COLLEGEFOOTBALL PLAYOFF PAIRINGS SET
Lions left out, but does anyone really think they’re worthy?
No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 4Washington, No. 2 Clemson vs. No. 3 Ohio State
Look, I’m trying to whip myself into an indignant frenzy over Sunday’s final College Football Playoff rankings, but I just don’t seem to be able to pull it off.
I feel like it really should stick in my craw that Penn State could beat Ohio State head to head andwin the Big Ten championship outright, yet be ranked No. 5 and relegated to the Rose Bowl while the No. 3 Buckeyes compete in the playoff.
It’s not fair! It’s a mockery of sporting protocol! It’s a slap in the face!
Or not. If Ohio State and Penn State were playing each other tomorrow, I’d pick the Buckeyes to win. Come on, you would, too. Hey, it’s only because they’re better.
Of course, we haven’t even mentioned No. 4 Washington, the Pac- 12 champion with the pitiful list of nonconference victories. How does that team get in over the champ of the Big Ten— the best league in college football this season? It’s an outrage! Or whatever. “Obviously, as you know for certain— I think everyone does— Penn State had the edge when it came to the strength of schedule that they played over the course of the season,” selection committee chairman Kirby Hocutt said. “Because ofWashington’s strength of schedule, their margin for error was very slim. I think our discussions would have been much easier ifWashington
would’ve had a stronger strength of schedule.”
Translation: Dude, we just thinkWashington is better. That’s where I’m at, too. I believe all four playoff teams are better than Penn State and thatMichigan and USC ( and maybe Oklahoma) are as well. By the way, that initial Rose Bowl point spread— the Trojans are favored by 7 ½ points over the Nittany Lions— sure is telling.
The best bowl matchups
Although, truth be told, the real best bowl is always the one that’s on next. CFP rankings in parentheses: 1Clemson ( 2) vs. Ohio
State ( 3), Fiesta: These teams mirror each other in so many ways. The Tigers’ DeshaunWatson and Buckeyes’ J. T. Barrett are veteran, dual- threat quarterbacks who are among the very best in the country at their position. Both defenses are young but fast and dynamic. Urban Meyer is one of the greatest big- game coaches of all time, but who has done better work over the last few years than Dabo Swinney? Yes, the winner of this game— Buckeyes or Tigers— is capable of beating Alabama. 2Alabama ( 1) vs. Washington ( 4), Peach: The Huskies can run with Alabama. They have game breakers on offense and in the return game. They have a coach, Chris Petersen, who 10 seasons ago masterminded one of the most famous upsets in bowl history— Boise State over Oklahoma in overtime at the Fiesta Bowl. Can this team hang with the big, bad Crimson Tide? 3Penn State ( 5) vs. USC ( 9), Rose: Young quarterbacks Trace McSorley and Sam Darnold will be a ton of fun to watch. Nittany Lions running back Saquon Barkley and Trojans do- it- all guy Adoree’ Jackson are superstars. The clash of iconic uniforms in Pasadena will be a beautiful sight and most appropriate for what still is the greatest bowl game of ’ em all. 4Florida State ( 11) vs. Michigan ( 6), Orange: The Seminoles’ season went a little sideways, but their A- game is right up there with Michigan’s. Can’t wait to see what happens when FSU running back Dalvin Cook and Michigan linebacker Jabrill Peppers meet up in the open field. 5LSU ( 20) vs. Louisville ( 13), Citrus: It’s quite possible Tigers running back Leonard Fournette and Cardinals quarterback Lamar Jackson are the two most talented players in all of college football. Just in case you’re, you know, into that kind of thing. 6Western Michigan ( 15) vs. Wisconsin ( 8), Cotton: The 13- 0 Broncos won at Northwestern and at Illinois. What’ll happen when they face a real Big Ten team? Oh, stop, it’s just a joke. Seriously, what’ll happen when they take on the most physical teams in the country? 7Auburn ( 14) vs. Oklahoma ( 7), Sugar: By the end of the season, the Sooners were playing as well as any team not named Alabama. Their offense proved unstoppable in the
Big 12, but Auburn’s defense is better than any in that conference ( the Sooners’ 8Coloradodefense included). ( 10) vs. Oklahoma State ( 12), Alamo: You think Penn State feels overlooked? Imagine how the Buffs feel after winning the Pac- 12 South but being passed on by the Rose Bowl, which opted to take Pac- 12 South runner- up USC instead. 9FloridaThis’ll be a shootout. ( 17) vs. Iowa ( NR), Outback: It wouldn’t be bowl season if Iowa weren’t matched up against an SEC opponent. The Gators are an excellent team when ( finally) healthy, but the Hawkeyes played their best football over their final three games. 10Nebraska ( NR) vs. Tennessee ( 21), Music City: It’s always a good time when what was the Big Ten’s most overrated team and what was the SEC’s most overrated team do battle. No, really, this should be a good one. Hello, Yankee Stadium
Northwestern couldn’t have hoped for a cooler postseason assignment than the Pinstripe Bowl against No. 23 Pittsburgh at Yankee Stadium.
“Our entire football family is ecstatic for the opportunity to take the field one more time this season in an iconic setting,” coach Pat Fitzgerald said.
The Panthers are good enough to have beaten two teams— Penn State and Clemson— that ended the regular season in the top five. Did we mention they scored 175 points over their final three games? That’ll give a defensive- minded guy like Fitzgerald a nightmare.