Final Standings:
1.) Hoying 40-18 (5-8 upset)
1.) Draper 40-18 (4-9 upset)
1.) Seeberg 40-18 (3-10 upset)
4.) Schweinfurth 39-19 (3-10 upset)
What do Ohio State, Oklahoma, and Clemson have in common? They're all teams I would much rather see win the National Championship than a certain #2 seed that will not be named in this introduction. At least down seasons for the Buckeyes still end up in Pasadena, and not in the Valero Alamo Bowl or the *shudder* Cheez-It Bowl.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 30
Peach Bowl: Michigan State Spartans vs. Pittsburgh Panthers
Draper: Hooray! The game with all the stars sitting out. Michigan State is really nothing spectacular, but losing a running back is very different from losing a Heisman finalist QB. The Spartans should be able to rally around their boring style without losing too much of a step. I don't know if I can say the same for Pitt and the loss of Kenny Pickett. Pat Narduzzi comes up short against the team that made him. MSU: 20 -- Pitt: 17
Hoying: What's easier to replace: a star running back or a star quarterback? Which one do you see sitting out more series on an average Saturday afternoon? Sure, backup Spartan RB Jordan Simmons is quite the dropoff from Kenneth Walker, but Pitt is starting a quarterback who has 14 attempts and has appeared in a total of 5 games this season. Michigan State's glaring flaw this year has been its pass defense, which means that their Achilles heel is effectively getting its dip in the Styx with Pickett moving on to the NFL a game early. Cardale Jones isn't swooping in to save the Panthers anytime soon. MSU: 31--Pitt: 20
Hoying: What's easier to replace: a star running back or a star quarterback? Which one do you see sitting out more series on an average Saturday afternoon? Sure, backup Spartan RB Jordan Simmons is quite the dropoff from Kenneth Walker, but Pitt is starting a quarterback who has 14 attempts and has appeared in a total of 5 games this season. Michigan State's glaring flaw this year has been its pass defense, which means that their Achilles heel is effectively getting its dip in the Styx with Pickett moving on to the NFL a game early. Cardale Jones isn't swooping in to save the Panthers anytime soon. MSU: 31--Pitt: 20
Schweinfurth: Opt out game number one! Woo hoo! No Kennith Walker and no Kenny Pickett. Which is the bigger loss? I'll say Pickett. The Spartan should be able to move the ball without Walker. Minus, Pickett? I just don't think Pitt has a chance. MSU: 28--Pitt: 10
Seeberg: As previously stated, this is a game that has severely lost its luster. May be the most ho-hum matchup since the inception of the New Years' Six. One team lost an elite QB, the other an elite RB...but QB is arguably the most important position in all of sports, so advantage Spartans, despite their miserable pass D. Spartans keep the 2-0 (thus far, go MD!) B1G train rolling. MSU: 31--Pitt: 23
Seeberg: As previously stated, this is a game that has severely lost its luster. May be the most ho-hum matchup since the inception of the New Years' Six. One team lost an elite QB, the other an elite RB...but QB is arguably the most important position in all of sports, so advantage Spartans, despite their miserable pass D. Spartans keep the 2-0 (thus far, go MD!) B1G train rolling. MSU: 31--Pitt: 23
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 31
Cotton Bowl: Cincinnati Bearcats vs. Alabama Crimson Tide
Draper: The cartoon above contains my thoughts about this game. Yeah, Cincinnati is fun and they have some players (especially in the defensive secondary), but this is Bama we're talking about (even though they've been 'disrespected all year according to their team'...). Make no mistake that last year was a major rebuilding year...in which they had the Heisman winner and easily dispatched of a loaded OSU squad (albeit nothing like 2019's). Jameson Williams headlines the offense. UC will do everything to slow him down, and they just might....but there's always another 20 weapons. The plucky Bearcats will start fired up, but it's Bama's world and we're just living in it. UC: 20--Bama: 41
Hoying: Let's be honest: this
year's Alabama looks a lot more like 2019's flawed squad than last year's
impervious world-beater. That Auburn game was atrocious, and exposed a lot of
issues with the Tide offense. Jameson Williams left that game earlier on a
targeting call, and the Tide couldn't do anything thereafter
until the last minute of the game. And now their only other WR, John Metchie,
