College Football Playoff 2020: Simulating a 16-team bracket

16-team College Football Playoff semifinal: 2 Clemson vs. 6 Oklahoma

In recent years when Lincoln Riley has guided the Sooners to the College Football Playoff semifinals, it’s been a familiar story for the program. They have a high-powered offense but a sub-par defense that gets torched when they face one of the elite teams in the country. However, this might be the most balanced iteration of Oklahoma yet.

Though it’s crazy to say that one player can make a difference, Ronnie Perkins joining the lineup on the defensive line midway through the year allowed everything to take shape in Norman. They have a strong pass rush, an athletic secondary and a linebacker group that has gotten better throughout the year. And, of course, Spencer Rattler and the offense can still put up a big number.

Because of all of this, I wouldn’t expect this Sooners team at this point in the 2020 season matching up with Clemson to result in a blowout in favor of the Tigers. In fact, this should be a good game. Even then, however, Dabo Swinney’s club would come out on top.

We saw in the Big 12 Championship Game that a good defensive gameplan is capable of forcing Oklahoma out of their preferred style of play and Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables is undoubtedly able to provide that. So with that and the talent on the Tigers’ offense, Clemson heads to another National Championship Game.

Clemson wins, 37-28