NATIONAL SEMIFINALS CAP NEW YEAR’S BOWL BONANZA
The NCAA football bowl season gets real on New Year’s Day with five games, featuring the national championship semifinals. The holiday menu kicks off with Jim Harbaugh’s Michigan crew taking on South Carolina in a battle of 8-4 clubs in the Outback Bowl (TSN2, noon). Unbeaten Central Florida (ranked No. 10 despite finishing 12-0) faces seventh-ranked Auburn (10-2) in the Peach Bowl (TSN, 12:30 p.m.). And in the Citrus Bowl, Notre Dame vs. LSU, both 9-3, will square off for the second time in four seasons (ABC, 1 p.m.). Once they’ve wrapped up, the final four take centre stage. Here’s a closer look at those matchups:
ROSE BOWL
NO. 3 GEORGIA (12-1) vs. NO. 2 OKLAHOMA (12-1) Pasadena, Calif. KICKOFF: 5 p.m. (TSN) LINE: Georgia by 2.5
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
A spot in the College Football Playoff national championship game next Monday in Atlanta. The Bulldogs are making their first playoff appearance and have not won a national title since 1980. The Sooners have not played for the title since 2008, and haven’ won it since 2000.
KEY MATCHUP
Oklahoma’s offensive line against Georgia’s defensive front QB Baker Mayfield draws most of the accolades for the Sooners, but the Heisman Trophy winner operates behind one of the best offensive lines in the country. Future high NFL draft picks man both tackles in all-American Orlando Brown and Bobby Evans. Georgia has run stuffers up front in their 3-4 defence in DE Trenton Thompson and NT John Atkins, but most of the pass rush comes from linebackers Roquan Smith, Lorenzo Carter and Davin Bellamy, who have combined for 13 sacks.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
RBs Nick Chubb and Sony Michel (Georgia) The seniors rank second and third in school history in career rushing yards, trailing only the great Herschel Walker. Chubb is the power back at 225 pounds. He ran for 1,175 yards and averaged 6.2 yards per carry this season. Michel averages 7.2 yards per carry. LB Ogbonnia Okoronkwo (Oklahoma) The senior was a second-team allAmerican and the Big 12 co-defensive player of the year. Obo had eight sacks among 17.5 tackles for loss. Okoronkwo is a big playmaker on a Sooners defence that has had its struggles and ranks 70th in yards per play allowed (5.66).
SUGAR BOWL
NO. 1 CLEMSON (12-1) VS. NO. 4 ALABAMA (11-1) New Orleans KICKOFF: 8:30 p.m. (TSN) LINE: Alabama by 3
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
A third straight spot in the national championship game. These teams have met for the title each of the past two seasons, each winning once in highly competitive encounters.
KEY MATCHUP
Clemson’s dominant defensive line against Alabama QB Jalen Hurts Clemson racked up 44 sacks this season and ranks third in the nation with 3.38 per game. But Hurts has exceptional mobility and has been known to scramble for big gains. Clemson’s defensive front will have to be as disciplined as it is aggressive in order to keep from getting gashed by Hurts like on Alabama’s last drive of last year’s title game. The Crimson Tide ranked first in defence, Clemson second.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
DB Minkah Fitzpatrick and RB Damien Harris (Alabama) Fitzpatrick, the winner of the Chuck Bednarik award, given annually to the nation’s top defensive player, also received the Jim Thorpe award given to the nation’s top defensive back. Harris’ average of seven yards per carry ranks second in Alabama history (among rushers with at least 200 carries). He rushed for 906 yards this season. Hurts passed for 1,940 and rushed for 768. DE Clelin Ferrell, DE Austin Bryant, QB Kelly Bryant (Clemson) Ferrell and Bryant have combined for 16 sacks and 31.5 tackles for losses. Bryant, in his first season taking over for Deshaun Watson, accounted for 3,504 yards and 24 touchdowns from scrimmage this season — 2,678 yards and 13 touchdowns through the air and 826 yards and 11 TDs on the ground.