1) Seeberg 49-21 (2-11 upset)
2) Draper 46-24 (5-8 upset)
3) Schweinfurth 45-25 (2-11 upset)
4) Hoying 45-25 (1-12 upset)
The enemy is slain once again, but thanks to the Buckeyes forgetting not to give a damn for the whole STATE of Michigan, they find themselves at home on Championship Weekend for the first time since getting robbed of a berth in 2012. Our playoff hopes are likely not dead yet, but you'd be better off just buckling in and enjoying a weekend of entertaining matchups.
MAC: Bowling Green Falcons vs. Northern Illinois Huskies
Draper: I haven't seen BG at all this year, but I did see NIU hang with the Bucks for 4 quarters. Yes, that Buckeye team was quite different, but NIU had fairly consistent QB play and a nice defense. BG had some decent wins as well, but NIU seems to be peaking at the end of the year. I'll lean to the Huskies for the champ of Maction. BGSU: 31--NIU:35
Hoying: Do you remember when the 2-0 Huskies took the consensus #1 Ohio State Buckeyes to the wire in Columbus, and everyone wondered if NIU would be back on track toward a major bowl game? Pepperidge Farm remembers...Anyway, Northern Illinois has been pretty "eh" since then, scoring a nice win over Toledo but losing to a few mediocre teams along the way. However, tellingly, none of their losses has been due to a real defensive breakdown, which is good news for them, since the Falcons feature one of the nation's most potent offenses. Look for BG's attack to slow a bit this week, just enough for the MAC West's juggernaut to take another conference title. BGSU: 34--NIU: 35
Schweinfurth: Hey look, Northern Illinois is in another MACtion Championship game. This is the same Huskies team the slowed down Ohio State's (supposedly) high powered attack in week 2. Bowling Green runs much the same offense, so one would assume the Huskies will be ready for the Falcons. A Huskies' win makes OSU look better. BGSU: 17--NIU: 28
Seeberg: Death, taxes, and NIU in the MAC title game. The Huskies have been that consistent this year, but they are a bit down by comparison and needed some help to get to the title game this season. The rest of the MAC (BGSU, Toledo, Western Michigan, etc.) is catching up. Meanwhile, after a midseason offensive lull, the Falcons are back on stride, showing the form that allowed them to drop 48 on B1G foe Maryland before conference season hit. I'm going with the hot team. BGSU: 38--NIU: 31
AAC: #24 Temple Owls @ #17 Houston Cougars
Draper: Hmmmm...Houston took out Navy in surprising fashion last week, and Temple has been floating around after their close loss to ND. This may be a game for a New Years Six bowl. While people say defense wins championships, offense generally rules these lower level games. In that case, Houston is the pick. Tom Herman keeps the impressive debut rolling and his biggest question is where to go next year. Tem: 20--Hou: 35
Hoying: OK. Maybe it was unfair for me to call out Tom Herman after Houston lost to mediocre UConn. Their star QB Greg Ward Jr. was injured and while Herman is no stranger to backup magic, there isn't quite the depth deep in the heart of Texas that he enjoyed at Ohio State. But after an impressive bounceback win against Navy, the Cougs' goals are still in front of them, and Kyle Postma's not taking snaps for Houston this time. Temple's had a nice season, and they played the Irish tough, but their D can't run with the Houston attack. Welcome back to the big leagues, boys. Tem: 24--Hou: 34
Schweinfurth: Houston can still make a New Year's 6 bowl and Touchdown Tom Herman will have the Cougars ready for this one. He will no undoubtedly have his team behind him after signing that nice, fat new contract to stay put. I doubt there is much defense in this game, but the Cougars seem to be able to make the adjustments needed in the second half (it's nice to have a MENSA member as a coach). Tem: 28--Hou: 42
Seeberg: The Houston Hermans grabbed a huge win last Saturday, pummeling Navy after a shocking loss at UConn. It seems that loss galvanized the troops (Va Tech loss in 2014, anyone)? Temple plays a bit better defense than the Midshipmen, but it's hard to imagine them amassing a similar number of points. Greg Ward Jr. looked healthy as can be swimming by the Navy last week, and there's little reason to think it won't continue in the AAC title game. Onto a second straight New Year's Day bowl for Tom Herman. Tem: 20--Hou: 35
SEC: #20 Florida Gators vs. #3 Alabama Crimson Tide
Draper: Get REEEEEEEALLLL lucky. Florida used to be the pride of the SEC but they have completely faceplanted at the end of the 2015 season. Bama is chugging along as the 'unstoppable juggernaut' without a marquee win on the docket (but lots of good wins). The Gators don't provide the marquee opportunity, but with the committee's love for all things Saban, win and they're in. As much as I want to punch myself in the face, I want the Gators to channel their inner Tebow, but I fear this will end like the 2009 SEC championship with Saban dining on Gator tears. UF: 3--Bama: 28
