Bowl Predictions: National Championship

This year's Clemson Tigers are the best in over three decades.
Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Later tonight, a new national champion will claim their crown in Glendale, Arizona. Once again, this season's winner will come from Dixie. The Alabama Crimson Tide can claim their 16th national title and their first since 2012 while the Clemson Tigers can earn their second title since winning it all in 1981. These two storied programs have met on 15 occasions since the turn of the last century. Clemson won the first game in 1900 as well as the following two in 1904 and 1905, but Alabama has won all 12 games since 1909. Alabama enters their final game with a 13-1 record while Clemson is a perfect 14-0. Recap how both teams got to the playoffs in my previous post.

Clemson's defense excelled in the Tigers' 37-17 victory over Oklahoma. Although outplayed throughout the game, the Sooners had kept the game close until halftime (the Sooners actually led 17-16 at the break). However, the Tigers continued to dominate and shut out the Sooners for the remainder of the game. Oklahoma was limited to just 67 rushing yards all game. Clemson moved the ball effectively, and oftentimes at will, against the Sooner defense. The Tigers put up a total of 530 offensive yards, mostly on the ground, against the Big 12's best defense.

Just as, or more, impressive was Alabama's 38-0 shutout of Michigan State. Similar to the day's earlier game, Alabama was the better team through all 60 minutes, although Michigan State kept the game competitive during the first half. The Crimson Tide asserted themselves after halftime, putting up 28 unanswered points in the final two quarters. The Tide gained 440 yards on offense, 201 more than the Spartans. Crucially, Michigan State was held to just 29 rushing yards.

The Tide can continue their dynasty with another
championship. Ron Jenkins/Getty Images

As it should be, the nation's two best teams are meeting in the season finale. Both squads have great defenses and playmakers on offense. The Crimson Tide feature Heisman-winning running back Derrick Henry, but he'll need a spectacular performance to gain yardage on the Tiger defense. He will be aided by a threatening Crimson Tide passing attack. Clemson will be led by Heisman runner-up Deshaun Watson, who has a bevy a talent surrounding him. They'll be up against what may be the country's best defense and an incredible front seven.

Hopefully, this will be an excited game decided in the final minutes. Superior defense may be what wins another championship for the Alabama Crimson Tide.

• 2 Alabama (13-1) over 1 Clemson (14-0), 27-20

Bowl Predictions: After New Year's

Jacksonville's bowl game could be the lowest-scoring of the
entire season. Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Today is the final day of college football before the championship game. Surprisingly, none of yesterday's games were competitive. Hopefully, at least a couple exciting games await us over the next few hours.

Gator Bowl: Georgia (5-3 SEC East) and Penn State (4-4 Big Ten East) face off for the first time since the 1983 Sugar Bowl, in which the Nittany Lions defeated the Bulldogs and captured their first national championship.

Georgia began their season with four wins over inferior competition. The Bulldogs then ran into the buzzsaw that is the Alabama defense. After a decisive defeat at the hands of the Tide, the Bulldogs suffered a come-from-behind victory by Tennessee. After beating Missouri 9-6, the Bulldogs dropped another game to Florida, dooming their efforts through turnovers. Georgia finished the year beating their last four opponents, although they seemed to limp by Georgia Southern and Georgia Tech.

Penn State started the year with the program's first loss to Temple since the Second World War. After five-straight wins, the Nittany Lions were handily defeated by Ohio State. Penn State slipped by Maryland and shut out Indiana before entering their final three-game stretch. Facing tough competition, the Nittany Lions lost these three games against Northwestern, Michigan, and Michigan State (the latter two in lopsided fashion).

Defense should dominate this matchup between the Bulldogs and the Nittany Lions. Georgia has a respectable running game, but in all other aspects neither offense is particularly formidable. Both teams tend to play at a similar level. Georgia's defense should be a key advantage.

• Georgia (9-3) over Penn State (7-5), 20-17

Liberty Bowl: At different points of the season many would have doubted that Arkansas (5-3 SEC West) or Kansas State (3-6 Big 12) would be playing in a bowl. The Razorbacks started the year losing four of their first six games (losing to Toledo, Texas Tech, Texas A&M, and Alabama, but also beating Tennessee). Arkansas finished the year winning five of their last six. During this run, the Razorbacks conquered Auburn, Ole Miss, and LSU; their lone loss was by a single point to Mississippi State. Kansas State won their first three games (including a win over Lousiana Tech), but dropped the following six. During their mid-season losing streak, the Wildcats lost close games to Oklahoma State, TCU, and Baylor, but were also shut out by Oklahoma (55-0). At this point the Wildcats' record was 3-6; however, winning their final three over Iowa State (by three points), Kansas, and West Virginia (by a single point) ensured they would be granted a bowl invitation. Arkansas has played better during the later half of the year and has generally played better than Kansas State for much of the season. The Razorbacks will probably pick up another win here.

