Image Courtesy: ABC News
Friday, December 19
9.Alabama (10-3) @ 8.Oklahoma (10-2)
8 PM ET, ABC & ESPN
Alabama will limp into Norman struggling after taking a 23-21 loss to No. 8 Oklahoma just over a month ago on Nov. 15. The Crimson Tide had won eight straight games before losing to the Sooners and since they are 2-2. Their offense has looked much worse and it has been hampered by injuries.
Oklahoma will hope their offense can improve so they don’t have to rely on their defense, one of the best units in the country, to stop Alabama on every possession. For that to happen, the Sooners need to score more than 17 points, the number they put up in both of their last two conference games each against Missouri and LSU.
There are rumors that Alabama signal-caller Ty Simpson is dealing with a serious back injury. But with the lack of a run game due to Jam Miller’s lower leg injury, it will be up to receivers Germie Bernard, Ryan Williams, and Isaiah Horton, who have combined for 19 touchdowns, to step up against the Sooners’ defense.
For Oklahoma to defeat Alabama again, they will hope to get defensive lineman R. Mason Thomas, who has 6.5 sacks this season, back from injury. Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables anticipates Thomas will practice ahead of Friday’s game. It will be important for the Sooners to have Thomas next to defensive lineman David Stone (3.5 sacks) to get to Simpson and defensive back Robert Spears-Jennings, who has four passes defended, to stop Bernard, Williams, and Horton from having big nights.
With Miller expected to return for the College Football Playoff, he will be expected to come back from injury against one of if not the best defensive lines in the country at Oklahoma. So, backups Daniel Hill and Kevin Riley will have to support Miller even though they had -3 rushing yards against Georgia in the SEC Championship game. Linebackers Kip Lewis and Owen Heinecke will attempt to shut down the Tide’s ground game.
The Alabama secondary will have to watch out for Oklahoma’s wide receiver Isaiah Sategna (), who has won the Sooners many of their game catching passes from John Mateer, who is more dangerous on the ground than with his arm, and must avoid throwing his 11th interception against the Crimson Tide if they want to win on Friday night. Defensive backs Bray Hubbard’s and Keon Sabb’s 11 passes defended and five interceptions will be trusted defending against Sategna.
Oklahoma running backs Tory Blaylock and Xavier Robinson have combined for 861 yards and eight touchdowns. Linebackers Justin Jefferson (67 tackles) and Deontae Lawson (66 tackles) will be trusted to stop the Sooners’ ground game that will also be supported by Mateer, who is a strong runner with 416 yards and seven scores.
Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer, who has gone 0-2 versus Oklahoma the last two seasons since taking over, will look for his win against the Sooners to advance in the College Football Playoff. But the game is in Norman and Oklahoma’s defense will not allow the Alabama defense to have the same little success they had against them in November. The Sooners would advance to face Indiana at the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day by defeating the Crimson Tide.
Projected Score: Oklahoma 20, Alabama 17
Saturday, December 20
10.Miami (10-2) @ 7.Texas A&M (11-1)
12 PM ET, ABC & ESPN
Miami was not ranked in the top 12 in all of the College Football Playoff ranking shows until the Selection Show on Dec. 7. For the Hurricanes, that is all that matters as they were included as the final at-large in the playoff despite not even making the ACC Championship game. They head on the road to one of college football’s toughest environments at Kyle Field against Texas A&M.
The Aggies lone loss is to instate rival Texas, which kept them out of making their first SEC Championship game appearance. They will attempt to bounce back against Miami as they play for the first time in over three weeks.
The Hurricanes will rely heavily on former Georgia quarterback Carson Beck to get the ball down the field and score points. Beck has thrown for over 3,072 yards and 25 touchdowns but must stay away from turnovers as he has already thrown 10 interceptions this season. He will have to get the ball to wide receivers Malachi Toney (970 yards and 7 TDs), Keelan Marion (557 yards and 1 TD), and CJ Daniels (397 yards and 7 TDs) if they want to win the game on the road. Texas A&M safeties Marcus Ratcliffe and Dalton Brooks will be vital in stopping a former SEC quarterback and his offense.
