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I think this is just a hat tip to conference winners. It doesn't make sense to switch them, if you're not trying to say, "We still focus on these conference championships, even if you're in a bad conference and play bad teams." But hey, I'm happy to be playing against Clemson. I think last year's OSU team was way more deserving than Oklahoma and Clemson. Now they have a chance to prove it. But anyway, they really need to change when these games are played. No one is wants to watch games during New Year's parties. But hey, at least we got the Fiesta bowl again.

I agree. It is really dumb.

Clemson is going to be a bitch to beat.

Clemson usually plays to the other team's level. They're probably just as talented a team as Michigan is though. A lot studs on that team.

I was hoping we'd have a month to prepare for Bama... oh well - let's take care of Clemson!!

College Football Playoff schedule

Dec. 31

College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl
No. 4 Washington Huskies vs. No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide
3 p.m., ESPN
Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Ga.

College Football Playoff Semifinal at the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl
No. 3 Ohio State vs. No. 2 Clemson
7 p.m., ESPN
University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Ariz.

Jan. 9

College Football Playoff National Championship
8 p.m., ESPN
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Fla.


Complete bowl schedule

Dec. 17

Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl
12 p.m., ABC
Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Ga.
North Carolina Central vs. Grambling State

Gildan New Mexico Bowl
2 p.m., ESPN
University Stadium, Albuquerque, N.M.
Mountain West vs. Conference USA

Las Vegas Bowl Presented by Geico
3:30 p.m., ABC
Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas, Nev.
Pac-12 vs. Mountain West

Raycom Media Camellia Bowl
5:30 p.m., ESPN
Cramton Bowl, Montgomery, Ala.
Sun Belt vs. MAC

AutoNation Cure Bowl
5:30 p.m., CBS Sports Network
Camping World Stadium, Orlando, Fla.
Sun Belt vs. American

R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
9 p.m., ESPN
Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, La.
Conference USA vs. Sun Belt

Dec. 19

Miami Beach Bowl
2:30 p.m., ESPN
Marlins Park, Miami, Fla.
American vs. MAC

Dec. 20

Boca Raton Bowl
7 p.m., ESPN
FAU Stadium, Boca Raton, Fla.
Conference USA vs. American

Dec. 21

San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl
9 p.m., ESPN
Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, Calif.
BYU vs. Mountain West

Dec. 22

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
7 p.m., ESPN
Albertsons Stadium, Boise, Idaho
Mountain West vs. MAC

Dec. 23

Popeyes Bahamas Bowl
1 p.m., ESPN
Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium, Nassau, Bahamas
Eastern Michigan vs. Old Dominion

Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl
4:30 p.m., ESPN
Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth, Texas
Army Black Knights vs. Big 12

Dollar General Bowl
8 p.m., ESPN
Ladd-Peebles Stadium, Mobile, Ala.
MAC vs. Sun Belt

Dec. 24

Hawai'i Bowl
8 p.m., ESPN
Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, Hawaii
Conference USA vs. Mountain West

Dec. 26

St. Petersburg Bowl
11 a.m., ESPN
Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Fla.
American vs. ACC/Notre Dame

Quick Lane Bowl
2:30 p.m., ESPN
Ford Field, Detroit, Mich.
ACC/Notre Dame vs. Big Ten

Camping World Independence Bowl
5 p.m., ESPN2
Independence Stadium, Shreveport, La.
ACC/Notre Dame vs. SEC

Dec. 27

Zaxby's Heart of Dallas Bowl
12 p.m., ESPN
Cotton Bowl, Dallas, Texas
Big Ten vs. Conference USA

Military Bowl Presented by Northrop Grumman
3:30 p.m., ESPN
Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Annapolis, Md.
ACC/Notre Dame vs. American

National Funding Holiday Bowl
7 p.m., ESPN
Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, Calif.
Big Ten vs. Pac-12

Motel 6 Cactus Bowl
10:15 p.m., ESPN
Chase Field, Phoenix, Ariz.
Pac-12 vs. Big 12

Dec. 28

New Era Pinstripe Bowl
2 p.m., ESPN
Yankee Stadium, Bronx, N.Y.
ACC/Notre Dame vs. Big Ten

Russell Athletic Bowl
5:30 p.m, ESPN
Camping World Stadium, Orlando, Fla.
ACC/Notre Dame vs. Big 12

Foster Farms Bowl
8:30 p.m., Fox
Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, Calif.
Pac-12 vs. Big Ten

