This is it, the business end of Bowl season, and in my Top 5 most watchable games this Christmas-New Year period, there are some fantastic, mouth-watering match-ups.
All dates adjusted to Australian time
5. Cotton Bowl Classic
January 1, 2016; Arlington, Texas
Alabama (Southeastern) vs. Michigan State (Big Ten)
One of two playoff semi-finals sees Alabama’s brilliant mastermind Nick Saban face his old program.
The Tide were humbled by a Big Ten opponent – Ohio State – in a semi-final last year, and will be keen to not have it happen twice, but will find it tough going against a very good Michigan State defense. The contest between Alabama’s star running back, Derrick Henry, and the Spartan’s front seven looms as being the key in this game. Remember, this is the same group of MSU defenders who throttled Ohio State’s J.T. Barrett and Ezekiel Elliott in late November to hand the Buckeyes’ their first loss of the year.
Remember that Alabama’s defense did a similar shut-down job on LSU’s rampaging back Leonard Fournette, and they haven’t given up more than sixteen points since October, so Michigan State’s talented but injury ravaged offensive line is going to have to have some big victories in the trenches if dependable running back L.J. Scott is going to have any impact on proceedings. If not, it’ll be up to senior quarterback Connor Cook and receiver Aaron Burbridge, who has a pretty impressive highlight reel of catches this year.
Aside from Henry, Alabama’s offense goes through quarterback Jake Coker, who has proven to be as adept at passing – his favourite target is Calvin Ridley – as he is at making plays with his feet.
One thing is for certain: Michigan State will need to be at their very best if they’re to beat the Tide. I just don’t see them being able to make enough big plays to stop Saban’s men.
4. Rose Bowl Game
January 2, 2016; Pasadena, California
Iowa (Big Ten) vs. Stanford (Pac-12)
A traditional Big Ten/Pac-12 match-up in one of the best environments in college football makes me very happy. The two combatants, Iowa and Stanford are very similar teams, with their love of stout defense and a great running game. Both have had brilliant seasons, Iowa having lost just once – narrowly, to Michigan State in the Big Ten Championship – whilst Stanford have just two losses.
This should be a slug-fest of a game, and both teams have the ground-and-pound offense to hold onto the football for a long period of time, denying the other team a chance to do much of anything.
Whilst Stanford’s quarterback Kevin Hogan is undeniably talented, it’s Christian McCaffrey, who is a running back, receiver, returner and even throws a touchdown pass here and there, who needs to be severely limited by the Iowa defense if the Hawkeyes are to have any chance at snatching a victory in Pasadena.
Stopping McCaffrey hasn’t been an easy task all year – he has more than 2000 yards of total offense on the season as proof – and Iowa are definitely going to be up against it. And even if McCaffrey has a limited impact, Hogan has proven he can win games, and has a few nice weapons – Devin Cajuste, chief amongst them – in the passing game. He’ll need to be careful of a very good Iowa secondary.
Iowa’s running game has been strengthened with a few injuries during the season allowing guys lower on the depth chart to get a lot of game experience. Their offense needs to spend a long time with the football. McCaffrey can’t hurt you if he’s standing on the sideline, watching Iowa’s quarterback C.J. Beathard hand the football to backs Jordan Canzeri, LeShun Daniels and Akrum Wadley.
I’ve been a big fan of Iowa’s since I started paying close attention to them midway through October. They’re not an easy team to beat – it took a herculean drive from Michigan State to hand the Hawkeyes their only loss of the year – and Stanford is definitely in for a fight in this one. I see the Cardinal narrowly triumphing, but it won’t come easy, and I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see Iowa cause an upset here.
3. Orange Bowl
January 1, 2016; Miami, Florida
Clemson (Atlantic Coast) vs. Oklahoma (Big 12)
The Tigers are the top-ranked team in the nation for a reason: Dabo Swinney’s men do everything well, and they have a legitimate superstar in QB Deshaun Watson, who is the key cog in what is a very explosive offense, basically carrying Clemson on his shoulders. And he’s very, very good at what he does, throwing for more than 3500 yards and thirty touchdowns, and ran for eleven more scores. Like McCaffrey at Stanford, he’s a tough man to slow down.
As good as Clemson’s offense is, their defence might be even better. Their defensive line could match it with anyone in the country – and they’ll need to, against Oklahoma’s one-two running back punch of Samaje Perine and Joe Mixon, who have combined for upwards of 2,000 rushing yards this year, not to mention twenty-two touchdowns. That duo is dangerous. Once they get open space, watch out.
The Sooners managed to recover from a mystifying loss to a bad Texas squad to be in the college football playoff, and there are many who think they have an edge over Clemson, particularly because of their running game. Clemson’s Wayne Gallman has been good, but he isn’t on the same level as Perine and Mixon. He might find it tough going against a sneakily-good OU defense.
I really like Oklahoma’s passing game, which is sometimes overshadowed by the running game, but Texas Tech transfer Baker Mayfield has been superb this year. He’s really benefitted from the tutelage of offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley, and the presence of receiver Sterling Shepard, who latches on to better than 75% of footballs thrown in his direction.
Oklahoma’s coach Bob Stoops isn’t known as Big Game Bob for nothing. He’s got a long history of getting his players up for these sorts of tilts, and that will be especially so after Clemson thumped them 40-6 in last year’s Russell Athletic Bowl. The stakes, obviously, are much higher this time around, and OU will be out for revenge after last year’s disaster.
I’m leaning slightly towards the Sooners at this stage – primarily because of their running game. The game is a mouth-watering one.
2. Fiesta Bowl
January 2, 2016; Glendale, Arizona
Ohio State (Big Ten) vs. Notre Dame (Independent)
Two teams I absolutely cannot stand, in what should be a tremendous game. The Buckeyes finally looked like their 2014 National Championship-winning selves against Michigan, and if they pick up in Glendale where they left off in Ann Arbor, the Irish are going to have a rough time of it. Ohio State were probably a game late uncorking their monster running game – it’s back Ezekiel Elliott and quarterback J.T. Barrett in combination, with the always-dangerous Braxton Miller likely to get his fair share of touches – against Michigan, and I can’t help but think the Irish are running into the perfect storm.
Really, it depends on which version of the Notre Dame defense, led by linebacker Jaylon Smith, shows up. They’ve either been very good or very bad, depending on when you get them. Clearly, they’re going to have to be stellar against such a multi-faceted ground game. That’s without taking into account Barrett’s ability as a passer, too. He’ll look to exploit the absence of star Irish corner KeiVare Russell where possible. The Irish probably have too many injuries to properly handle this Ohio State attack.
Lost in the Ohio State drama – you know, that Michigan State game, and the hoopla surrounding it – is how good their defense is, and will be, even without suspended Adolphus Washington. They’re good from top to bottom and I can’t quite see the Notre Dame offense, despite the presence of quarterback DeShone Kizer and catch-everything receiver Will Fuller, being able to score enough to win. Ball security is the key for Notre Dame. There absolutely can’t be a repeat of the Boston College game where they turned the football over multiple times.
I’ve got Ohio State winning this by a touchdown and a bit.
1. National Championship Game
January 12, 2016; Glendale, Arizona
Oklahoma/Clemson vs. Michigan State/Alabama
The Big One for all the marbles. The winners of the two national semi-finals to be played on New Year’s Day Australian time face off for the right to be crowned the second playoff-era National Champion. More on this game when the match-up is confirmed.
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