is out for the season with a torn ACL. With this setback, I don't see Alabama
scoring enough points to complete a second set of back-to-back championships
(spoilers for next week), but they have been given the tremendous gift of
playing this year's Playoff impostor team in the semifinals. No, I'm not saying
that Cincinnati didn't earn their spot this year (one of the biggest factors in
their favor is that there isn't anyone else the Playoff could've plausibly
taken instead), but they're not putting the same kind of athletes on the field
as Bama, Georgia, or the Team Up North. Last year, Alabama got the gift game of
playing Notre Dame in the Playoff. The year before, Oklahoma fell into LSU's
lap. I don't expect this game to be quite as big as a wipeout as those, but
Cincinnati is not on Alabama's level. Not yet. UC: 13--Bama: 27Schweinfurth: There is a trophy involved, so you always pick Bama. Cincy is a nice story, and I am rooting for the Fightin' Ficks. The Tide seems to have seized on the second chance they got against Auburn and haven't looked back. Bama wins, but closer than you think. UC: 17--Bama: 24
Seeberg: Gotta be honest- I just don't have it in me to break this game down. Bama looked like hot garbage against it's rival and then absolutely pasted the best D in the country. Bama by a million. UC: 17--Bama: 38
Orange Bowl: Georgia Bulldogs vs. Michigan Wolverines
Draper: Gross, gross, gross....There isn't a team playing better football than the Wolverines right now. The Dline is wreaking havoc, they're stuffing the run, and running exceptionally well. However, the Dawgs defensive front will be the best they've faced all year (I wish I could say second best, but OSU had a rare 'down year' on the DLine). If they can stop the run and pressure McNamara (which I think they will to an extent), it will come down to the UM pass rush and the ability to get home on a wheel of fortune QB. UGA hasn't really beat anyone of note, but if they can keep this like the opening game against Clemson (painfully slow and boring), I think the superior athletes of Georgia pull it out. OSU couldn't stop the run with questionable (at best) linebacker play. If Georgia can contain Haskins and Corum (tall order), I think the come away with a victory. UGA: 20 -- UM: 17
Hoying: It kills me to look at these Playoff matches because all of these teams are vulnerable. This is a top-3 weakest field in Playoff history, along with 2014 and 2017, and I believe the Buckeyes could really have done some damage, maybe even won the whole thing. Instead, it's the Team Up North getting their chance at immortality, and I'd give them more than a puncher's chance this year. At least, that would be the case if the matchups weren't all wrong in this game. All year long Georgia was supposed to be some sort of defensive juggernaut, but Alabama showed how a team could stretch the field and hit them for big plays. That is not the Wolverines' game at all. The Tide rushed for a mere 4.4 yards per carry (buoyed by 3 big runs from Bryce Young), doing their real damage burning the Bulldogs over and over again with everyone's favorite ring-chasing turncoat. Who's the Wolverines' big play threat? Cornelius Johnson? Andrel Anthony? I've got bad news for the dinosaurs calling plays for the Maize and Blue: running Blake Corum and Hassan Haskins into a brick wall over and over again isn't going to strike fear into either of the SEC Playoff teams this year (it'll flatten Cincinnati, though, so pray we don't see that matchup). Man, I wish we could've seen what Olave and Wilson could have done to these guys (Georgia, that is; we did get to see them scorch the Wolverines one last time). We'll have to settle for seeing Henderson, Smith-Njigba, Fleming, Harrison, Egbuka, and Stroud write their own script to close the book on the Bulldogs' title defense hopes next year. Bulldogs move one step closer to ending their 40-year drought. UGA: 20--UM: 13
