Playoff Prediction time!

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

As I share with you guys my predictions for the 2016 CFB playoff, please share yours! And let's all pray that the playoff stays at 4 teams, so that the regular season stays it's usual, beautiful self.

With that done, let's rock and roll! Here are my playoff predictions:

CFB Playoff:​

Fiesta Bowl: Notre Dame over Clemson (Deshaun Watson will be great once again in getting Clemson to the playoff, but a battle-tested Notre Dame team will take them out with their great defense.)
Peach Bowl: LSU over Michigan (The survivors of the always-tough SEC will feel right at home here. Michigan will be a tough out, but the Tigers will tell Mr. Harbaugh "Better luck next time".)
LSU over Notre Dame in the championship game (This is "redemption time" for Les Miles; after almost getting fired he'll have a chip on his shoulder, and so will his team. For 2016, Notre Dame will come OH SO CLOSE to their first title since 1988, but rugged LSU will stop them short and win it all.)

Other "New Year's Six" bowls:​

Orange Bowl: Florida State vs. Alabama (The Seminoles and Crimson Tide will be the "first 2 teams out" of the playoff this year. And it should be a humdinger when Fisher and Saban try to take out their frustrations on each other.)
Cotton Bowl: San Diego State vs. Washington (This was the hardest bowl to pick teams for, but I'm going with this match-up. The Aztecs may be the only undefeated team in the country by New Year's, and the Huskies have way too much talent to be denied.)
Rose Bowl: Stanford vs. Ohio State (Stanford will win a tough PAC-12 race, and they'll have a motivated Ohio State team waiting for them in Pasadena.)
Sugar Bowl: Oklahoma vs. Tennessee (Oklahoma should outlast OK State and the rest of the Big 12, and awaiting them in New Orleans will be a Tennessee making it's first "major-league" bowl game since the 1999 season.)

...So, what do you think? Can YOU do better than me? Let's find out!

 

[outofyourmind]

Mine is a lot shorter.

1. Oklahoma
2. 3 other guys.

 

[Shanemansj13]

Mine is a lot shorter.

1. Oklahoma
2. 3 other guys.

CUM has other plans

 

[BTHOtu]

I feel like I've seen this thread six times already this week. The season needs to start already!

 

[ericd7633]

Fiesta Bowl: Oklahoma vs. Tennessee
Peach Bowl: Alabama vs. Clemson
National Championship Game: Tennessee vs. Clemson

Orange Bowl: Florida State vs. Notre Dame
Cotton Bowl: Houston vs. Michigan
Rose Bowl: Ohio State vs. Stanford
Sugar Bowl: LSU vs. TCU

 

[iowajerms]

Fiesta Bowl: Oklahoma vs. Tennessee
Peach Bowl: Alabama vs. Clemson
National Championship Game: Tennessee vs. Clemson

Orange Bowl: Florida State vs. Notre Dame
Cotton Bowl: Houston vs. Michigan
Rose Bowl: Ohio State vs. Stanford
Sugar Bowl: LSU vs. TCU

Tennessee???

 

[006]

Fiesta Bowl: Oklahoma vs. Tennessee
Peach Bowl: Alabama vs. Clemson
National Championship Game: Tennessee vs. Clemson

Orange Bowl: Florida State vs. Notre Dame
Cotton Bowl: Houston vs. Michigan
Rose Bowl: Ohio State vs. Stanford
Sugar Bowl: LSU vs. TCU

That would be a lot of orange.

 

[fishinabarrel]

I'd be very happy with a New Years Six bowl with all Ohio State lost. Obviously, I would like more but with the youth on this team, to make it to one of those bowls would be an accomplishment IMO and make them a very good team heading into the following year

 

[ericd7633]

Tennessee???

Return 18 starters I think, including QB. Schedule sets up really well for them. Road games at UGA, at A&M, at South Carolina and at Vandy. Nothing too troubling OOC for them. Really, I think they beat Bama during the regular season, but lose the rematch in SECCG, but the committee still takes them at 12-1.

 

[Shanemansj13]

People did the same thing last year with Tennessee. They had a pretty easy schedule outside of Bama and Oklahoma. They lost every tough game on their schedule, barely beat South Carolina. They aren't getting in the top 4. I will take Bama or LSU over them any day.

 

[Shanemansj13]

Return 18 starters I think, including QB. Schedule sets up really well for them. Road games at UGA, at A&M, at South Carolina and at Vandy. Nothing too troubling OOC for them. Really, I think they beat Bama during the regular season, but lose the rematch in SECCG, but the committee still takes them at 12-1.

It doesn't matter, they don't know how to win big games. If they step up and win in big games they will be a very good team. They almost lost to South Carolina last year although they almost beat Oklahoma and Alabama. Too inconsistent.

 

[ericd7633]

It doesn't matter, they don't know how to win big games. If they step up and win in big games they will be a very good team. They almost lost to South Carolina last year although they almost beat Oklahoma and Alabama. Too inconsistent.

