On January 1, 2016, the second annual College Football Playoffs will begin. After another amazing and unforgettbale season, four teams remain in the fight for a national championship.
#1 Seed Alabama Crimson Tide (13-0 Record Overall, 9-0 Record in Conference)
While it lacks the star power of previous Alabama teams, Nick’s Saban’s squad may be as deep and talented as it’s ever been. Led by a well-rounded, relentless defense and a mauling offensive line, Alabama has impressive wins over USC, Ole Miss, Texas A&M, and Auburn. The defending national champions will be the favorites to repeat again this year, but they will have to do it despite inconsistent play from quarterback Jalen Hurts and without a Heisman candidate at running back for the first time in a while. With that being said, the defense ranks within the top 10 nationally, boasting future NFL players like Tim Williams, Jonathan Allen, and Ryan Anderson. The offensive line, composed of physically dominant players, needs to play well enough to give time to Hurts and the rest of the Alabama offense to make plays. When Alabama plays at their best, no one is better.
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia
#2 Seed Ohio State Buckeyes: 12-1 Overall, 9-1 in Conference
Snubbed from playoff selection last year, Urban Meyer and the Ohio State Buckeyes are back with a vengeance. Boasting one of the most impressive resumes in the country, Ohio State earned impressive victories against Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Nebraska, and fierce rival Michigan. They bounced back from a demoralizing loss at Penn State and haven’t looked back. Quarterback JT Barrett and Wide Receiver Noah Brown have been standouts on the offensive side, and the defense is amongst the most talented in the nation. With great coaching and phenomenal athletes on both sides of the ball, Ohio State is one of the most battle tested and capable teams of winning the 2018 title.
# 3 Seed Clemson Tigers (12-1 Overall, 9-1 in Conference)
Runner ups in the national championship a year ago, Clemson is back in the College Football Playoff. Dabs Sweeney’s Tigers still retain much of their roster from last year, including quarterback Deshaun Watson, who followed up his Heisman finalist success last year with a solid but inconsistent performance this season. Clemson hasn’t looked as dominant this year as they did for stretches of last season, as they lost to a middling Pittsburgh team at home and struggled against Florida State and North Carolina State before pulling out late wins. However, Clemson has found a way to win close games and has risen to the occasion in big games. Their playoff experience from last year cannot be understated as well. If Deshaun Watson channels some of his magic from last year and Clemson continues to play well in big games, Clemson is capable of beating any teaming the country and hoisting a national championship trophy.
#4 Seed Washington Huskies (12-1 Overall, 9-1 in Conference)
One of the bigger surprises of the season, Pac-12 champions Washington will have a chance to fight for a national championship. Under the radar for much of the season outside of the West Coast, Washington has rattled off impressive wins over formidable opponents, ravaging their conference with a slew of blowouts and dominant victories. Their November home loss to USC was the only bad game they played all year and is the only reason they aren’t ranked higher. While their schedule wasn’t as difficult as the other teams represented, the depth of the Pac 12 cannot be denied, and Washington is as battle tested as any team. Heisman candidate Jake Browning has shined at quarterback this season. The Huskies have a dynamic offense that has proven to be unstoppable at certain stretches, and their defense has shined for much of the season and is capable of rising to the occasion. Washington is a young team, and this may be their biggest hurdle, but head coach Chris Peterson seems poised for his team to make a playoff run.
Predictions from LWHS Sports Podcasters Ryan Kimball ‘17 and George Dicke ‘17
#1 Alabama vs #4 Washington
Ryan’s Pick: 31-20 Alabama
George’s Pick:13-6 Alabama
#2 Clemson vs #3 Ohio State
Ryan’s Pick: 27-20 Ohio State
George’s Pick: 38-17 Ohio State
Championship Picks:
Ryan’s Pick: Alabama 34, Ohio State 17
George’s Pick: Alabama 31, Ohio State 24
Your National Chapions:
The University of Alabama