Hoying: Remember the 90's? When the East seemed to win this game every single year? Fortunes have reversed in the last several years, with the West division winner taking the SEC crown on their way to the championship every year since...2008, when Urban Meyer's #2 Gators whomped Saban's #1 Tide on their way to a second national title in 3 years. At least the East champ made it close...once...in 2012. More remarkable statistic: Alabama is attempting to become the first SEC team to win back-to-back conference titles since TENNESSEE in 1997-98. In their way is a Florida team dead-set on emulating the 2014 Virginia Tech - Wake Forest debacle in every game. For Ohio State to have any chance at a playoff, they NEED the Gators to win, but can it be done? The Gator D is certainly tough enough to stop Henry and the Tide, but Treon Harris is still baaaaaaaaaad. Short of a multiple turnover performance by Alabama, I don't see it happening. This is our most desperate hour. Help me, Flobi-Wan Kenobi, you're my only hope. UF: 10--Bama: 20
Schweinfurth: For all the talk about how dominant the Bama defense is, Florida has a pretty damn good defense too. Alabama will have to pass to win this game because the Gator D is going to swarm Derrick Henry. Bama will win this game (even though I am hoping for chaos, see ACC Champ game) but Florida should make it interesting. Lots of field goals and not so many touchdowns. UF: 9--Bama: 15
Seeberg: The question remains- will Lane Kiffin continue to do nothing more than give the ball to Derrick Henry? The most overpaid coordinator on earth probably will- but the Gators' offense is so bad it likely won't matter. I shudder to think what Zeke and the Slobs could've done to Auburn if he had 46 carries. Nonetheless, not enough SEC chaos to help the Buckeyes' flickering CFP hopes. Let's just hope Bama loses in the playoff so we can have THREE straight years of no SEC national champion and maybe people will finally shut up about that conference. Fla: 6--Bama: 24
Pac-12: #23 USC Trojans vs. #7 Stanford Cardinal
Draper: Stanford just won't die. They're the team everyone touts without really understanding why. Ask Northwestern about the love they've gotten with the same record and a win over the Cardinal. SC has the horses to pull off the upset, but will their head be in the game? We saw this game earlier, but this time, the Trojans have a sober coach (although I don't get the removal of the interim tag, yet). Christian McCaffrey is a solid all around player as is HOOOOGAN, but it's time for SC to bounce back and take their rightful place. Kessler and the Trojans end the Pac 12 playoff hopes. USC: 21--Stan: 20
Hoying: Didn't we do this already? Alternatively, Stanford is 8-1 in conference and USC is 6-3...why is this game necessary? You'd never expect it, but in a league with 12 teams playing 9 conference games each, you see A LOT of pointless rematches. At any rate, this game could have implications for Ohio State's already minuscule playoff hopes, in that a 2-loss Pac-12 Champion Stanford with wins over Notre Dame, UCLA, and USC could jump our beloved Bucks. This season proves that the most miserable part of a loss isn't the actual loss itself, it's having to root for Penn State, Florida, and USC afterwards. Not that rooting for Stanford would have made me any happier. Thank God the Michigan/Michigan State game happened earlier in the year so that we could savor the hilarious ending of that game for a few weeks before we realize it screwed us over in the B1G East standings. Blah blah Christian McCaffrey good blah blah USC defense bad blah blah Clay Helton prrrrrromotion. USC: 20--Stan: 31
Schweinfurth: Christian McCaffery is the real deal. Unfortunately for him and his Heisman hopes, he plays after most people have gone to bed (good job Pac-12 schedulers). USC has looked like a more cohesive team since Sark was let go, but Stanford should still steamroll the Trojans. USC: 17--Stan: 35
Seeberg: Cardinal vs. Trojans, take two. Rematches in the postseason in college football often go the opposite way of the initial meeting, but a lot has changed since then. Oregon exposed Stanford's typically solid defense to hand the Cardinal their only conference loss. USC has regained its form under
ACC: #14 North Carolina Tar Heels vs. #1 Clemson Tigers
Draper: Clemson in the playhoff....does anyone really buy it? Will the Clemsoning rear it's head in the playoffs or now? The Tigers have avoided the bug all year, but now they're in a period of complacency. UNC has quietly stormed back after losing to a terrible South Carolina team and beating...no one. I'm hoping for a little more magic in the tank and a little more Dabo to raise the chaos flag high and give hope to 5 teams: OSU, Stanford, UNC, B1G loser, and Clemson (still) for that last playoff spot. UNC: 31--Clemson: 28