They were like 5 plays away from being 11-1 during the regular season and then lost to Bama by only 5 in Tuscaloosa. They were inconsistent last year, but some of that could be contributed to youth and not knowing how to close out games/execute down the stretch. I think another year of experience will help with that tremendously. They played as well as anybody the last two months of the season. I realize I'm going out on a little bit of a limb, but I doubt many people had Clemson and/or Oklahoma in the CFP prior to last season. I doubt many people even had MSU in the CFP(although I did).

 

[Shanemansj13]

They were like 5 plays away from being 11-1 during the regular season and then lost to Bama by only 5 in Tuscaloosa. They were inconsistent last year, but some of that could be contributed to youth and not knowing how to close out games/execute down the stretch. I think another year of experience will help with that tremendously. They played as well as anybody the last two months of the season. I realize I'm going out on a little bit of a limb, but I doubt many people had Clemson and/or Oklahoma in the CFP prior to last season. I doubt many people even had MSU in the CFP(although I did).

While they did play very good ball the last two months they didn't play one decent team. That's why the hype was there in preseason. They have another opportunity this year and like you said they are more experienced, that could show. I still don't see them being better than Bama or LSU but it is a good darkhorse pick. The key is to be more consistent and they will definitely have a shot.

They have an easier schedule this year IMO:

Florida should be down a bit.
Georgia should be a pretty good team but those are two teams they have to beat.
And if they do that there is no other real challenge except for Bama bc their non-conference isn't great. They have Virginia Tech but it's in TN. Then they have a cakewalk the last 5 games like last year. If they lose more than 2 games it is a failure.

 

[Codaxx]

ND is tough. I hate playing them in the opener. They seem to be the new Georgia. Come out looking great. Talent every where, but by week 8 they are a Mash unit. Just seems to happen every year. No Idea what they are doing in their S&C program.

 

[ericd7633]

While they did play very good ball the last two months they didn't play one decent team. That's why the hype was there in preseason. They have another opportunity this year and like you said they are more experienced, that could show. I still don't see them being better than Bama or LSU but it is a good darkhorse pick. The key is to be more consistent and they will definitely have a shot.

They have an easier schedule this year IMO:

Florida should be down a bit.
Georgia should be a pretty good team but those are two teams they have to beat.
And if they do that there is no other real challenge except for Bama bc their non-conference isn't great. They have Virginia Tech but it's in TN. Then they have a cakewalk the last 5 games like last year. If they lose more than 2 games it is a failure.

Yeah, I just think everything aligns for them pretty well this year. The SEC East will be down again. They don't play a top 5 team OOC, and they get Bama at home this year. I think they're more talented than every team on their schedule except Bama, but getting them at home means something to me. Biggest thing I worry about is them closing out the Bama game. I mean this game will probably be their biggest home game since 1998, and will they succumb to the pressure of that, because you'll feel the tension in the stadium for sure.

 

[B_dub]

I feel like I've seen this thread six times already this week. The season needs to start already!

Interpretation: "I'm just pissed nobody has mentioned the Aggies".

 

[ericd7633]

ND is tough. I hate playing them in the opener. They seem to be the new Georgia. Come out looking great. Talent every where, but by week 8 they are a Mash unit. Just seems to happen every year. No Idea what they are doing in their S&C program.

I don't think it really has to do with S&C. Just think it's bad luck.

Tranquill - Torn ACL
Zaire - Got rolled up on, broken ankle
Robinson - Concussion issues(stopped playing altogether)
Folston - Torn ACL
Russell - Stress Fracture
Prosise - ankle issues
Smith - Torn ACL/MCL

Like I said, I'm not sure it has to do with S&C and it's just bad luck. Hopefully it evens out this year.

 

[Codaxx]

I don't think it really has to do with S&C. Just think it's bad luck.

Tranquill - Torn ACL
Zaire - Got rolled up on, broken ankle
Robinson - Concussion issues(stopped playing altogether)
Folston - Torn ACL
Russell - Stress Fracture
Prosise - ankle issues
Smith - Torn ACL/MCL

Like I said, I'm not sure it has to do with S&C and it's just bad luck. Hopefully it evens out this year.

ligaments can be helped with stretching and strengthening. Broken bones are just random. Like I said I have 0 idea it has been this way, but it is becoming a pattern

 

[MarkOU]

That would be a lot of orange.

 

[VFL1995]

CFB Playoffs-
Fiesta Bowl:
LSU(12-1) vs. Notre Dame(11-1)
Peach Bowl:
Florida State(12-1) vs. Washington(12-1)
CFB National Championship:
Florida State over LSU


New Years Six Bowls-
Orange Bowl:
Clemson(10-2) vs. Oklahoma(11-1)
Cotton Bowl:
Michigan(10-2) vs. Houston(11-2)
Rose Bowl:
Ohio State(10-3) vs. Oregon(10-2)
Sugar Bowl:
Oklahoma State(11-1) vs. Alabama(11-1)