Orange Bowl: Oklahoma vs Clemson

Despite being undefeated and owning the number one ranking, Clemson is going to walk into the Orange Bowl at 4:00pm on New Year’s Eve as underdogs to the extremely hot Oklahoma Sooners.

As a Heisman Finalist and leader of the Clemson Tigers, Deshaun Watson has gathered much deserved attention after leading his team to this point. Not many people would have picked Clemson to be the sole undefeated team in the playoffs, however a lot of playmakers stepped up for the Tigers this year like Wayne Gallman who improved his rushing yardage from last year by almost 600.

Led by a unique playmaker at quarterback in Baker Mayfield, the Sooners have one of the most explosive offenses in the Country. Sterling Shepard poses as a deep threat option for opposing defenses while Samaje Perine and Joe Mixon provide a stable running game.

Both teams have proven how explosive they are, and everyone fully expects the too high-powered offenses to overwhelm the two struggling defenses. However, Oklahoma’s edge lies in their turnover ability. The Sooners rank among the top ten in terms of interceptions this year. Expect Watson to throw a couple interceptions and give Oklahoma the edge that they need.

Prediction: Oklahoma by 3

Cotton Bowl: Michigan St. vs Alabama

Run the ball on one side of the ball and stop the run on the other, that’s about as simple as  it gets. Both Alabama and Michigan State feature tremendous running attacks and ferocious run defenses. On New Year’s Eve at 8pm, the Big 10 Champions will be squaring off with the SEC champs at 8:00 for a bid to the National Championship game.

After winning the Heisman in a close race, Derrick Henry looks to add a National Championship ring to his trophy case. The 240 pound Junior has carried his team to this game both literally and figuratively. Henry has a staggering 339 carries for 1,986 yards this season which unsurprisingly leads the nation.

The Spartans feature one of the most underrated backfields in the country. Freshman running back, LJ Scott is the feature back who scored the game winning touchdown last week in the Big Ten championship.  Gerald Holmes who is a shifty complement to Scott who prefers to run straight ahead. Look for the duo to make their name in the semifinal game.

Both Alabama and Michigan State boast solid defenses, however Alabama has clearly been the best in the nation this year, smothering anyone who has tried to run the ball on them. The Crimson Tide is the number one run defense in the country and may pose some problems for the run heavy Spartans. Thankfully for Michigan State, they will have a healthy Connor Cook who has the experience and the raw ability to lead long successful drives.

Prediction: Michigan State by 1

Rose Bowl: Stanford vs Iowa

After breaking Barry Sanders all purpose yardage record in a 41-22 rout of USC in the Pac-12 championship, Christian McCaffrey is on a hot streak. The Heisman Finalist does it all, he has rushed for over 1800 yards and received for 540 yards. However, McCaffrey struggled against Northwestern, the only other Big-10 defense he has played all year long. It will be interesting to see how McCaffrey matches up against a stout Iowa defense.

What may be more interesting is how Stanford’s quarterback, Kevin Hogan, does against Desmond King and the one of the most talented defensive backfields in the country. King is second in the nation in terms of interceptions. Although Hogan is very experienced, look for the Iowa defense to fluster him.

The Iowa offense was not very productive against Michigan State in the Big 10 Championship game. This game will be decided by Iowa’s defense and their ability to contain McCaffrey. If they cannot, then Iowa’s offense will not be able to keep up and Stanford will end the year with another Rose Bowl under their belt.

Prediction: Stanford by 7

Fiesta Bowl: Notre Dame vs. Ohio State

After narrowly missing the college football playoffs, Notre Dame and Ohio State will be squaring off at 1:00 on New Year’s Day.

Ohio State was the preseason favorite, however, they lost to Michigan State on a last second field goal which ended their National Championship hopes. The Buckeyes are led by a veteran group of playmakers like JT Barrett, Braxton Miller, Ezikial Elliot, and Michael Thomas. However, Ohio State has had some trouble with their offensive line which will put them at a disadvantage.

Notre Dame is led by quarterback Deshone Keizer who took over for the injured Malik Zaire who was hurt in the first game of the year. Since then, Keizer led his team to an impressive season with their only losses coming from Stanford and Clemson in close games.

Ohio State has a top ten defense and an offense filled with playmakers, look for them to win this one and salvage their season.

Prediction: Ohio State by 10

Sugar Bowl: Oklahoma St vs Ole Miss

Ole Miss was upset by Arkansas on a miracle play earlier this year, which ended their SEC title hopes, however they have a shot to take home a major bowl win on New Year’s Day in a Sugar Bowl matchup with Arkansas at 8:30pm.

Although they have a 9-3 record, the Rebels have a defining win over Alabama earlier this year but also have a couple of head scratching losses to Memphis, Florida, and Arkansas. The Rebel’s leading receiver, Laquon Treadwell, has been quiet the past two games but he is capable of devastating an opposing defense. Treadwell has put up six 100 yard games this year, and eight touchdowns.

On the other hand, Oklahoma State has an effective passing attack led by quarterback Mason Rudolf who ranks among the top 15 in terms of passing yards despite splitting snaps for much of the year. However, The Cowboys are handicapped by their 112^th ranked rushing offense. This has wounded them in their only two losses, against Baylor and Oklahoma in which their leading rusher had under 50 yards.

It is nearly impossible to win a high profile game against a good offense without the ability to run the back. Expect the Oklahoma State defense to flop against a tough SEC defense.

Prediction: Ole miss by 17

Other notable bowl games to watch

Alamo Bowl: TCU vs Oregon

Citrus Bowl: Michigan vs Florida

Military Bowl: Pittsburgh vs Navy

Russel Athletic Bowl: UNC vs Baylor

Chick-Fila Bowl: Florida St. vs Houston