Tailbacks Mark Fletcher, CharMar Brown, and Girard Brown Jr. have combined for 19 scores this season. They will look to support Beck’s passing game and get through the A&M front seven, led by linebacker Tauren York (67 tackles, 2 passes defended, and 1 sack) and defensive end defensive end Cashius Howell (29 tackles and 11.5 sacks).
Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed may be even more important to his team’s success than Carson Beck on Saturday afternoon. The second year starter threw for just 180 yards, no touchdowns, and two interceptions against what is a good Texas defense but is not the way Reed needs to be playing entering the postseason.
Reed’s tremendous receivers like KC Concepcion (886 yards and 9 TDs), Mario Craver (825 yards and 4 TDs), and Ashton Bethel Roman (459 yards and 5 TDs) will be vital for their offense’s success with coordinator Col.in Klein returning to his alma mater Kansas State to take over the head coaching position. Miami defensive backs Jakobe Frazier (4 interceptions and 4 passes defended) and Zechariah Poyser (5 passes defended) will be critical in making sure does not have a good game against them.
Linebackers Mohamed Toure and Wesley Bissainthe will be trusted to stop the Aggies’ running backs. That group includes Rueben Owens, Le’Veon Moss, and quarterback Reed, who have combined for 17 scores this season. The ground game has been up and down this season for Mike Elko’s team but if they can get them a push at home, the chances of Texas A&M winning will be even greater against Miami.
In what could be the best game of the College Football Playoff’s first round, Miami will have to start fast and gain a lead early in the game if they don’t want the Texas A&M’s “12th Man” crowd get involved and help Texas A&M have success. The Aggies will bounce back from their loss to Texas and advance to face No. 2 Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl on Dec. 31 by defeating the Hurricanes.
Projected Score: Texas A&M 31, Miami 27
11.Tulane (11-2) @ 6.Ole Miss (11-1)
3:30 PM ET, TNT & HBO Max
Ole Miss dominated Tulane 45-10 back on Sept. 20 in Oxford. Now, the Green Wave return to Oxford three months later to the day. Tulane head coach Jon Sumrall will remain with the team through their College Football Playoff run before taking the same job at Florida but Ole Miss’ Lane Kiffin has already arrived in Baton Rouge and has been at his new job at LSU for the last few weeks. Now, defensive coordinator Pete Golding has been promoted to be the full time head coach and he will look to lead the Rebels to a national championship.
In the loss to Ole Miss, Tulane scored just 10 points. Quarterback Jake Retzlaff went five for 17, 56 passing yards, and no touchdowns but he did lead the Green Wave in rushing with 51 yards. Retzlaff will need his offensive playmakers to step up against Golding’s strong defense if they want a chance to defeat Ole Miss. Rebel linebackers TJ Dottery and Suntarine Perkins will attempt to get to Retzlaff, sack him, and keep him from having a quality game.
One way Tulane can come out victorious is by getting better support from their running backs. Arnold Barnes III and Javin Gordon combined for just 82 yards in the loss over three months ago so much more will be expected to beat the Rebels. Similarly, receivers Shabazz Preston (3 catches for 35 yards), Bryce Bohanon (3 catches for 28 yards), and Omari Hayes (1 catch for 22 yards) will also have to be better for their quarterback in Saturday’s action. Safety Wydett Williams Jr., one of the top safeties in the nation who has accounted for eight passes defended and three passes defended, will lead the Ole Miss secondary against the Green Wave playmakers.
It will be interesting to see Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, who has thrown for over 3,000 yards, 18 touchdowns, and just three interceptions play for the first time since Kiffin, the head coach who recruited him from Division II Ferris State, play in his first game since he left the program and in the College Football Playoff. Not even a season after winning the DII national championship for the Bulldogs, he will attempt to defeat Tulane for the second time this season.