Hoying: It kills me to look at these Playoff matches because all of these teams are vulnerable. This is a top-3 weakest field in Playoff history, along with 2014 and 2017, and I believe the Buckeyes could really have done some damage, maybe even won the whole thing. Instead, it's the Team Up North getting their chance at immortality, and I'd give them more than a puncher's chance this year. At least, that would be the case if the matchups weren't all wrong in this game. All year long Georgia was supposed to be some sort of defensive juggernaut, but Alabama showed how a team could stretch the field and hit them for big plays. That is not the Wolverines' game at all. The Tide rushed for a mere 4.4 yards per carry (buoyed by 3 big runs from Bryce Young), doing their real damage burning the Bulldogs over and over again with everyone's favorite ring-chasing turncoat. Who's the Wolverines' big play threat? Cornelius Johnson? Andrel Anthony? I've got bad news for the dinosaurs calling plays for the Maize and Blue: running Blake Corum and Hassan Haskins into a brick wall over and over again isn't going to strike fear into either of the SEC Playoff teams this year (it'll flatten Cincinnati, though, so pray we don't see that matchup). Man, I wish we could've seen what Olave and Wilson could have done to these guys (Georgia, that is; we did get to see them scorch the Wolverines one last time). We'll have to settle for seeing Henderson, Smith-Njigba, Fleming, Harrison, Egbuka, and Stroud write their own script to close the book on the Bulldogs' title defense hopes next year. Bulldogs move one step closer to ending their 40-year drought. UGA: 20--UM: 13
Schweinfurth: Michigan's strength is running the ball. Georgia's strength is stopping the run. Georgia has been a little suspect in the secondary, which McNamera could take advantage of if given time. There should be a lot of running in this game. The team who has to rely on their QB the most will lose. I'll believe Michigan is back if they ban beat Georgia. I just don't think it will happen. UGA: 24--UM: 21
Seeberg: One-dimensional teams can't win the title...then again, I didn't expect the run first, second, and last Wolverines to even sniff the playoff to begin with. Bama shredded the vaunted Bulldog D but Cade and Co. are not built quite the same so following that blueprint is unlikely. Georgia may struggle to score against their solid defensive counterparts. I also trust neither of these coaches in a big game for a litany of reasons. Truth be told, it feels like a toss up, and when that happens I'm going with who I would rather win. Hooray for another SEC rematch *facepalm* UGA: 24--UM: 16
Seeberg: One-dimensional teams can't win the title...then again, I didn't expect the run first, second, and last Wolverines to even sniff the playoff to begin with. Bama shredded the vaunted Bulldog D but Cade and Co. are not built quite the same so following that blueprint is unlikely. Georgia may struggle to score against their solid defensive counterparts. I also trust neither of these coaches in a big game for a litany of reasons. Truth be told, it feels like a toss up, and when that happens I'm going with who I would rather win. Hooray for another SEC rematch *facepalm* UGA: 24--UM: 16
SATURDAY, JANUARY 1
Fiesta Bowl: Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. Oklahoma State Cowboys
Draper: Motivation defines bowl season. This is one in which the Irish had their hearts ripped out by their former coach and his FAAMUHLY on his great dayuh, but the team respects and cares for their new young leader in Marcus Freeman. On the other side, Jim Knowles bolted for greener pastures in Columbus. The Pokes literally ended less than a yard short of the playoff this year. Will they enter the bowl season looking to prove they deserved a chance or will they curl up and die. Honestly, Notre Dame has all the clout on their side with the chip on the shoulder, but they're missing one little thing.....a great team. I don't know if they have the horses with Jack Coan at the helm and Kyle Hamilton on the sideline. This is a dumb pick as I think Okie State will come in deflated and Freeman will give the Irish purpose, but I'm going to ride with Gundy here. I think the talent is better on the Orange and Black sideline. ND: 24--OkSt: 31
Hoying: Hoying's first law of bowl picks: never pick the team with the missing coach. Yes, I know the future is here with ex-Buckeye Marcus Freeman hoping to finish what Brian Kelly started, but there's always a bit of friction during the transition. Of course, Oklahoma State is missing their star DC, as Jim Knowles is already making preparing his plans to stop Notre Dame with a different OSU. So I suppose the coaching situation is a bit of a wash. Let’s look to what the teams have done this season. Notre Dam’s looked fine, I guess, but I can’t point to a signature win on the season. They had one shot, at home, against a team with vastly inferior talent, and they lost by multiple scores. The Cowboys came about 6 inches short from the Playoff thanks to a game plagued by turnovers. That can play right into the hands of the Irish (see the 4th quarter of the Wisconsin game) but I think the Cowboys have the sense to play smart, solid football and dare Jack Coan to beat them. ND: 20—OkSt: 24
