By Matthew W. Maxey | January 1, 2015 | Originally published in Sports & Entertainment Nashville
The confetti from the New Year’s Eve party has been cleaned up and the resolutions have been made, so now it is time to settle in for kickoff on a day full of football and the first-ever college football playoff. Here’s what to know in each of today’s games.
Outback Bowl — Auburn vs. Wisconsin. If you like old-school, ground-and-pound football, this is the game to watch. Auburn had a shot at a national title coming into the season, but the nation’s most brutal schedule was too much to overcome. Wisconsin’s Melvin Gordon was inexplicably AWOL for its Big Ten title game with Ohio State.
Cotton Bowl Classic — Michigan State vs. Baylor. There may not be a better defensive coach in the country than MSU’s Mark Dantonio, and the same could be said about his Baylor counterpart, Art Briles, and his offensive genius.
Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl — Missouri vs. Minnesota. Perhaps no two teams were more underestimated, week-in and week-out, than these two. Missouri chose the path less traveled in this era of offensive wizardry (defense and special teams) to win the SEC East.
Rose Bowl, College Football Playoff Semifinal — Oregon vs. Florida State. The Oregon defense, which struggled big-time earlier in the year, is now playing at an elite level, making the Ducks a scary matchup for anyone.
Sugar Bowl, College Football Playoff Semifinal — Alabama vs. Ohio State. The Crimson Tide have the best coach perhaps in the history of college football, and a wide receiver in Amari Cooper who is about as unstoppable as any who ever played college football. But with a third-string quarterback leading the way, the Buckeyes just posted the most impressive victory any college team posted this season.
Tags: College Football, New Year’s Day Bowls, Sports & Entertainment Nashville