SEC+3: College Football Playoff Picks

New Year's Eve is finally here, and that means it's time for the third edition of the College Football Playoff. So without waiting any longer, here's our picks for semifinals:

Peach Bowl
(4) Washington vs. (1) Alabama

Godsey: I won’t spend too much time on this simply because I don’t think the Huskies will be able to move the ball against Alabama, more specifically the defensive line. I don’t think Jake Browning will have enough time in the pocket to throw the ball consistently and effectively.

The Pick: Alabama 41 Washington 21

Griff: There's been a lot of predictions going around that Washington would be the team to topple Alabama in the playoff. That absolutely WILL NOT be the case, as Alabama's defensive front and running game on offense will be the difference in another big win for Alabama.

The Pick: Alabama 45 Washington 14

Fiesta Bowl
(3) Ohio State vs. (2) Clemson

Godsey: This is my most anticipated game to see of the bowl season. It will be interesting to see if the Buckeyes can contain DeShaun Watson and force him to beat them with his arm. It seems like half of the Ohio State starting lineup will be playing on Sunday so I’ll give them the edge.

The Pick: Ohio State 34 Clemson 31

Griff: This will be the most physical game of the two playoff games, and one of the most physical games that we will see this season. Ohio State is out to prove itself, similar to the way the Buckeyes did in 2014 when everybody wrote Alabama as the winner in the semifinal. Clemson will have to find a way on defense to keep J.T. Barrett in the pocket, or he will win the game for the Buckeyes like he did against Michigan. Clemson will be by far the best offense that the Buckeyes have seen this season. The Tigers will need to utilize its strong running game with Wayne Gallman, and DeShaun Watson will need to find Mike Williams and Jordan Leggett in the red zone. Expect a close game into the fourth quarter or maybe even overtime, and Clemson comes away with one of the biggest wins in program history.

The Pick: Clemson 35 Ohio State 34

We here at the SEC+3 hope that every single one of our readers has a very safe and happy New Year. Be sure to follow Griff on Twitter @griffaldo and like Griffin's Starting Lineup on Facebook to see our prediction for the National Championship game. 

As always, thanks for reading!