Hoying: Hoying's first law of bowl picks: never pick the team with the missing coach. Yes, I know the future is here with ex-Buckeye Marcus Freeman hoping to finish what Brian Kelly started, but there's always a bit of friction during the transition. Of course, Oklahoma State is missing their star DC, as Jim Knowles is already making preparing his plans to stop Notre Dame with a different OSU. So I suppose the coaching situation is a bit of a wash. Let’s look to what the teams have done this season. Notre Dam’s looked fine, I guess, but I can’t point to a signature win on the season. They had one shot, at home, against a team with vastly inferior talent, and they lost by multiple scores. The Cowboys came about 6 inches short from the Playoff thanks to a game plagued by turnovers. That can play right into the hands of the Irish (see the 4th quarter of the Wisconsin game) but I think the Cowboys have the sense to play smart, solid football and dare Jack Coan to beat them. ND: 20—OkSt: 24
Schweinfurth: This is a game of addition by subtraction for Notre Dame. No more Brian Kelly, and that is a load off of the players. OK State lost the voice and leader of the defense to the Buckeyes. I think the Irish play inspired for Marcus Freeman. More salt for Gundy. ND: 28--OkSt: 21
Seeberg: Ah, the coaching carousel causing chaos. Alliteration aside, I'm not sure which way to lean on this one. Notre Dame lays a lot of eggs in these games historically, but a new day may be dawning with a former Buckeye at the helm. Tough to say what the Cowboys will do- they do see these games much. (Plus I still recall witnessing, in person, a higher-ranked Cowboys team get dismantled in the Alamo Bowl in 2004 by the Buckeyes). Whether Freeman will be a good head coach remains to be seen, but being abandoned by their head coach should leave a bad taste in the mouths of the ND squad and I expect some of that to be expressed on the field. Golden Domers start strong and hold on late. ND: 27-OkSt: 24
Seeberg: Ah, the coaching carousel causing chaos. Alliteration aside, I'm not sure which way to lean on this one. Notre Dame lays a lot of eggs in these games historically, but a new day may be dawning with a former Buckeye at the helm. Tough to say what the Cowboys will do- they do see these games much. (Plus I still recall witnessing, in person, a higher-ranked Cowboys team get dismantled in the Alamo Bowl in 2004 by the Buckeyes). Whether Freeman will be a good head coach remains to be seen, but being abandoned by their head coach should leave a bad taste in the mouths of the ND squad and I expect some of that to be expressed on the field. Golden Domers start strong and hold on late. ND: 27-OkSt: 24
Sugar Bowl: Mississippi Rebels vs. Baylor Bears
Draper: No freaking clue what to do about this game. Lane Train is the most erratic, high variance coach out there while Aranda is a freaking robot. Both teams are near the highest stages they've ever ascended although both have made a BCS/NY6 bowl before. Matt Corral has said he's playing regardless of the advice to sit this one out, which is a huge boon for the Rebels. The last time I saw these teams, Ole Miss won the Egg Bowl in convincing fashion and Baylor pulled off the monster ending....to one of the stupidest, most boring championship games ever. Let's have some fun and roll with the crazy coach. Miss: 38--Bay: 28
Hoying: So, the Bears win the Big 12 and draw the #8 Rebels, while the Cowboys lose the Big 12 championship and draw the #5 Irish? Reminds me of when the Buckeyes had to play #3 Texas in 2008 instead of going to the Rose Bowl…oh well. The Bears have been playing tough down the stretch, including holding Oklahoma to 14 points and making them look utterly lost, but the Lane Train is a different beast. True, the Rebs haven’t scored more than 31 points since their 52-51 squeaker over Arkansas back in early October. But Matt Corral isn’t Spencer Sanders, and you’re not going to be able to stand back and let the Rebels beat themselves the way Oklahoma State did. The SEC may be in the midst of getting exposed in a big way this bowl season, but I expect the big boys to step up and take care of business, culminating in an all-SEC title game (the lesser of two evils) and a Sugar Bowl win. Miss: 31—Bay: 24