Chambliss will look to keep getting the football to receivers Harrison Wallace III (719 yards and 3 TDs), Deuce Alexander (577 yards and 2 TDs), and Cayden Lee (537 yards and 3 TDs) so they can advance on in the playoffs. Green Wave safeties Jack Tchienchou (6 tackles), Kevin Adams III (6 tackles), and cornerback Javion White (5 tackles, 1 pass defended, and 1 tackle for loss) will be trusted to step up again against the strong Ole Miss passing game.
For the Green Wave to win on Saturday, they will need their front seven to be better than it was back in September against Ole Miss. Linebackers Sam Howard (5 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, and 1 sack) and Dickson Agu (5 tackles) will be trusted to perform even better against the Rebels’ Kyren Lacy, who has starred as one of the nation’s top tailbacks, 1,279 rushing for yards and 20 scores.
While Tulane could keep it closer, they will not be good enough to beat an Ole Miss team that will be hungrier than ever just weeks after Kiffin’s exit to advance to the quarterfinal round of the College Football Playoff. The Rebels will outscore the Green Wave and advance to set up a rematch with No. 3 Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.
Projected Score: Ole Miss 42, Tulane 20
12.James Madison (12-1) @ 5.Oregon (11-1)
7:30 PM ET, TNT & HBO Max
Sun Belt champion James Madison will be treated to a rough road environment when they travel to Eugene to face Oregon. The Dukes are attempting to win their first game against a Power 4 team when they face the Ducks on Saturday night.
Last season, Oregon went 13-0, won the Big Ten in their first season of the conference, but lost to Ohio State 41-21 in the Rose Bowl after all of their success. Now, the bracket sets up much better for the Ducks playing a Group of Five team before a potential matchup against No. 4 Texas Tech in the Orange Bowl if they are able to win versus the Dukes on Saturday.
Like Tulane facing Ole Miss, James Madison will have an uphill battle defeating No. 5 Oregon on Saturday night. The Dukes’ offense is powered by their ground game, headed by tailback Wayne Knight, who has rushed for 1,263 yards and nine touchdowns, and quarterback Alonza Barnett, who has rushed for 544 yards and 14 more scores. They must continue to run the ball well against Oregon’s strong defense if they want a chance to win. Oregon linebackers Bryce Boettcher, who has an incredible 104 tackles, three passes defended, one sack, and one interception and Teitum Tuitoi, who has 57 tackles, seven sacks, and three passes defended will be a tough group to block for the Dukes’ offensive line.
Barnett will have to get the ball to wide receivers Landon Ellis and Nick DeGennaro, who have combined for nine touchdowns this season to back up the success of their ground game. Defensive backs Dillon Thieneman (4 passes defended and 2 interceptions) and Aaron Flowers (2 passes defended and 1 interceptions) will be in charge of defending Barnett’s passing game.
James Madison safeties Tyler Brown and Jacob Thomas will be trusted to stop Oregon’s passing game that could be getting back one of its top weapons from injury, wide receiver Evan Stewart, who has not played this season due to a torn patellar tendon in June. If Stewart does not play against James Madison, quarterback Dante Moore will continue getting the ball to receivers Malik Benson (526 yards and 4 TDs), Dakorien Moore (443 yards and 3 TDs), and tight end Kenyon Sadiq (490 yards and 8 TDs).
Running backs Noah Whittington, Jordon Davison, Dierre Hill Jr., all of whom have over 400 yards rushing each and have 23 touchdowns. Linebackers Trent Hendricks and Gannon Weathersby will be in charge of stopping the Ducks’ ground game.
Oregon will take advantage of the home primetime game at Autzen Stadium and defeat James Madison handily. The Dukes may keep the game close in the first half but the Ducks should run away with it in the second half. Oregon will advance to face Texas Tech in the Capital One Orange Bowl on Jan. 1.
Projected Score: Oregon 34, James Madison 17
