgers in the Big Ten Championship Game, that's likely to happen.

Having Jones at the helm may seem like a huge disadvantage to Ohio State, but it's actually been quite troublesome for Alabama due to a lack of tape to study. Saban gave his first remarks about the quarterback during a press conference:

"

I think this guy is very capable. He's a good passer, big, strong, athletic guy who can really do all the things the other guy (J.T. Barrett) could do in terms of quarterback runs. It's just different styles.

The one thing he did really well was pass the ball. He made some good throws in the Wisconsin game, some big plays downfield. We feel like philosophically, they're going to run their offense, it's just what part of it they might feature a little differently, that's the part we're not sure about.

"

Due to Jones' dual-threat ability, the Buckeyes can keep Alabama's defense guessing. However, let's not discount the tremendous defense of the Crimson Tide.

Coming into this game, Alabama's defense is ranked second against the run, 59th against the pass, 11th in total defense and fourth in points allowed. Some of those numbers don't exactly do the team justice, as one big game by Auburn in the Iron Bowl sent Alabama significantly down the rankings.

After that contest against the Tigers, the Crimson Tide stiffened up again, holding Missouri to just 10 first downs and 13 points in the SEC Championship Game. 

It's very easy to like what Jones did against Wisconsin, but did he catch lightning in a bottle? There's no certain answer to that question, so the pick has to go with the more stable and consistent team, and in this case, that's Alabama.

Prediction: Alabama 31, Ohio State 20

Rose Bowl

Who: Oregon vs. Florida State

When: Thursday, January 1, 2015

Where: Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California

Time: 5 p.m. EST

Channel: ESPN

Live Stream: WatchESPN

Betting Info (via Odds Shark):

• Over/Under: 72
• Spread: Oregon -9

Prediction

We all know Mariota's numbers by now. They've been regurgitated over and over due to his Heisman campaign. There's no doubt he was college football's most prolific player in 2014; however, one player can't win a game—it must be a team effort.

That's why we must look at the strengths and weaknesses of Oregon's defense to decide if the Ducks can take down the undefeated defending champions. Mariota will put points on the board, but will Oregon's defense be able to contain the Seminoles enough to preserve a win?

Coming into the Rose Bowl, Oregon's defense is ranked 48th against the run, 100th against the pass, 81st in total defense and 29th in scoring defense. That last statistic is the most important. Even though the Ducks are giving up an average of 413.8 yards per game, they are holding opponents to just 22.5 points per game. That's what we call bend-don't-break defense.

So, why have they been successful in that department? Much of it has to do with a very good pass rush and a ball-hawking secondary. On the season, Oregon has accumulated 34 sacks and 25 takeaways in just 13 games. That leads us to the next question: Will Florida State's offensive line be able to hold up and protect Winston?

According to Jared Shanker of ESPN.com, the Seminoles offensive line may be the key to their playoff success. Here's what he wrote about the recent changes within the unit:

"

The Seminoles are averaging 146 yards rushing over their past four games—not a sizable difference—but they are averaging 4.8 yards per carry. They averaged less than four yards per rush in September. And in the ACC title game, FSU averaged 5.42 yards per rush, a stat that helped carry them to the No. 3 playoff seed and a date against No. 2 Oregon in the Rose Bowl.

"

That's a good sign, as a better running game is more likely to limit Winston's passing attempts. After all, he's thrown 17 interceptions this season despite getting relatively good protection from his offensive line.

But here's the problem for the Seminoles: They won't be able to keep up a consistent running game against an Oregon team that gets points on the board early and often. Florida State hasn't faced an offense nearly as well-rounded or prolific as Oregon's this season, and it may have trouble staying with the Ducks without relying on the passing game to move the ball.

If we're about to see an aerial shootout, the smart money is on Mariota.

Prediction: Oregon 42, Florida State 31

All team statistics and rankings courtesy of NCAA.com and current as of December 18.