FIW staff picks winners of the College Football Playoff first round
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This will be one of the more difficult College Football Playoff that Notre Dame will ever have to see, as there will always be a what-if scenario about this season.
It’s unfortunate how it played out for the Irish, but they’ll have to move on, which it looks like they have started to do already. This year’s CFP gets started later tonight, and it will be missing one of the top teams in the country.
The Fighting Irish Wire staff of Tim Healey, Dave Miller, and Michael Chen all pick the winners of the first round, even if it pains us to do so.
No. 9 Alabama Crimson Tide at No. 8 Oklahoma Sooners
Game data: Friday, Dec. 19th at 7:00 p.m. CST on ABC at Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma
Healey – Oklahoma and Alabama have both looked rough as the season wore on — don’t even get me started on how ‘Bama should be at home and Notre Dame playing in the CFP in their place — but the Crimson Tide have looked worse. They sleptwalk through the Iron Bowl and probably should’ve lost, and they looked like they wanted to be somewhere else during the SEC Championship game. I think Oklahoma wins an ugly one — and Notre Dame fans get even angrier about the CFP snub.
Miller – This will be a hate watch game, one that I don’t want to see, but it’s the only game on Friday night and the TV will make its way to it. There is plenty of resentment with these two teams, as I think Notre Dame is better than both of them. Ugh, give me Oklahoma.
Chen – To me, this is the game that Notre Dame fans will have the most eyes on, because there is a legit argument to be made that they should have been in over either of them. Oklahoma wasn’t great, and Alabama ended the season with three-losses and no movement after the SEC title game loss to Georgia, which was unprecedented. I’m taking the Sooners, as the Tide show again why they weren’t worthy of a spot.
No. 10 Miami Hurricanes at No. 7 Texas A&M Aggies
Game data: Saturday, Dec. 20th at 11:00 a.m. CST on ABC at Kyle Field in College Station, Texas
Healey – The two teams that beat Notre Dame. Miami slid a bit in the middle of the season, while A&M looked unbeatable with two exceptions — the near-miss against South Carolina and a loss to a Texas team that got its stuff together a little too late. I think the Aggies are a level about the ‘Canes, and they’ll show it in a win.
Miller – Interesting this one played out, as an argument can be made that Notre Dame should have been in over Miami. The Hurricanes haven’t been as consistent as the Aggies, so I’ll go with Texas A&M.
Chen – The Notre Dame bowl, the two teams that beat the Irish during the regular season get to battle it out to see which one of them is better. We’ve seen both of these teams and know exactly who they are. If Miami can dominate both lines, they’ll win, but if it’s a shootout, it’ll go the Aggies way. Expect a lot of scoring and Texas A&M to come out victorious.
No. 11 Tulane Green Wave at No. 6 Ole Miss Rebels
Game data: Saturday, Dec. 20th at 2:30 p.m. CST on TNT at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Mississippi
Healey – Tulane is probably just “happy to be here” against an Ole Miss team that has seemed underrated all year long. The Rebels move on in a laugher.
Miller – Another game that will make me bitter, as again, Notre Dame is better than Tulane. The rules just didn’t place the best teams into the playoff, and a game like this happens. Ole Miss shows why the Green Wave shouldn’t have been in.
Chen – The first of back-to-back games that aren’t very interesting, a similar situation to last year. Fortunately the rules got changed and neither of these teams got byes, so most likely first round exits. Ole Miss wins this fairly handily even with the coaching change since the regular season has ended.
No. 12 James Madison Dukes at No. 5 Oregon Ducks
Game data: Saturday, Dec. 20th at 6:30 p.m. CST on TNT at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon
Healey – I suspect Oregon will make those in charge think twice about giving automatic bids to G5 schools.
Miller – I think that his is the most likely upset of the first round, as Oregon hasn’t been tested nearly as much as the other teams have. The Duck aren’t coming in with nearly as much hype as last year, and it would be easy for them to overlook JMU, which is exactly what I think happens. Dukes shock the CFP’s first round with a win over Oregon.
Chen – The Cinderella story might have happened if Curt Cignetti was still with the program, instead he’s leading the No. 1 seed into the playoff. Oregon hasn’t been inspiring at all, and isn’t as good as they were last year. The Dukes got down with a great fight, but the Ducks pull this one out.
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This article originally appeared on Fighting Irish Wire: FIW staff picks winners of the College Football Playoff first round
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