So, why are we talking about the college football playoffs on a Nebraska Cornhuskers website when they aren’t part of it? Because as college football fans this is where we all want our Huskers to be going forward. So, we need to understand what it’s going to take for them to get there. You don’t do that without staying connected and watching the top teams in college football, and that is what the CFP is. Well, at least sort-a-kind-of.
After what can only be described as an uneventful first round of the playoffs, the matchups in the quarterfinals are much more promising. Some people called the Alabama – Oklahoma matchup the best game of the weekend, but I enjoyed the defensive battle between Texas A&M and Miami. Both games were also the first time the visiting teams won, and I like seeing that. We also heard the same questions from last year arise, will the four teams that received a bye be lethargic after being idle for so long?
After the performance of the two Group of Five teams there is controversy as if the Group of Five deserves to be in the CFP at all. I won’t go that far. Everybody likes a Cinderella story. However, with the gauntlet the playoffs present, I don’t see a Cinderella team going all the way. Maybe a first round win at most. That said, two Group of Five teams should never be allowed in again. The CFP should be about selecting the 12 best teams and that didn’t happen this year.
As I said, the quarterfinal games should be better, and I especially like Oregon vs Texas Tech and Alabama vs Indiana. Miami will be exposed and Ohio State will be more than the Hurricanes can handle. Ole Miss and Georgia are a rematch and Pete Golding or Lane Kiffin, it doesn’t matter, Kirby Smart has the Rebels number. But then again, I’ve been wrong before.
December 31st, 2025
Cotton Bowl, AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX
(10) Miami 11-2 vs (2) Ohio State 12-1
ESPN 6:30pm
This could be another defensive battle for Miami, although it won’t be as low scoring as what we saw at College Station. Ohio State averages 34.9 points per game and has two of the best receivers in college football in Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate. The pair has 128 receptions for 1,924 yards and 20 TDs on the season. With QB Julin Saying passing for 3,323 yards, 31 TDs, and 6 INTS with a completion rate of 78.4%, look for the Buckeyes to put the ball in the air. The Buckeye offensive line has done a good job of protecting Sayin, only allowing 11 sacks on the season.
However, the strongest part of Miami’s defense is the defensive line as the big fellas up front produced 26 of the 41 sacks. Maimi also defends the run well which hasn’t been one of Ohio State’s strong suits this season.
Miami QB Carson Beck has had a good season, passing for 3,175 yards, 26 TDs with a 74.5% completion rate. But he has had trouble taking care of the ball, throwing 10 interceptions. Beck hasn’t spread the ball around particularly well either as his main target is freshman Malachi Toney who has 89 receptions for 992 yards and 8 TDs. Toney is a threat anytime the ball is in his hands, as he had the winning touchdown against A&M on a jet sweep.
Ohio State’s defense hasn’t put-up eye-popping numbers in TFLs, sacks, and turnovers, but they do own two of the best stats in the country only allowing 213.5 yards and 8.2 points per game. You can also bet OSU sack leader DE Caden Curry (11) will introduce himself to Carson Beck.
In the end Miami’s defense won’t be able to contain Ohio State’s offense for the whole game and offensively the Hurricane’s don’t have enough weapons to overcome a dominant Buckeye’s defense.
OTC’s Pick – Ohio State 24-16
January 1st, 2026
Orange Bowl, Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens
(5) Oregon 12-1 vs (4) Texas Tech 12-1
ESPN 11:00am
This is the most intriguing matchup of the quarterfinals. My concern here is that the Red Raiders haven’t seen action for the last 26 days. Of all the teams that received a bye it may hurt Tech most of all. They have been building momentum all season and peaked in the Big XII Championship. Hopefully that hasn’t been lost. I see Oregon’s defense against Texas Tech’s offense as an even match-up. Don’t get me wrong, there are some good battles here, RB Cameron Dickey versus LB Bryce Boettcher and QB Behren Morton versus CB Dillion Thieneman. But this one hinges on Oregon’s offense versus Tech’s defense and one of these units will be the reason for a victory.
