College Football Playoff Semifinal Picks: Rose and Sugar Bowls
By Joe Micik
The inaugural College Football Playoff semifinal picks are upon us, featuring the Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl.
Alabama, Oregon, Florida State, and Ohio State are the four teams on Contestant’s Row that came on down, and just like on The Price is Right, only one of them gets us on stage with Drew Carey. (Note: Drew Carey will not be on stage presenting the trophy.)
In this game, unlike what we have done the last few days, no picking the opposite of the team our guts tell us will win. This is a semi-serious attempt at accuracy.
Who moves on to the big game?
College Football Playoff Semifinal Picks: Rose Bowl
Oregon (-8) vs. Florida State | Pasadena, CA | 5pm ET (ESPN)
(In)famous Jameis and the Seminoles take on the Heisman winner and his Oregon Ducks in the first semifinal of the College Football Playoff.
Time after time this season, it looked like Florida State’s years-long win streak would finally come to an end, and every week, it keeps not happening. The Seminoles are not the best team in college football according to the eye test, but they keep finding ways to win. The evidence of this is their being the only undefeated team in the playoff.
Boston College could have ended the whole thing for FSU, but everybody and their cousin knew that field goal would be missed.
As for Oregon, they’re as close to an unstoppable force as there is, aside from the time when Arizona did stop them. The Wildcats had the favor repaid to them on December 5.
Marcus Mariota and the Oregon offense are capable of lighting up Florida State’s defense, which has been good but not dominant. The Seminoles have not faced a team with this kind of firepower and their good fortune finally runs out in Southern California.
Pick: Oregon
College Football Playoff Semifinal Picks: Sugar Bowl
Alabama (-9) vs. Ohio State | New Orleans, LA | 8:30pm ET (ESPN)
Boston College Eagles
Here’s the one ESPN really wanted: Nick Saban and Urban Meyer, together again in hate.
In their last game, Ohio State annihilated Wisconsin, but it might be a little harder to do that to the Tide. Okay, a lot harder.
A complete team, Alabama has both the offense and the defense to beat anybody. One loss to Ole Miss was the only trip-up they suffered, as otherwise they have been very consistent, finding ways to win and usually in dominant fashion.
Cardale Jones had a great game to win the Big Ten title, but asking the third-string quarterback to go out there and beat Alabama is a little much.
I expect a close game but for the Tide to roll.
Pick: Alabama