In another time, this would be one of the most anticipated bowl games of the season. In another time, Florida State might even be playing for a share of the national championship with a win over Georgia.
But those days are over now, and what we have is one of the biggest messes we’ve seen in a bowl game.
Another bowl game, another instance where both teams will play without effective quarterbacks. Maryland at least has an excuse, given that Taulia Tagovailoa has opted out to focus on the NFL Draft. Auburn actually has its quarterback, but Payton Thorne isn’t exactly known for his throwing.
Both Penn State and Ole Miss want to legitimize their record as more than a product of a soft schedule. The pressure’s really on for Penn State to do so after Friday, given that Missouri wore down Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl. If the Nittany Lions also go down to an SEC opponent, it’s not going to be a comfortable offseason in Happy Valley.
Ohio State’s playing with a new quarterback, and coach Ryan Day didn’t exactly give Devin Brown a ringing endorsement. Brown likely will face Missouri without his two best receivers. An opportunistic Missouri defense isn’t what Ohio State needs to see right now, which means an upset could be building.
The Tigers have scored like nobody’s business, with 34 being the lowest total they’ve scored since mid-October. But the Tigers also cannot stop anyone, giving up at least 21 points in 10 straight games. The Tigers will definitely score, making this a potential battle of who has the ball last. Given that Iowa State can get the occasional stop, that favors the Cyclones.
This would have been a fun matchup if both teams came in at full strength. Unfortunately, Oregon State is a shadow of itself and Notre Dame’s not a heck of a lot better.
Is it time to buy on Clemson? Dabo Swinney’s made this case for the past month, as the Tigers have ripped off four wins and covered in all of them since his speech. Swinney’s stubborn refusal to use the transfer portal seemed to be an albatross at Clemson, but he’s now looking a lot better after salvaging the season.
The Orange Bowl would be more appropriately named the “You Got Screwed” Bowl. Or perhaps the “Opt-Out” Bowl. Two teams who narrowly missed the CFB Playoff face off on Saturday at 4pm in Miami for the Orange Bowl, a game that used to mean something.
What Jedd Fisch has done in two years has been nothing short of incredible, as Arizona’s gone from 1-11 to a shot at 11 wins. The Wildcats’ rise runs straight into Oklahoma’s future. The Sooners get a good look at what they’ll have next year in the SEC with new quarterback Jackson Arnold, who takes over for the opting-out Dillon Gabriel.