The Red Raiders are absolute ball hawks on defense having 16 interceptions, 15 fumble recoveries, and 22 forced fumbles on the season. As you read further don’t let the numbers bore you, let them sink in. Tech has a strong defensive front with the top three D-Lineman registering 28 TFLs and 16 sacks. Often lining up in a down position but called a linebacker is David Bailey. He is Tech’s QB threat with 17.5 TFLs and 13.5 sacks. While those numbers are good, they pale in comparison to the linebackers who are the real strength of the “Wreck ‘Em Tech” defense. Chuck Bednarik, Lombardi, and Butkus award winner Jacob Rodriguez leads this crew with 61 solo tackles, 11 TFLs, 4 INTs, and 7 FF. Next to him is Ben Roberts and John Curry who have a combined 141 total tackles, 6.5 TFLs, 3 INTs, 10 PDs. Finally on the back-end watch for 3rd leading tackler S Cole Wisniewski and interception leader CB Brice Pollack (5).
Oregon averages 468.9 yards of offense and 31.9 points per game. They are led by QB Dante Moore who has passed for 3,046 yards with a 72.4% completion rate, 28 TDs, and 8 INTs. He’s a mobile QB who can make plays, rushing for 196 yards and 2 TDs while being sacked 12 times. The Ducks have three rushers over 500 yards averaging 7.3 yards per carry with each having a run of over 65 yards or longer and totaling 24 TDs. The RBs also have 40 receptions out of the backfield. The WR corps has been beaten up but is starting to get healthy with Malik Benson, Jeremiah McClellan, and Dakorian Moore leading the way with 96 receptions and a 16.25-yard per catch average for 1,573 yards, and 12 TDs. Another big part of the offense is TE Kenyon Sadiq who has 42 receptions for 509 yards, and 8 TDs.
If this one doesn’t come down to the Tech-D against the Ducks-O I’ll be shocked. Tech shows why defense wins championships.
OTC’s Pick – Texas Tech 27-24
Rose Bowl, Pasadena
(9) Alabama 11-3 vs (1) Indiana 13-0
ESPN 3:00pm
While Alabama defeated Oklahoma in Norman, I’ve questioned if Bama should have been in the CFP at all. In the Sooners defense, it’s hard to beat a team twice and as far as Bama is concerned there were better teams passed over to get them in. Of the eight teams remaining, Bama has the worst offensive production of the bunch, 380 yards per game, and they have the worst loss on the season, Florida State.
I’ll start with the fact Alabama only had 55 total rushing yards against Oklahoma. And that wasn’t an anomaly, we’ve seen it with the Tide before. Indiana is strong against the run, only allowing 77.6 yards rushing per game. The Hoosiers also know how to get after the quarterback with 39 sacks and 17 interceptions on the season. If the Hoosiers make Bama one-dimensional on offense, it’ll be bad news for QB Ty Simpson. The Crimson Tide allowed 29 sacks this season and we’ve seen Simpson struggle when pressured. The Hoosiers only allow 257.2 yards of offense and 10.8 points per game. This one comes down to Indiana shutting down Bama’s passing game.
On the other side of the ball, Bama’s defense may be stout, but it won’t shut down QB Fernando Mendoza and the Hoosiers. Mendoza, a well deserving Heisman winner, has passed for 2,980 yards,33 TDs, 6 INTs, while rushing for 240 yards and 6 TDs, after being sacked 18 times. He is supported by RBs Roman Hemby and Kaelon Black who together have rushed for 1,716 yards, at 5.4 yard per carry average and 13 TDs. Throw in WRs Omar Cooper and Elijah Sarrett who together have 109 receptions for 1,491 yards with a 13.7 yard per catch average and 23 TDs, and you have too many weapons for the Tide to handle.
All the Hoosiers need to do is get after Simpson. The Tide offense revolves around Simpson and WR’s Germie Benard, Ryan Williams, and Isaiah Horton. The trio has 143 receptions for 1,933 yards and 19 TDs. Jam Miller is the leading rusher with 504 yards, a 3.9 yard per carry average and 3 TDs on the season. To put it bluntly, Bama has no running game.
