12-Team College Football Playoff: First Round Matchups
Iowa State Cyclones (12) at Oregon Ducks (5)
In the simplest terms, I’m not buying all of the Iowa State hype. Yes, this is a very good, experienced team that would almost surely make a 12-team College Football Playoff. Yet, it feels like we’re overlooking the fact that this team still went 9-3 with a loss to Louisiana last year.
Oregon, on the other hand, is a team with all the talent in the world. By the time of the postseason, all quarterback questions should be answered and they have enough defensive playmakers to stifle Breece Hall and Brock Purdy. Winner: Oregon
Wisconsin Badgers (11) at Alabama Crimson Tide (6)
Alabama isn’t going to win the SEC because, in a league with several contenders at the top, even a minor slip-up can cost you. By December, though, Bryce Young should be hitting his stride a la Spencer Rattler in the 2020 season. With that and the talent around him, it’s hard to discount them against just about anyone.
Wisconsin has the opportunity to raise their ceiling this year thanks to the upside of Graham Mertz and what he could mean for the passing offense. Unfortunately, even a raised ceiling doesn’t put them on the level of Alabama when Nick Saban’s club is clicking. Winner: Alabama
USC Trojans (10) at Texas A&M Aggies (7)
Perhaps the biggest question for USC this season is whether or not the Trojans can get better play in the trenches on both sides of the ball. That’s been a prevalent issue but also one that the program has seemingly addressed with a large influx of talent.
Having said that, Texas A&M’s defensive front, led by future top-10 pick DeMarvin Leal, is just too much for USC’s offensive line to handle. The Aggies can consistently disrupt Kedon Slovis and the USC spread offense and, if Haynes King is the right choice at quarterback, Jimbo Fisher’s group should be able to overmatch the Trojans consistently all night. Winner: Texas A&M
North Carolina Tar Heels (9) at Cincinnati Bearcats (8)
Cincinnati appears to be a pretty clear-cut top-10 team but they aren’t going undefeated in the regular season again. They have two big matchups with Notre Dame and Indiana this season and, while they could win those games, my projections have them only getting one. That’s why they get seeded at No. 8.
That’s a tough break for the Bearcats because North Carolina is going to be a force by the end of the season. There was legitimate thought put into the Tar Heels possibly beating Clemson to take the ACC but, alas, they fall short. Even still, Sam Howell is going to have success and the defense should be able to take over the game against Cincinnati to propel Mack Brown’s team forward. Winner: North Carolina