Hoying: So, the Bears win the Big 12 and draw the #8 Rebels, while the Cowboys lose the Big 12 championship and draw the #5 Irish? Reminds me of when the Buckeyes had to play #3 Texas in 2008 instead of going to the Rose Bowl…oh well. The Bears have been playing tough down the stretch, including holding Oklahoma to 14 points and making them look utterly lost, but the Lane Train is a different beast. True, the Rebs haven’t scored more than 31 points since their 52-51 squeaker over Arkansas back in early October. But Matt Corral isn’t Spencer Sanders, and you’re not going to be able to stand back and let the Rebels beat themselves the way Oklahoma State did. The SEC may be in the midst of getting exposed in a big way this bowl season, but I expect the big boys to step up and take care of business, culminating in an all-SEC title game (the lesser of two evils) and a Sugar Bowl win. Miss: 31—Bay: 24
Schweinfurth: Ole Miss can score with anyone. I really don't know if Baylor can get the stops needed to win this one. Hop on the Lane Train. Miss: 42--Bay: 31
Seeberg: Bowl season, in my opinion, lends itself to the aggressive, unpredictable coaches that are willing to empty the playbook and let their athletes enjoy themselves at least a little bit. That describes Lane Kiffin almost to a T. If Matt Corral truly plays as he has said he will, that should be enough offensive firepower to outlast the Bears. Miss: 38--Bay: 31
Seeberg: Bowl season, in my opinion, lends itself to the aggressive, unpredictable coaches that are willing to empty the playbook and let their athletes enjoy themselves at least a little bit. That describes Lane Kiffin almost to a T. If Matt Corral truly plays as he has said he will, that should be enough offensive firepower to outlast the Bears. Miss: 38--Bay: 31
Rose Bowl: THE Ohio State University Buckeyes vs. Utah Utes
Draper: This game terrifies me to no end. This is the pinnacle of achievement for the Utes. They have exceeded all expectations, won the Pac12 South, won the Pac12, and made the Granddaddy of them All, while the Bucks are here as a consolation prize. Bowl season is about nothing more than motivation in non-playoff games....and there is no real reason for the Bucks to get excited. This is the 'Ship or Die culture that we've seen created with the playoff and it's here to stay regardless of our desires. Best of luck to Olave, Wilson, Garrett, and Petit-Frere, but man would I like to see you again. Utah will be playing with their hair on fire and has looked phenomenal over the last few games. Utah has the momentum, but OSU (even with the opt-outs) has the better talent. There are 2 bright spots for OSU: 1) This is a chance for the young players to step up and take their spots for next year. The receiver room is still loaded and there will be a battle for playing time (along side JSN). Can the defense find the next core group? This is were an identity can be formed. The second potential bright spot: this is CJ's moment. Regardless of all the talking head chatter, Stroud had a fantastic 1st season and I think we see nothing but growth. Here is the time for Ryan Day to develop his QB for phase 2 (and phase 1 was already pretty darn good). CJ is on a mission, and that mission starts now. QB7 is sending a message. Take note TSUN...we haven't forgotten. OSU: 45--UU: 35
Hoying: I haven’t seen a game with
this many red flags for the Buckeyes since 2018 Purdue. This may be the biggest
game in Utah history, other than maybe the 2019 Pac-12 Championship with a
Playoff spot on the line,. Yeah, there was the Sugar Bowl win over Alabama in 2008
but this is the Granddaddy of Them All, a sentiment that seems to have been
lost on four of this year’s Buckeye standouts. To Ohio State’s credit, the team
is saying all the right things, and I don’t think Ryan Day is going to just roll
over and let the season peter out. And, even with 4 starters out, the Buckeyes
still have a massive talent advantage. That being said, the Utes run the same
type of nasty physical rushing offense that dealt the Buckeyes both of their
losses this year, not quite as well as the Wolverines do, but a darn sight
better than Oregon. The rivalry game may have been the true test of the
Buckeyes’ ceiling this year, and shattered fantasies of how comprehensively a
defense can be rebuilt mid-season, but Utah is still an acceptable make-up exam
for the Duck fiasco. Can the Buckeyes execute against what is essentially Oregon-but-better?