• Arkansas (7-5) over Kansas State (6-6), 35-24

Oregon can earn their eighth-consecutive 10-win season with
a win over TCU in San Antonio. Cole Elsasser/Emerald

Alamo Bowl: Two of the country's most productive offenses go head-to-head when Oregon (7-2 Pac-12 North) meets TCU (7-2 Big 12).

Oregon began the year splitting their first six games, following each win with a loss. In the Ducks' second game, they fell after a spirited effort against Michigan State. A couple weeks later, Oregon lost in a rare blowout against Utah. After another win, the Ducks were defeated in overtime against Washington State. Since then, Oregon's had a perfect record, winning all six of their final games. Three of these games were close (Washington, Arizona State, and Stanford), but the wins over Cal and USC were accomplished with relative ease. All five of these aforementioned teams were invited to bowl games.

In contrast, TCU began their season with a winning streak, running through their first eight games without a loss. These wins weren't always easy, with the games against Minnesota, Texas Tech, and Kansas State all being close. After impressively crushing West Virginia, the Horned Frogs lost their first game, and fairly decisively, against Oklahoma State. The next week, the Frogs struggled to get by Kansas at home. TCU put up an admirable effort against Oklahoma, losing by just one point after a late two-point conversion failed. The battered Horned Frogs finished their year with an overtime win over rival Baylor.

At one point in the season, TCU would have been favored heavily over the Ducks. Now, the Horned Frogs have been hampered by injuries and suspensions, the pendulum of fate has swung in Oregon's direction. Expect the Ducks to have superior personnel at hand.

• 15 Oregon (9-3) over 11 TCU (10-2), 42-21

Cactus Bowl: The season's penultimate game may feature two of its less predictable teams, Arizona State (4-5 Pac-12 South) and West Virginia (4-5 Big 12). During their first four games, the Sun Devils were soundly beaten by both Texas A&M and USC. In their fifth, they dominated a then-hot UCLA Bruins squad. Later on, ASU lost three straight, was effectively handled by Utah and Washington, but lost a heartbreaker to Oregon. The Sun Devils reached bowl eligibility with solid wins over Washington and Arizona, but fell a couple points short in the season finale against Cal. The Mountaineers started strong with a 44-0 shutout of Georgia Southern, but would often struggle through the remaining season. West Virginia suffered through four-straight losses mid-season (against Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Baylor, and TCU), but only came close to beating OK State. The Mountaineers followed this with four solid wins (including a narrow victory over Texas Tech), before dropping the finale against Kansas State by one point. The game could easily go either way. More experience with tougher teams might give a slight edge to Arizona State.

• Arizona State (6-6) over West Virginia (7-5), 41-35

Bowl Predictions: New Year's Day

The new year begins with 10 ranked teams playing in five featured bowl games. Enjoy excellent defense as 2016 begins.

Despite some setbacks, 2015 may be considered a success for
Tennessee if they manage to defeat Northwestern.
Adam Lau/Knoxville News Sentinel via AP

Outback Bowl: The first game of 2016 will be played by Tennessee (5-3 SEC East) and Northwestern (6-2 Big Ten West) in Tampa.

Tennessee fans may ask "what if?" after a season with so many close call. Early in the season, Tennessee relented second-half comebacks to Oklahoma, Florida, and Arkansas, while later on they were defeated by Alabama after a late touchdown put the Tide ahead. Just a three plays separated the Volunteers from potential playoff contention. Tennessee finished their season on a strong note, however, winning their final five games.

Northwestern's latest season stands out as one of the best of the last several decades. The Wildcats started the season winning five-straight, including a 16-6 win over Stanford at home. Northwestern lost their next two games to Michigan and Iowa by a combined score of 78-10. Never the flashiest team, the Wildcats proceeded to earn narrow victories over Nebraska, Penn State, Purdue, Wisconsin, and Illinois to finish the season.

Northwestern has an excellent defense and a good running game. Tennessee's defense isn't quite as dominant, but their running game is also strong and the Volunteer offense is generally better than their Northwestern counterparts. Tennessee should have the overall edge.

• 23 Tennessee (8-4) over 13 Northwestern (10-2), 27-14

Citrus Bowl: A couple of the nation's best defenses go to battle this afternoon in Orlando. Both Michigan (6-2 Big Ten East) and Florida (7-1 SEC East) are led by first-year head coaches who guided their teams into the national conversation during the season.

Michigan opened their season with a hard-fought loss to Utah on the road. Over the course of the next five games, the Wolverines outscored opponents 160-14, blowing out Oregon State, UNLV, BYU, Maryland, and Northwestern (shutting out the final three). This winning streak was broken by Michigan State, who beat the Wolverines on a miracle punt-block return as time expired. Michigan won their next four games against conference opponents before losing badly to Ohio State in the season finale.

