The College Football Playoff Has Arrived!

Happy New Year, and welcome to 2024! Isn’t a lazy day of football the best way to start off day 1 of 365? I certainly think so!

Here’s the deal: yesterday was a big day of football, and today isn’t any different. We’ll run through a few quick items from the NFL and then move on to the College Football Playoffs and some of the other bowl games.

Here we go.

NFL Sunday

🏈 The SF 49ers took care of business and won their game against the Washington Commanders. The Niners have locked up the one seed in the NFC

🏈 The Baltimore Ravens defeated the Miami Dolphins 56-19, and the Ravens have locked up the one seed in the AFC. WHO IS GOING TO STOP THE RAVENS? Please tell me.

🏈 The Arizona Cardinals upset the Philadelphia Eagles 35-31 and the Eagles are starting to a look a little suspect. Can this thing get back on track before the playoffs? Especially with the fact they might not have any playoff games in Philly?

🏈Justin Fields is trending upwards for the Chicago Bears and had an impressive day where he totaled over 300 yards and was responsible for 2 TDs. Here’s the interesting thing. THE BEARS WILL HAVE THE 1ST OVERALL PICK IN THE DRAFT. Remember, the Bears have the Panthers first-round pick, and Carolina lost to Jacksonville yesterday, securing the 1st overall pick for the Bears. What will the Bears do in the draft?

🏈 The Kansas City Chiefs and the LA Rams have both clinched playoff spots with their wins yesterday.

College Football Playoffs

🌹 Rose Bowl 🌹 

#1 Michigan vs #4 Alabama

📺️ Gametime is 5 pm ET on ESPN

💰️ Michigan is favored by 2 points and the O/U is 45.5

👉️ The Rose Bowl is “The Granddaddy of them all,” and it’s going to bring us a showdown today. Michigan has one of the best offenses in the nation, but they haven’t had to rely on the passing game much. Quite frankly, the passing game has been practically non-existent in their final games of the season. Was this part of the Michigan game plan or part of the opposition game plan? Michigan has been able to rely on a tough rushing attack throughout the year, and they face an uphill battle on two fronts. One, Michigan is without top O-lineman Zak Zinter. Two, the Alabama defense hasn’t allowed a 100-yard rushing game this entire season.

💪 The Alabama Crimson Tide are going to be facing one of the nation’s top defenses, and they’re going to need a big day from the QB Jalen Milroe. Milroe has been one of the most elusive players in the SEC since Alabama’s week 2 loss to Texas. Milroe has been making explosive plays all year. He’s got the speed to take scramble and get yards, and he’s got the ability to hit the deep ball. Alabama getting explosive plays is a major key for today. You won’t be getting a pick from me because I’m a Michigan fan, and I think they’re going to cover this spread, but you make your own pick!

Sugar Bowl

#2 Washington vs #3 Texas

📺️ Gametime is 8:45 pm ET on ESPN

💰️ Texas is favored by 3.5 points and the O/U is 64.5.

👉️ We’re about to see a battle at the line of scrimmage as the Washington offensive line won the award for the best O-line in the nation. Washington wasn’t winning this award necessarily for their run prowess but for their ability to protect QB Michael Penix Jr. Still, if Washington needs to get yards on the ground, they’ll need to push around a Texas defense that is 3rd in the nation in run defense. Texas has athletes in the secondary but Washington’s receivers might be the best collective group in college football.

👀 The Washington defense isn’t a top ranking defense but they’ve made the big stops and teh big plays against some of the nation’s best offenses that lived in the Pac-12 this year. The Washington defense can get pressure from the edges, and Texas has been extra vulnerable to pass rushes this season and has let up 26 sacks, but Quinn Ewers has been poised in the pocket and has completed 71% of throws for the Longhorns.

⌛️ I think Texas wins this game, but I think it’s also about timing. Texas hasn’t been great in the red zone, and they’ve struggled with finishing drives throughout the year. What this comes down to is time of possession. Washington wants to air this thing out, but that means Texas will have more opportunities with the ball, and I think this is a recipe for Texas to make big plays in the run game that will open up some big passing plays.

New Year’s Bowl Games

Wisconsin vs #13 LSU (ReliaQuest Bowl)

📺️ Gametime is Noon ET on ESPN2

💰️ LSU is favored by 9 points and the O/U is 57.5

#23 Liberty vs #8 Oregon (Vrbo Fiesta Bowl)

📺️ Gametime is 1 pm ET on ESPN

💰️ Oregon is favored by 18 points and the O/U is 69.5

#17 Iowa vs #21 Tennesse (Cheeze-It Citrus Bowl)

📺️ Gametime is 1 pm ET on ABC

💰️ Tennessee is favored by 5.5 points and the O/U is 36.5

Enjoy the games today, and have a great start to the New Year.

GO BLUE!

-The Daily Breakroom