Hoying: They believed they had put it to rest...Just when they thought it was safe to go back onto the field...It's here, at last...THE CLEMSONING! UNC: -OK, so that wasn't exactly a hot take. Here's something that should stir up the masses a little: after Clemson Clemsons this away to a hot UNC squad, the Tigers will still be IN the playoff ahead of Ohio State (unless Stanford jumps them), and the Tar Heels will still be OUT. Take a look at each team's resume and tell me I'm wrong. UNC: 31--Clem: 27
Schweinfurth: There is something about college football chaos that brings back the warm and fuzzy feelings. We haven't has absolute chaos during Championship week since the infamous "all the teams ranked above Ohio State lose after the Bucks destroyed TUN" of 2007. Ladies and gentlemen, WE. ARE. DUE! Not only are we do for chaos, we are due for a Clemsoning. I don't care if Clemson still gets in over OSU, I just want to watch the crap hit the fan. UNC: 28--Clem: 24
Seeberg: I gotta be honest here, I am stunned none of my colleagues have this game as high-scoring as I envision it. UNC has been as dominant offensively as anybody this side of Oklahoma in the last 6 weeks. Meanwhile, Deshaun Watson & Co. have meandered their way to the title game unscathed, seemingly a bit unfocused after beating their two trickiest oppponents in Notre Dame and Florida State relatively early in the season. Can Clemson flip the proverbial switch like OSU did last season (or against scUM this season, or MSU against PSU this season, for that matter)? My answer is...kinda. I don't trust Dabo to get his team to peak at the proper time *cough COOPER cough*. However, I do trust Deshaun Watson to simply outscore the Heels. Clemson will get its comeuppance in the playoff, but it will, sadly for us, make it there. UNC: 38--Clem: 48
B1G: #5 Michigan State Spartans vs. #2 Iowa Hawkeyes
Draper: This makes me sick. There is NO reason the Buckeyes aren't here defending the crown other than one of the worst performances in recent memory. Close your eyes and imagine it...your Undefeated 2015 National Champions: The Iowa Hawkeyes....now that you're done laughing, it could actually happen. About the X's and O's, MSU has a decided advantage in nearly every aspect of this game. Better QB, RB, defense, etc. but Iowa can tout the unblemished schedule. I think it comes to a close Sat as the Spartans end the hopes of the lovable Hawkeyes and head to the playoff in one of the most pedestrian playoffs in sports history. This is on you Buckeyes.... MSU: 34--Iowa: 20
Hoying: Ughhhhh, this game makes me ill just to write about. Somehow, Iowa is still undefeated, and they haven't looked bad along the way. The win over Northwestern is holding up well, particularly since the Hawkeyes throttled the Wildcats, but Iowa hasn't been tested in quite a while. On the other side of the ball, the Spartans passed their toughest test in November and also fared well in big matchups against Michigan and Oregon, though no win was by more than one score. Wherein lies the edge? Dantonio and the Spartans don't lose many big games like this. 2 straight New Year's bowl wins, two wins over undefeated and top 2 ranked Buckeyes...this isn't a Rutgers or Indiana that Michigan State will struggle to put away. Iowa is legitimately good enough to keep this close, but the Sparty party continues into New Year's Eve (though likely not beyond). MSU: 31--Iowa: 21
Schweinfurth: For the record, I had a talk with my, at the time, 5 month old son about an undefeated Iowa. Thankfully, I don't think I will have to have another conversation like that this year. Yes, Iowa has had the best year in program history and will be in a New Year's 6 bowl, but Michigan State is just the better team. Dantonio has something cooking up there in East Lansing and it will be interesting to see what they do in the playoffs. This game is close in true Sparty fashion. MSU: 21--Iowa: 17
Seeberg: Let's be real here, does ANYONE think Iowa is really the best in the B1G? Yeah, me neither. OSU, scUM and MSU likely run the table in the B1G West if referees figure out what out of bounds means anyways. Connor Cook looked every bit as healthy as he could be in Sparty's torching of Penn State last week, dropping a double-nickel on a reasonably sound Nittany Lion defense. Meanwhile, the Hawkeyes literally went 0'fer on 3rd downs (0-9, in fact) yet somehow did something Michigan State couldn't- win in Lincoln. That 3rd-down conversion rate will be much more at a premium on Saturday as Ferentz will try to use the power run to shorten the game. No such luck. Sparty gets punched in the mouth early, but pulls away late. MSU: 28--Iowa: 17
Upset Special
Draper: Texas over Baylor (why not?)
Hoying: Air Force over San Diego State
Schweinfurth: Southern Miss over WKU (not much to pick from)
Seeberg: Kansas State over West Virginia
