Ability Defeats Destiny in Battle for National Title

If this was last year’s system for determining a champion in college football, we would have seen Ohio State take on Oregon in the Rose Bowl.  Wrapping up this season, it’s for the National Championship.

Ohio State has been through so much adversity this season, and that is just describing the quarterback situation.  Braxton Miller injured his shoulder in an early season practice.  The Buckeyes turned to J.T. Barrett.  While there were some early season struggles, including a loss to Virginia Tech, the team turned it around and was flying high.

However, against Michigan, Barrett broke his ankle.  The next man up was Cardale Jones.  In the two games he has started, he has won the Big Ten Championship Game and clinched a spot in the National Championship with a win over Alabama in the Sugar Bowl.

Ohio State seems to be a team of destiny, but Oregon may just be too good.

The Ducks are led by Heisman Trophy winning QB Marcus Mariota.  They have a high-powered offense that is predicated on being fast.  I am a firm believer in winning the time of possession battle, but Oregon seems to have found a method that also works.

Compared to past years, Oregon seems to have a more complete team than in past years.  They were not considered a favorite entering the year, but managed to find its way into the first College Football Playoff.

In picking this game, I would be more likely to pick the team of destiny.  However, Oregon really was impressive in their win in the Rose Bowl over Florida State.  This just might be the Ducks year, because they are better.  The pick of Oregon does not or is not meant to take away anything from the job Urban Meyer and the Buckeyes have done to get into this position.  To be in a situation or being competitive on your third string quarterback is simply amazing.

The pick: Oregon 45, Ohio State 34

Side Notes

• Through all of the bowls and the semifinals, the overall picking record is 313-98 (.762).  The record in the bowls and semifinals was 23-15 (.605), and 1-1 in the two semifinal games.
• The first mock NFL Draft of the offseason will come after the deadline for underclassmen to declare passes and more of the draft order is completed (a.k.a. we get to Super Bowl week.)

College Football Week 14 Picks

It is the first of the last two weeks of the College Football season.  It means tons of rivalry games.  Next week will be a mix of regular season games and conference championship games.

If you haven’t had a chance, check out the most recent bowl projections, posted earlier this week here.  Teams that need to win to be bowl eligible will be denoted with an asterisk.

Last Week:  19-7 (.731)

Overall:  261-71 (.786)

#5 TCU vs. Texas

LSU vs. Texas A&M

Stanford vs. #8 UCLA

#13 Arizona State vs. #11 Arizona

Arkansas vs. #17 Missouri

Western Kentucky vs. #24 Marshall (It is sad that an undefeated team may not be in one of the big games.)

*Virginia vs. *Virginia Tech (Winner goes to a bowl game, loser, especially if its Virginia Tech, will be extremely disappointed.)

#15 Auburn vs. #1 Alabama

#2 Oregon vs. *Oregon State

Florida vs. #3 Florida State

#4 Mississippi State vs. #19 Ole Miss

*Michigan vs. #6 Ohio State

#7 Baylor vs. Texas Tech

#16 Georgia Tech vs. #9 Georgia (This game has the potential to be one of the best of the weekend.)

#10 Michigan State vs. Penn State

Kansas vs. #12 Kansas State

#18 Minnesota vs. #14 Wisconsin (Winner in this game goes to the Big Ten Championship game against Ohio State.)

South Carolina vs. #21 Clemson (Without Deshaun Watson or an injured Watson, I don’t think Clemson can win.)

*Kentucky vs. #22 Louisville

Utah State vs. #23 Boise State (Winner could go to the Mountain West Championship game.)

#25 Utah vs. Colorado

Syracuse vs. Boston College

NC State vs. North Carolina

Wake Forest vs. Duke

*Pittsburgh vs. Miami (FL)

*Tennessee vs. Vanderbilt

College Football Week 6 Picks

It’s week six of the 2014 College Football season, which is significant for one reason: a team could become bowl eligible this week.

However, most teams will accomplish that feat in the next few weeks, as only Texas A&M and Nebraska have five wins and play this week.  A new set of bowl projections will come out next week.

Last Week:  21-5 (.808)

Overall:  126-22 (.851)

Arizona vs. #2 Oregon

Louisville vs. Syracuse

Utah State vs. #18 BYU

Wake Forest vs. #1 Florida State

#3 Alabama vs. #11 Ole Miss (Ole Miss is a nice story, but I don’t think they measure up against Alabama.)

#4 Oklahoma vs. #25 TCU

#15 LSU vs. #5 Auburn

#6 Texas A&M vs. #12 Mississippi State (See comment about Alabama vs. Ole Miss and apply here.)

#7 Baylor vs. Texas

Utah vs. #8 UCLA

#14 Stanford vs. #9 Notre Dame

#19 Nebraska vs. #10 Michigan State

Vanderbilt vs. #13 Georgia

Arizona State vs. #16 USC

#17 Wisconsin vs. Northwestern

#20 Ohio State vs. Maryland (Maybe this is where Maryland gets their true welcome to the Big Ten Conference.)

Iowa State vs. #21 Oklahoma State

SMU vs. #22 East Carolina (This is probably the only top-25 team, pretty much assured of a win.)

Texas Tech vs. #23 Kansas State

Virginia Tech vs. North Carolina (The Tar Heels can’t stop anybody.)

NC State vs. Clemson

Miami (FL) vs. Georgia Tech

Pittsburgh vs. Virginia

Florida vs. Tennessee (With two teams evenly matched, got to go with the home team.)

South Carolina vs. Kentucky (It’s been awhile since the Gamecocks were included with the non-top-25 teams from the SEC.)

College Football Week 2 Picks

Last week was a good one to start off the season.  My alma mater let me down, and no one could have expected Temple’s embarrassment of Vanderbilt.

Last Week:  32-3 (.914)

Pittsburgh vs. Boston College

Citadel vs. #1 Florida State

Florida Atlantic vs. #2 Alabama

#7 Michigan State vs. #3 Oregon (At one time, you would pick defense, but with this game being on the West Coast and how offense goes right now in college football, the edge goes to the Ducks.)

#4 Oklahoma vs. Tulsa

San Jose State vs. #5 Auburn

Virginia Tech vs. #8 Ohio State (Not Navy for Ohio State, but this will be the Buckeyes true measuring stick for how their season will go without Braxton Miller.)

Lamar vs. #9 Texas A&M

Northwestern State vs. #10 Baylor

Memphis vs. #11 UCLA

Sam Houston vs. #12 LSU

#14 USC vs. #13 Stanford

#15 Ole Miss vs. Vanderbilt (Based on last week’s game, this one might get ugly.)

Michigan vs. #16 Notre Dame

#17 Arizona State vs. New Mexico

Western Illinois vs. #18 Wisconsin

McNeese State vs. #19 Nebraska

#20 Kansas State vs. Iowa State

East Carolina vs. #21 South Carolina

San Diego State vs. #21 North Carolina

South Carolina State vs. #23 Clemson

#24 Missouri vs. Toledo

Murray State vs. #25 Louisville

Richmond vs. Virginia

Georgia Tech vs. Tulane

Old Dominion vs. North Carolina State

Gardner-Webb vs. Wake Forest

Florida A&M vs. Miami (FL)

Duke vs. Troy

Arkansas State vs. Tennessee

UAB vs. Mississippi State

Ohio vs. Kentucky

Eastern Michigan vs. Florida

Nicholls State vs. Arkansas