Bowl Game Schedule 2017-18: Updated Odds and Predictions for Playoffs

College football fans have a full smorgasbord of bowl games to look forward to throughout the holiday season, but they will merely serve as appetizers for the College Football Playoffs.

While there was some argument about the teams that got into the playoffs—did Alabama deserve to get in or should it have been the Big Ten's Ohio State?—the two semifinal games should be compelling and entertaining for college football fans.

The defending champion Clemson Tigers meets the Alabama Crimson Tide in the Sugar Bowl January 1, and this is the third year in a row that these two programs have met in the playoffs.

The first two were in the championship game with Alabama winning the first and Clemson outlasting the Crimson Tide in the second.

While this game figures to be quite close, Alabama is a three-point favorite, according to OddsShark. 

Alabama has a fine leader in quarterback Jalen Hurts, who has completed 135 of 222 passes for 1,940 yards with 15 touchdown passes and one interception.

He has a solid running game with Damien Harris, who has gained 906 yards with an average of 8.2 yards per carry and 11 touchdowns. Wideout Calvin Ridley has caught 55 passes for 896 yards and three touchdowns.

If the Crimson Tide is going to make it the championship game, their defense is going to have to play well. Alabama is getting healthy as linebackers Mack Wilson (foot), Terrell Lewis (elbow) and Christian Miller (biceps) should be back in the lineup.

The Tigers don't have Deshaun Watson to lead them this year, but they do have Kelly Bryant at quarterback who has completed 67.4 percent of his passes for 2,678 yards with 13 TDs and six interceptions, and he has also run for 646 yards and 11 TDs.

Rainier Ehrhardt/Associated Press

Travis Etienne is the team's best running back, and he has gained 744 yards with 13 scores, including an 81-yard run for a TD. Deon Cain has caught 52 passes for 659 yards and six touchdowns.

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney knows this is one of college football's glamour matchups. 

"I think it's only fitting that to have a chance to advance to Atlanta, you've got a heavyweight matchup here with Clemson and Alabama," Swinney said, per David Brandt of the Associated Press (h/t NCAA.com).

The Oklahoma Sooners and the Georgia Bulldogs will meet in the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day in the other CFP semifinal, and this game has an excellent chance to be both high scoring and dramatic.

Tony Gutierrez/Associated Press

Heisman Trophy winner Baker Mayfield is the key to the Oklahoma attack and perhaps the entire game, and he is going to try to pick up where he left off during the regular season.

Mayfield has had remarkable numbers the last two years, and he completed 262 of 4,340 yards with 41 touchdown passes and just five interceptions. Mayfield also ran for 310 yards and five touchdowns.

Mayfield excels at waiting for his receivers to get open before getting rid of the ball, and he also does a good job of throwing on the move.

Mark Andrews has caught 58 passes for 906 yards and eight touchdowns while Marquise Brown has 49 receptions for 981 yards and six TDs.

The Sooners also have an excellent complementary running game with Rodney Anderson and Trey Sermon, who have combined for 1,670 yards and 16 touchdowns.

"

"To see Nick Chubb, Sony Michel, Roquan Smith, hugging on the stage in tears because they care about each other so much, that's why I do this." -- Kirby Smart pic.twitter.com/QIrvpYjeAY

— UGA Football Live (@UGAfootballLive) December 10, 2017"

The Bulldogs have a powerful defensive team led by Roquan Smith (113 tackles and 10.5 tackles for loss), and they will have to be at their best in order to slow down Mayfield & company.

Georgia wants to control the clock and win the time of possession battle, and they have a powerful running attack with Nick Chubb, Sony Michel and D'Andre Swift.

Chubb has gained 1,175 yards and scored 13 touchdowns and runs with great power, while the versatile Michel has 948 yards and a 7.2 yards per carry with 13 TDs. Swift lives up to his surname and can hit the home run with his breakaway speed. He had 597 yards, an 9.2 yards per carry mark and three TDs.

Mayfield and the Sooners are two-point favorites in the Rose Bowl.

Predictions

Look for Alabama to win the rubber match against Clemson. The Crimson Tide may be just a little better defensively than the Tigers, and we can't see head coach Nick Saban losing in a revenge game. 

Alabama takes this game by a 24-17 score.

Georgia will have its hands filled trying to slow down the prolific Oklahoma offense. While Smith is a game-changing defensive player and the Bulldogs are capable of slowing down Mayfield, they won't be able to shut him down.

This will be a back-and-forth game that could come down to Oklahoma's last possession. Look for Mayfield to come through with a TD drive with the game on the line, sending the Sooners to the CFP championship game in Atlanta.

Oklahoma comes away with a 35-31 triumph.