AdvoCare V100 Texas Bowl
9 p.m., ESPN
NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas
Big 12 vs. SEC

Dec. 29

Birmingham Bowl
2 p.m., ESPN
Legion Field, Birmingham, Ala.
American vs. SEC

Belk Bowl
5:30 p.m., ESPN
Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, N.C.
SEC vs. ACC

Valero Alamo Bowl
9 p.m., ESPN
Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas
Big 12 vs. Pac-12

Dec. 30

AutoZone Liberty Bowl
12 p.m., ESPN
Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium, Memphis, Tenn.
SEC vs. Big 12

Hyundai Sun Bowl
2 p.m., CBS
Sun Bowl, El Paso, Texas
Pac-12 vs. ACC/Notre Dame

Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl
3:30 p.m., ESPN
Nissan Stadium, Nashville, Tenn.
Big Ten/ACC/Notre Dame vs. SEC

Nova Home Loans Arizona Bowl
5:30 p.m., Campus Insiders
Arizona Stadium, Tucson, Ariz.
Mountain West vs. Sun Belt

Capital One Orange Bowl
No. 6 Michigan vs. No. 11 Florida State
8 p.m., ESPN
Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Fla.

Dec. 31

Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl
11 a.m., ABC
Camping Ground Stadium, Orlando, Fla.
SEC vs. Big Ten

TaxSlayer Bowl
11 a.m., ESPN
EverBank Field, Jacksonville, Fla.
Big Ten/ACC/Notre Dame vs. SEC

Jan. 2

Outback Bowl
1 p.m., ABC
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Fla.
SEC vs. Big Ten

Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic
No. 8 Western Michigan vs. No. 8 Wisconsin 1 p.m., ESPN
AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

Rose Bowl Game Presented by Northwestern Mutual
No. 9 USC vs. No. 5 Penn State
5 p.m., ESPN
Rose Bowl, Pasadena, Calif.

Allstate Sugar Bowl
No. 14 Auburn vs. No. 7 Oklahoma
8:30 p.m., ESPN
Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, La.

At first glance, it looks like the Big Ten got fleeced.

Specifically Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State and Wisconsin.

Especially Michigan and Wisconsin.

Michigan vs. Florida State, Wisconsin vs. Western Michigan

These match-ups are a letdown.

Penn State vs. USC in the Rose Bowl is a letdown, but not as bad.

Ohio State drops to #3?

Well, the Big Ten has been doing poorly in Bowl games for several years now, so I guess it’s deserved.

If I’m right. That the Big Ten got fleeced, then all four Big Ten teams above should:

1) Be favored in their coming games, and
2) Win the games

Committee did it right.

Penn State can cry all they want, and yes, they won the B1G, and they have a win over Ohio State, but they lost 2 games, one of which they were destroyed. Committee put a premium on being a 1-loss team vs a 2-loss team. Conference championships are important, but they ain't everything.

The committee's job is to get the four best teams in this thing, and I believe they picked the four correct teams. People can cry about Ohio State, but they have 3 wins vs. the final top 8. I've already heard people saying Penn State got robbed, but maybe not lose by 5+ touchdowns to someone during the year? Nope.

As far as the matchups go. I think Ohio State can beat Clemson with a few weeks to prep, but it won't be easy. They have to figure their own offense out before NYE.

I can't see Washington beating Alabama, but I think they can hang around a bit.

I can't see anyone at this point beating Alabama, but I would still love to see OSU make it to the final.

I don't buy into the whole "could Alabama beat the Browns" lame Mike & Mike-esque sports topics that litter sports radio, but I'm pretty convinced our garbage offensive line probably couldn't block their DL.

Kinda sad to see the season come to a close, it always goes by way too fast!

Washington vs Clemson for the National Championship sounds like a TV Networks nightmare..

..so that's what I'm rooting for.

I know they aren't trying to appeal to me, the CFB junkie, but I'd watch the hell out of Clemson/Washington..

The networks are hoping for Ohio State and Alabama because it's obvious that would generate ridiculous ratings.

My dream scenario would be Washington knocking off alabama. That would turn the SEC into a train wreck.

Please happen.

I don't know about train wreck, but it was a down year for the SEC. At least it seems so. Maybe the bowls will verify, or possibly there is more parity in the SEC this year, leaving teams beating each other? I guess we will find out how the bowl games go.