Notre Dame and Texas point to the results of this one and say, “That’s why we should have been in.”
OTC’s Pick – Indiana 30-17
Sugar Bowl, Caesars Superdome, New Orleans
(6) Ole Miss 12-1 vs (3) Georgia 12-1
ESPN 7:00pm
On the outside it appeared Ole Miss didn’t skip a beat in a rematch against Tulane without former HC Lane Kiffin. And while I should give Ole Miss the benefit of the doubt, this is different, it’s Kirby Smart and Georgia. Everything may seem alright, but things are bumpy in Oxford, which doesn’t bode well for Ole Miss as new HC Pete Golding tries to juggle staff, keep his roster intact, and recruit against LSU. Call me crazy, but in my opinion, Ole Miss would have benefited from letting Kiffin stay and coach through the CFP.
Oh well, on to the game against Georgia. Ole Miss’s only loss this season was to the Bulldogs, 43-35. The Rebels lost the game in the fourth quarter, getting outscored 17-0. But that’s what good teams like Georgia do, they are never out of it and behind QB Gunnar Stockton this is a Georgia team that could very likely win it all. After the Ole Miss game Kirby Smart was quoted as saying, “The one thing we are, we’re hard to kill. We won’t go away.” And that will once again be the case in this one.
Ole Miss has been productive all season on offense, and while the pieces are all still in place, it’s hard to imagine everything will continue to click as it has. QB Trinidad Chambliss’s name was mentioned for the Heisman and for good reasons, he’s passed for 3,298 yards, 19 TDs, and 3 INTs on the season while rushing for 506 yards on 124 carries with 8 TDs. That’s after being sacked 13 times. He is supported by a strong running game with RB Kewan Lacey who has 270 carries on the season for 1,366 yards, a 5.0 yard per carry average and 21 TDs. Lacey can also be dangerous as a receiver out of the backfield. The Rebel’s boast a strong receiver group with 4 WRs totaling 167 receptions for 2,563 yards and 14 TDs. TE Dae’Quan Wright has also proved to be an important part of the offense with 34 receptions for 553 yards and 3 TDs. On the season the Rebels average 498 yards of offense and 37.5 points per game.
The Bulldogs defensive stat line doesn’t catch your attention with impressive numbers, but they only allow 284.5 yards of offense and 15.9 points per game. The strength of their defense is defending the run, only allowing 79.2 yards rushing per game, with a 2.9 yard per carry average. The defense is led by LBs CJ Allen, Raylen Wilson, and Chris Cole who have a combined 207 total tackles, 20 TFLs, and 11.5 sacks.
Offensively, the stat line again isn’t something you would point to, but QB Gunnar Stockton is a winner with a 13-2 win-loss record as the starter. His numbers are solid, passing for 2,691 yards, 23 TDs and 5 INTs, while rushing for 442 yards and 8 TDs on the season. RB Nate Frazier leads the way rushing with 861 yards and 8 TDs. Zachariah Branch is the man at receiver with 73 receptions for 744 yards and 5 TDs. Again, none of the numbers are eye-catching but all this team does is win.
The Rebel’s defense isn’t as good as their offense, and their numbers aren’t anything to talk about. They allow 340 total yards and 20 points per game. Stat numbers are low with 69 TFLs, 27 sacks, 8 INTs, and 5 fumble recoveries on the season. Defensive leaders are LBs TJ Dudley and Suntarine Perkins who have combined for 151 tackles.
This one all comes down to the Georgia defense slowing down the Ole Miss offense. If Lane Kiffin were still coach, I’d lean towards the Rebels. But with everything going on with Ole Miss’s players and staff I can’t make myself believe they can beat a driven Georgia team. There is too much outside noise and even though I said earlier it’s hard to beat a team twice, I think Georgia gets it done.
OTC’s Pick – Georgia 30-27
Artwork – Lyle Harmon
Stats gathered from ESPN – Serving Sports Fans. Anytime. Anywhere.
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