NCAA Football Playoff 2016-17: Full TV Schedule, Odds and Projections
Unless you are a Penn State fan, there is very little not to like about the 2016-17 College Football Playoff.
Alabama and Ohio State are the golden standards of the sport with coaching titans in Nick Saban and Urban Meyer prowling the sidelines. The Crimson Tide and Buckeyes won the initial two College Football Playoff National Championships, and Saban's team captured four of the last seven national titles.
Clemson has one of the most dynamic playmakers in the country leading the way in Deshaun Watson, who is looking for a championship after coming so close in last season's 45-40 loss to Alabama.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Washington is an underdog story when compared to the other programs. The 2016 season was the first time the Huskies won double-digit games since the 2000 campaign, and they even have 0-12 (2008) and 1-10 (2004) seasons on their recent resume. Coach Chris Petersen is looking for more magic after serving as the original BCS Cinderella with Boise State.
With the field set, here is a look at the full broadcast schedule, odds and projected winners before digging into a key matchup for each CFP game. Point spreads are courtesy of OddsShark as of Sunday at 5:30 p.m. ET.
| No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 4 Washington | Dec. 31 | 3 p.m. | ESPN | ALA -14 | Washington | Alabama |
| No. 2 Clemson vs. No. 3 Ohio State | Dec. 31 | 7 p.m. | ESPN | OSU -3 | Ohio State | Ohio State |
Key Matchups
No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 4 Washington: Alabama's Defensive Line vs. Washington's Offensive Line
Alabama has future NFL talent all over the field, but it stands out more on the defensive line than anywhere else. According to Football Outsiders, the Crimson Tide boast the nation's best defensive line, which is a primary reason they racked up 45 sacks in 2016, third-best in the country.
Defensive end Jonathan Allen is the leader up front. He posted 14.5 tackles for loss and 12 sacks last year and 13.0 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks this year, per Sports-Reference.com. Matt Miller of Bleacher Report ranked him third on the big board of NFL prospects.
Chad Reuter of NFL.com called Allen "the nation's top defender," adding, "Even if Allen doesn't rack up tackles or sacks, you can bet he'll be around the ball on nearly every play."
While Allen is intimidating and nearly impossible to block, linebackers Tim Williams and Reuben Foster will slide in right behind him and stymie plenty of running plays if Washington double-teams the potential No. 1 draft pick up front.
That combination and the rest of the defensive line, which allows the secondary to play press coverage because of its pressure, helped the Crimson Tide turn in an incredible defensive season from a statistical perspective:
| Yards Allowed per Game | 248 | 1 |
| Points Allowed per Game | 11.8 | 1 |
| Passing Yards Allowed per Game | 184.5 | 15 |
| Rushing Yards Allowed per Game | 63.4 | 1 |
The Washington offensive line that will be tasked with stopping that onslaught finished a solid but unspectacular 36th in the country in Football Outsiders' metrics this year.
It had noticeable issues during its one loss to USC, when it allowed three sacks. Quarterback Jake Browning went just 17-of-36 for one touchdown and two interceptions in the face of constant pressure, per Sports-Reference.com.
While the Trojans turned their season around with eight straight wins after a 1-3 start, they are not as talented as Alabama's defensive front, which will have nearly a month to prepare for Washington's vulnerable offensive line.
Prediction: Alabama's defensive line sets the tone as the Crimson Tide earn a defense-oriented 24-13 victory.
No. 2 Clemson vs. No. 3 Ohio State: Deshaun Watson vs. Ohio State's Secondary
Few players in the country have been as dynamic as Watson the past two seasons, and he has the numbers to prove it.
He finished with 4,104 passing yards, 1,105 rushing yards and 47 total touchdowns in 2015 and followed that up with 3,914 passing yards, 529 rushing yards and 43 total touchdowns this year. He was long a known commodity for college football fans, but he became a household name against Alabama's stingy defense in last season's national title game with 405 passing yards, 73 rushing yards and four touchdown passes.
The signal-caller also has playmakers everywhere to target.
Clemson's wide receiver corps of Mike Williams (1,171 receiving yards), Deon Cain (621 receiving yards) and Artavis Scott (592 receiving yards) is one of the best in the nation, and tight end Jordan Leggett (637 receiving yards) adds another dimension for linebackers and safeties to worry about.
Meyer didn't hesitate to praise his opponent's offensive talent, per Bill Rabinowitz of the Columbus Dispatch: "The skill set on offense is over the top. They're all NFL players. They're creative on offense."
His secondary, which finished fifth in the nation with 164.5 passing yards allowed per game and fourth with 19 interceptions, will have to slow Watson and his receivers if the Buckeyes plan on winning their second national title in three years.
Safety Malik Hooker is a potential first-round draft pick and posted six interceptions on the campaign, three of which he ran back for touchdowns. His pick-six against archrival Michigan gave the Buckeyes their first points of the game and finally turned momentum their way after a slow start.
Cornerback Gareon Conley tallied three interceptions and will likely shadow Williams as Clemson's No. 1 receiver. Ari Wasserman of Cleveland.com said, "Ohio State has had a good string of elite-level cornerbacks under Meyer, from Bradley Roby to Doran Grant to Eli Apple. All of them are in the NFL. Conley could be next in line."
Elsewhere, cornerback Marshon Lattimore had four interceptions, one of which he ran back for a score. The one-two punch of Conley and Lattimore is incredibly difficult to beat, especially with Hooker looming in center field.
Unlike the matchup between Alabama's overpowering defensive line and Washington's beatable offensive line, this is a showdown between enormous strengths.
Prediction: Ohio State's secondary slows Watson just enough to allow J.T. Barrett and Curtis Samuel enough opportunities to win the game on the other end in a 38-31 victory.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