But no doubt, IMO the Big 10 was tough this year. Four really strong teams.

Bowl season won't help or hinder the fact that SEC was not good this year.

Not to mention that a lot of their teams were overblown in pre-season rankings and were clearly not as good as everyone thought they were.

The four top-ten rated B1G teams have a combined 8 losses in their seasons. 6 of those losses came by one of the other three teams. That's the definition of beating each other up, which has always been SEC fan's crutch for years (and a lot of times they were correct)

The Big Ten has been the best conference in the nation this year, and there's little doubt to that.

We said it in different ways, but we agree.

ESPN is praying for Alabama versus Ohio State. Just look at the ratings for OSU versus Michigan and you will see why. It was the most watched noon game in CFB history.

I don't know much about Western Michigan but I expect PSU/USC and Mich/FSU to be very good games. USC and FSU both struggled at the beginning of the season but were playing very well in the second half, especially USC... I don't know who will be favored and I'm not predicting who will win but I think both will be good games.

USC is red hot right now. They are no easy task to deal with.

I am amazed how statistically close these two are for the season. It is a brass knuckle match up. And Mechigan gets shafted again. Good year!

Oh, just win the danged thang. Go, Bucks!

I'm hoping Alabama steamrolls Washington. Better chance some of them are overly comfortable if Ohio State can get by Clemson.

Not only that........perhaps it will shut up people who keep championing the Big 12 and Pac 12 every year.

Last year, Oklahoma got steamrolled by Clemson.

Both the Big 12 and Pac 12 stink!

I'm hoping every playoff game is a blowout..

Close games allow people to say "see! We picked the right teams!"

However, we then run the risk, if every game is a blowout, in people claiming we need to add more teams..

I really like the idea that at least one Power 5 team will be left out..

However I predict that teams will never schedule tough OOC games going forward..

If Oklahoma hasn't gotten blown out by OSU, they are then right up there with Washington..

I think both games could end in blow outs. Are there any OSU players left who played on that team that lost to Clemson?

It goes both ways though. If it weren't for OSU's win over Oklahoma, the Buckeyes may not have gotten in. I think over the last three years, the committee has done a nice job of rewarding teams for playing a tougher schedule, within reason (you can lose a game, but don't lose two.)

Think back to last year's Buckeyes... that was one seriously stacked team. It was a one loss team that like this year, finished as Big Ten East co-champs but lost out on playing the title game due to the head-to-head tiebreaker. They finished 7th in the final playoff rankings. The main reason? Lack of quality wins.

Also, we will most likely see a two loss team in the playoffs at some point. It would have happened this year had Ohio State lost another game somewhere. Many years ago LSU got into the BCS title game (top two scenario) as a two loss team.

I don't think tough non conference schedules are leaving. OSU is gonna finish their series with Oklahoma next year, but after that they have series with TCU and Oregon.

Remember when OSU scheduled a top team for a home and home years in advance..

And then Va Tech by that time was awful..

In the first meeting at OSU, Va Tech won by 2 touchdowns.. the next year at Va Tech, OSU won by 3 touchdowns.. that was the home/home... how is that terrible?

If you don't have any tough non-conference games, you better go undefeated. If you don't, you will be the first team out.

Plus, that non-conference game is a big recruiting draw.. sure you can come to Ohio State and play Wisconsin and Michigan, which is great, but over the next 4 years, we have games at LSU or USC or whatever... very attractive to recruits.

Yeah, except that didn't happen w/Washington. They had one of the weakest schedules in the country, lost a game, and still made the playoffs. I hope Alabama beats the living crap out of them. While I predicted the committee would pick them, I do not think they are deserving.

Equal Talent and Urban Meyer

People need to stop sleeping on Chris Peterson. His team has been playing good football and have looked a lot more prepared for their opponent than Clemson has all season. But, I still think they'll get blown out by Bama.

I don't understand how Tennessee is always in the Top 10 of recruiting and yet is always not very good..

I also don't understand why kids keep going there..

Could say the same for Notre Dame.

I think there's less of an appreciation for the ability to develop the player, when there's quite a bit of it for the recruitment of them.

j/c:

Why the hell would Matt Rhule go to Baylor? That is as toxic of an environment as one can find and that guy is a damn good coach.

maybe they unloaded the bank .. and it's a shot in a major conference. however, if he had other offers, I'd agree.

Dude made freaking Temple good.

good point