Florida had a surprisingly good start to the year, winning the first six games of the season. While the Gators struggled to beat East Carolina and Kentucky, they also pulled a remarkable comeback victory over Tennessee and routed Ole Miss in the Swamp. The Gators suffered a narrow loss to LSU before defeating rival Georgia 27-3 in Jacksonville. In Florida's next three games, they had a difficult time scoring against Vanderbilt, South Carolina, and Florida Atlantic. These offensive woes continued into the home finale, as the Gators could only manage to score a safety against Florida State. Florida lost 29-15 to Alabama in the SEC Championship Game.

The strength to both teams is their defenses. Both teams prefer passing the ball to running it, although neither team (especially Florida) is particularly strong offensively. Florida might have a slightly better defense. If the Gators hope to win, they will need much help from their defense and special teams to score.

• 19 Florida (10-3) over 14 Michigan (9-3), 14-10

Fiesta Bowl: Two of the best teams in the country, Notre Dame and Ohio State (7-1 Big Ten East), play tonight in Glendale.

Notre Dame's 10-win season is another to be proud of for Irish fans. Notre Dame began the season with four-straight wins before coming short of a comeback against Clemson on the road. Over the next several weeks, the Irish defeated Navy, USC, Temple, and Pitt. After two more wins, the Irish dropped a heartbreaker in their season finale against Stanford in Palo Alto.

The defending national champions had another good year, even if they did not win their conference or make it to the playoffs. The Buckeyes won their first 10 games; during this run, Ohio State narrowly defeated Northern Illinois and Indiana, but easily beat Western Michigan and Penn State. Against their most difficult opponent of the season, Michigan State, the Buckeyes faltered, losing 17-14 at home while being thoroughly outplayed. The Buckeyes rebounded with a lopsided rout of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

Both teams are similarly talented. Both offenses are comparably productive, although while the Irish have a balanced attack, the Buckeye offense skews heavily towards the ground game. Although Notre Dame is good defensively, Ohio State is probably better. That defense should lift Ohio State to another victory here.

• 7 Ohio State (11-1) over 8 Notre Dame (10-2), 24-17

The Hawkeyes must face the challenge of defending one of
the nation's best running backs in Christian McCaffrey.
AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez

Rose Bowl: Once again, Pasadena promises another outstanding matchup of Big Ten and Pac-12 heavyweights. This year, Iowa (8-0 Big Ten West) will meet Stanford (8-1 Pac-12 North) for all the roses.

Due to their two losses, Stanford was the only conference champion from one of the high-tier conferences not invited to the playoffs. One of those fateful losses came at the very beginning of the season, with a 16-6 defeat to Northwestern in the opener. Stanford proceeded to dominate the Pac-12 in all but two games (a narrow win over Washington State and a close defeat against Oregon). The Cardinal often made short work of such competition as USC, UCLA, and Cal. Stanford also won a close game over Notre Dame. The Cardinal crushed Southern Cal in the Pac-12 title game.

Despite their failure to capture the Big Ten title, this season was Iowa's best in at least a decade. The Hawkeye's won a school-record 12 games in 2015, and just missed out on a 13th. Iowa did not play one of the nation's strongest schedules, but did defeat Wisconsin (10-6) and Northwestern (40-10). The Hawkeyes led Michigan State until late in the fourth quarter of the Big Ten Championship Game.

Both squads possess good defenses and run-heavy offenses. Both teams play well against good competition. So, all signs point to this being an closely fought game. Iowa can win with an exceptional defensive performance.

• 5 Iowa (12-1) over 6 Stanford (11-2), 17-14

Sugar Bowl: Two great quarterbacks will duel when Ole Miss (6-2 SEC West) faces Oklahoma State (7-2 Big 12) tonight at the Louisiana Superdome.

Ole Miss began their season well, scoring more than 140 combined points in their first two games. Then it got better, when the Rebels downed Alabama 43-37 in Tuscaloosa. After another win, the Rebels walked into the Florida Gators. Things didn't go Ole Miss's way, and the Rebels fell, 38-10. A few weeks later, the Rebels lost again, this time to Memphis. Ole Miss beat Texas A&M and Auburn in their next two weeks,  The Rebels lost to Arkansas 53-52 in overtime the following Saturday, a loss that ultimately eliminated them from SEC title contention. The Rebels ended their year strong with solid wins over LSU and Mississippi State.

Oklahoma State started their season winning their first 10 games. The Cowboys avoided most of the Big 12's best teams during this run and did not have a difficult out-of-conference schedule; however, they did beat TCU by 20 points. Oklahoma State ended their season with two losses to Baylor and Oklahoma (the latter game in a blowout).

Oklahoma State has one of the nation's best passing attacks, but will be facing one of their most difficult opponents in Ole Miss. The Rebels also have a good passing game, but are better at running the ball and playing defense. Poor bowl preparation could hinder the Rebels, even if they are the better team.

• 12 Ole Miss (9-3) over 16 Oklahoma State (10-2), 38-31