Crimson Tide relentless in quest for repeat
Alabama is a massive two-touchdown favourite for semifinal against Washington
It wasn’t that long ago — in a festive holiday season in a galaxy not that far, far away — the NCAA college bowl season consisted of 19 games contested between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day, capped by the four biggest and most respected of them all contested on Jan. 1 — the Rose, Cotton, Orange and Sugar Bowls.
Following all those New Year’s games, a final poll would be held to crown a national champion.
Fast forward to this season, when a record 41 bowls will play out,capped by the National Championship Series finale, Jan. 9 in Tampa.
Here is a look at the national semifinals — the Peach Bowl, featuring Alabama and Washington, and the Fiesta Bowl, with Clemson and Ohio State. (Odds courtesy of Covers, as of Thursday.)
CHICK FIL-A PEACH BOWL
No. 4 Washington (12-1) vs. No. 1 Alabama (13-0) Saturday, Dec. 31, 3 p.m. Atlanta, Ga.
The Crimson Tide, under prickly head coach Nick Saban, are the clear favourites to win the National Championship for the second season in a row and the fifth time in the last 10 years. The Huskies emerged from a highly competitive Pac-12, losing only to a dynamic USC team. The 141⁄ 2- point spread is an awful lot for Alabama to be giving in a national semifinal, but the betting public has faith in the relentless power of the Tide offence and the stifling ability of its defence.
Crimson Tide: Quarterback Jalen Hurts is not the typical Tide signal caller, mixing the pass and run to account for 34 touchdowns — 12 as a rusher. Hurts is trying to join Jamelle Holieway (Oklahoma, 1985) as the only true freshman quarterbacks (not a redshirt) to win a national title. The Tide defence led the nation in allowing just 11.8 points per game.
Washington: Sophomore quarterback Jake Browning threw for 42 touchdowns, with wide receiver Josh Ross hauling in 17 of those. The Huskies had three kick returns for touchdown on the way to scoring 44.5 points per game. On the defensive side Washington was also impressive, allowing just 17.2 points per game, highlighted by linebacker Psalm Wooching, their sacks leader, but the Huskies are missing two key starters on the stop side. Line: Alabama by 14.5 Take: Washington
PLAYSTATION FIESTA BOWL
No. 3 Ohio State (11-1) vs. No. 2 Clemson (12-1) Saturday, Dec. 31, 7 p.m. Glendale, Ariz.
Perhaps one of the foibles of the current NCAA playoff system is that the Buckeyes did not even win the Big 10 title, yet were selected to play in the semifinal game. Penn State, the conference champion and the one team that defeated Ohio State, is playing in the Rose Bowl. This is going to be a great game between two well-balanced teams with differing styles of play. The Buckeyes play a traditional Big 10, grind-it-out offence while the Tigers are more flashing neon on the attack side. The two defences are among the top 20 nationally.
Buckeyes: After winning the national title in 2014, Urban Meyer’s current team has settled on quarterback J.T. Barrett mostly handing the ball off, with an occasional run of his own and a controlled passing attack. After winning their first five games by a combined 212 points, five of the last seven Buckeyes games have been decided by a touchdown or less.
Tigers: Behind dynamic quarterback DeShaun Watson, Clemson scored 40 points aganst the Tide in last year’s title game, but lost by five. Clemson’s rushing game is pedestri- an and Ohio State will double team wide receiver Mike Williams, so look for Watson to run the ball more than he has had to this year and to make stars of his secondary receivers. Line: Ohio State by 3 Take: Clemson The winners will advance to the national championship game, to be played Jan. 9 in Tampa, Fla.