Ohio State was one of the most inexperienced teams in the nation when the Ducks
ate their lunch back in September; what have the Silver Bullets learned since
then? Just how good are these 5* WRs that have been backing up Olave and Wilson
all year while barely seeing the field? Does Matt Barnes’s bag of (predictable,
non-adjustable) tricks work on teams that aren’t playing the game of their
lives against their bitter rivals? I’m so close to pulling the trigger on a
letdown loss to end the season, but there’s a little voice inside me that keeps
insisting that this group took the loss to Michigan, and the Wolverines’
comments after the game, personally. Remember what the Buckeyes did to Clemson
last year, with a team nowhere near as good as the one that lost the
heartbreaker the year before? I expect something similar in store for the
Wolverines next year, but it starts here, now, with a temperature check on
whether this team believes they still have something to prove before the offseason.
I have faith in my coach and my quarterback to lead them there. Get your popcorn
ready. OSU: 45—UU: 41
Schweinfurth: The Bucks are in a no win situation here. Win and you beat an over matched opponent. Lose and you are on a two game losing streak and the questions and doubt get louder. This Rose Bowl will be a changing of the guard at wide out. No Wilson, no Olave. Good thing we still have JSN. Day lamented not getting Henderson the ball in the Michigan game. I don't think he will make that mistake again. Defensively, Utah is going to run the ball. This Utah team out muscled Oregon, who out muscled Ohio State. Not a good combo. Barns and company need to figure out how to use three linebackers (one of the biggest issues in the Michigan game) and how to slow down the run or this will be ugly. I don't have a good feeling about this, but hopefully Stroud embraces the villain status. OSU: 42--UU: 38
Seeberg: So Bama gave everyone the blueprint to beat UGA, but the Wolverines likely don't have the right roster setup to take advantage of that information. Then there's the Utes, built essentially like a poor man's UM, who just provided a textbook on how to beat OSU this season. The Buckeyes' worst offensive output of the season was at Nebraska...when Wilson was out. Uh oh. For all of Stroud's success, I believe he has zeroed in on Wilson a LOT this season, at the expense of Olave's numbers which is insane because I'm still convinced he's the better receiver. Of course, BOTH are sitting out so that's almost a moot point. Another Garrett, of the Haskell variety, is also sitting, and losing a key cog in the middle in an already porous run D is no small issue either. The talent gap is, even without 4 starters, very sizable. However, talent disparities can be overcome with good schemes (check) and high motivation (pretty sure half their fan base never even realized the Rose Bowl was an option, so big check there). It comes down to Ryan Day's gameplan. He makes no bones about the fact that he's a pass-first coach...will he be still with his top two WRs out? If the answer is yes, I fear it will be a long afternoon is Pasadena. My wife fell asleep for the last 20 minutes of The Game and I envied her; sadly, I have a sinking feeling I will envy her again. OSU: 31--UU: 35
Seeberg: So Bama gave everyone the blueprint to beat UGA, but the Wolverines likely don't have the right roster setup to take advantage of that information. Then there's the Utes, built essentially like a poor man's UM, who just provided a textbook on how to beat OSU this season. The Buckeyes' worst offensive output of the season was at Nebraska...when Wilson was out. Uh oh. For all of Stroud's success, I believe he has zeroed in on Wilson a LOT this season, at the expense of Olave's numbers which is insane because I'm still convinced he's the better receiver. Of course, BOTH are sitting out so that's almost a moot point. Another Garrett, of the Haskell variety, is also sitting, and losing a key cog in the middle in an already porous run D is no small issue either. The talent gap is, even without 4 starters, very sizable. However, talent disparities can be overcome with good schemes (check) and high motivation (pretty sure half their fan base never even realized the Rose Bowl was an option, so big check there). It comes down to Ryan Day's gameplan. He makes no bones about the fact that he's a pass-first coach...will he be still with his top two WRs out? If the answer is yes, I fear it will be a long afternoon is Pasadena. My wife fell asleep for the last 20 minutes of The Game and I envied her; sadly, I have a sinking feeling I will envy her again. OSU: 31--UU: 35
