This week will serve as a chance for each team fighting for a spot among the final four that will comprise the College Football Playoff to state their case. Each spot is still up for grabs, and here's how we think each matchup will play out:
ACC Championship
(10) North Carolina vs. (1) Clemson
Godsey: I think this will be a closer game than most expect. Clemson has had a tougher road to travel this season, but the Tarheels have been hot, after dropping their first game against South Carolina. The Heels have a good rushing attack, Marquise Williams is an excellent dual-threat quarterback. Clemson has had some close games this season, but the Tigers always seem to land upright in the end. I don't think Clemson has come this far to fall in the ACC Championship Game.
The Pick: Clemson 34 North Carolina 17
Griff: While the Tarheels have racked up a ton of numbers with their high-octane offense, Clemson will be the best defense that this team has faced all season. A lot of people ask how North Carolina lost their opener to South Carolina in Charlotte. The answer is simple. Turnovers. It sounds like an obvious answer, but North Carolina's only loss and Clemson's close games happened because of turnovers. Clemson will be able to create too much pressure for North Carolina to outscore them. While the Tarheels will score points, they'll also cough up some critical turnovers that DeShaun Watson and company will make the most of and turn into points. Tigers punch their ticket to the playoff in this one.
The Pick: Clemson 41 North Carolina 31
Big 10 Championship
(5) Michigan State vs. (4) Iowa
Godsey: Is it just me, or did Iowa just creep into the picture and pop into the top five? They beat some decent opponents, but their resume doesn't compare to Michigan State's. They've had a brutal schedule that's been one of the nation's most difficult. I don't think the Hawkeyes have the experience that the Spartans have, and even though they are ranked higher, it's going to be a little one-sided in favor of State. The line is around 4, but I'm going to take them by 14
The Pick: Michigan State 31 Iowa 17
Griff: I agree with Godsey here. This Iowa team will shock me if they're able to come out and beat a Michigan State team that's been battle-tested by some very tough competition during the 2015 season. Some might point to the Hawkeyes' undefeated record, but the Spartans were a simple punt away from sitting at 12-0 themselves. The only "impressive" win that Iowa has achieved this season came on the road against Northwestern when the Wildcats were ranked. Not good enough for me to pick them here, and I think Michigan State demolishes Iowa in this game.
The Pick: Michigan State 38 Iowa 10
AAC Championship
(22) Temple vs. (19) Houston
Godsey: I'm going to get straight to the point. I'm taking Houston over the Owls because I think they have too good of an offense for Temple to try to keep up with, especially if the Cougar defense is creating turnovers. Houston has more opportunities to score and rack up yardage because of the turnover-ratio. They disrupt their opponents' rhythm, and opposing teams just can't get anything going.
The Pick: Houston 38 Temple 24
Griff: Temple will have to keep that Houston offense in check by executing and sustaining long drives, and it's critical that the Owls put points on the board if they are able to accomplish this. It will be interesting to see where this Houston team goes with Tom Herman as their head coach, but he's yet to sign a new deal with the Cougars despite announcing an "agreement on principle." I'm not a lawyer, nor do I claim to know law very well. I will tell you this, however, that until the ink hits the paper, Herman is still in play. Houston wins, but the Owls give them a good game to cap-off an exciting season in the American Athletic Conference.
The Pick: Houston 27 Temple 24
PAC-12 Championship
(20) Southern Cal vs. (7) Stanford
Godsey: This is a rematch from early in the season, and Southern Cal will be looking for revenge. Southern Cal has been up-and-down for most of the season, so there hasn't been the consistency that allows teams to roll through the season. Stanford is a different story. After a loss to a good Northwestern team, the Cardinal bounced back with a win over USC. They did drop a game to Oregon at home, but other than that, they've been a solid, steady team that pulled-off a huge win over Notre Dame. I'm going with Stanford in this one.
The Pick: Stanford 27 Southern Cal 17
Griff: It amazes me that Southern Cal is playing for the PAC-12 Championship following the departure of Steve Sarkisian. It shows me two things: one, that the Trojans possess a lot of talent that perseveres and used their misfortunes as motivation to prove a lot of critics wrong. The second thing is how up-and-down the PAC-12 South has played out this season. The Trojans will need to tighten up their defense this week against a talented Stanford offense, and I think they boot the Cardinal out of the playoff picture in a game where a ton of points will be scored.
The Pick: Southern Cal 45 Stanford 42
SEC Championship
(18) Florida vs. (2) Alabama
Godsey: We all know that Alabama has been on a roll since the loss to Ole Miss, and they haven't slowed down against any opponent. Derrick Henry is almost guaranteed the Heisman Trophy if rushes for 100-yards or more. Florida has been on the decline the past few weeks, and the only thing holding them together is their stingy defense. Here's the problem: the Gators' defense has had trouble stopping the run on multiple occasions. Five different players have rushed for 100-or-more yards and two of those players were in the same game. Derrick Henry will rush for 200 or more, and Alabama's defense will shutdown Florida's offense, allowing Alabama to win big.
The Pick: Alabama 38 Florida 17
Griff: Before I make this pick, let me say this: Florida's defense has played superb as a unit this season. In fact, the Gators have the best defense in the SEC in terms of points allowed. Now that I've said that, I truly believe that Alabama wins big in this game. Alabama's offense find success by establishing the run, and teams that have been able to run the ball on the Gators have either beat Florida or kept the game close. Florida wasn't able to contain Florida State's Dalvin Cook or LSU's Leonard Fournette, and Derrick Henry will be the next running back to gash the Gators' defense. What Florida needs to do to pull the upset is obvious: make Alabama throw the football. That's a lot easier said than done, and Henry will score multiple times in the midst of racking up a ton of yardage on the ground. Alabama seals their playoff berth with a big win in Atlanta and exposes a Florida defensive line that's been affected by injuries late this season.
The Pick: Alabama 32 Florida 13
Texas vs. (12) Baylor
Godsey: Will this be a trap game for Baylor? I think that should be a question that we should be asking. Baylor is down to their third-string quarterback, and although he did make a valiant effort, the Bears suffered a difficult loss to TCU on the road last Friday. If your Texas, the only thing you have to play for is pride, and potentially getting some younger players quality experience. Texas isn't going to a bowl game, so maybe they'll give some of the hard-working seniors some playing time. I don't think Charlie Strong is in real danger of losing his job, and a win over Baylor would solidify that even more. When it's all said and some, the Bears just have too many weapons to utilize against a Texas team that just doesn't have the talent.
The Pick: Baylor 41 Texas 24
Griff: Charlie Strong's not on the hot seat this year, but if the Longhorns' faithful don't see some serious results next year, his tenure at Texas will be over rather quickly. Texas won't hold back any punches in this game, and the Longhorns could very well keep it close throughout the first half. Like Godsey said, Baylor has just too many weapons. Texas simply won't be able to keep pace once the Baylor offense starts to make this game a track meet, and the Bears' victory will earn them a trip to a quality bowl game.
The Pick: Baylor 45 Texas 31
As always, thanks for reading! Be sure to follow Griff on Twitter @griffaldo.
No comments:
Post a Comment