College Football Playoff 2016: Simluated eight-team bracket
By John Buhler
Peach Bowl: No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide vs. No. 4 Washington Huskies
The first national semifinals game will be the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl between No. 1 Alabama and No. 4 Washington, just like the Selection Committee picked in the real-life 2017 College Football Playoff.
Washington could give Alabama a brief scare, but the 2017 Huskies would be better equipped to do that than this 2016 team. Remember that Petersen’s Huskies are essentially a year ahead of schedule in the national hierarchy.
The Huskies won’t make a ton of mistakes, but the Anaconda Plan of Saban’s Crimson Tide will come into effect midway through the third quarter once again. Washington is just not going to have enough bodies to contain the Alabama battering ram that is the Crimson Tide’s ground-and-pound offensive attack.
Look for the Huskies to cover the spread, but Alabama will cruise to another College Football Playoff National Championship. However, this game will be huge for the Huskies’ football program. Maybe Petersen’s team gets to the national title in the fourth annual Playoff? Not this year though. Alabama will await the winner of the Playstation Fiesta Bowl in Tampa.
Pick: Alabama 35, Washington 21