Oh my, SEC, newfound gridiron excellence for the Big Ten, and barrels of money for old Notre Dame.
First up, the Southeastern Conference just means more. Still, not as much as the Big Ten, and it’s not close, with only Missouri taking a head-to-head win during the bowl season (compared to Alabama’s dismal first frame against Michigan), Ohio State steamrolling Tennessee at home, Josh McCray with a two-touchdown performance for the Fighting Illini to beat South Carolina, USC outdueling A&M off of three receiving touchdowns from Ja’Kobi Lane. Finally, we had Friday’s Cotton Bowl win for Ohio State right in Texas’ backyard.
We saw shades of this in the regular season, with many half-baked performances, like Alabama’s 28-point lead halfway through the second quarter gradually reduced to ash from sloppy play. A sequence of eight drives ended up with three offensive points, three turnovers, and four punts. But in a situation where teams have to string three or four good, complete games together to win the National Title, fluking your way through and going through the motions isn’t good enough.
The most disappointing thing about it is that no one will learn this. Next year, we will have the same discussion about some random three-loss team in the SEC deserving a playoff spot over a less well-known team that only had one opportunity for a key win–whether from the ACC or a Group of Five conference.
Speaking of the ACC, we move to the Fighting Irish. They are a non-football conference member and will do their best to stay that way, especially after this season. The main reason for this is that they ended up winning 11 games this regular season, losing only to Northern Illinois. This was good enough for the 7-seed and the highest-risk game in the first round against Indiana. They took care of business in South Bend, watched Carson Beck fall over himself in the postponed Sugar Bowl, and came from behind against Penn State in the Orange Bowl for their chance at destiny.
ND is relatively long for the title, but getting here has netted them the greatest reward: money, twenty million dollars to be exact, regardless of the result on the 20th. This money is theirs, unlike their opponent, Ohio State, who will have to split their winnings with the rest of the Big Ten.
While this money can not be used for players, which is a shame, it will improve facilities for players in all sports, from football to rowing. If Notre Dame continues to have strong schedules like next year’s and has strong results like this year, the funds and prestige it earns should not be a shock.
Finally, let’s focus on the Big Ten. It has been a changing of the guard in the college football landscape, with their top four teams making the CFP–the most of any conference–and two semifinalists, with a third possible with a better draw. The main reason is that they play every game with a chip on their shoulder. Big Ten teams are always looking for the knockout blow, giving opposing teams no hope of getting back into the game–a continuation of what Michigan and new member Washington showed us last year with wins over current SEC teams Alabama and Texas, respectively.
Before I make a prediction that’s as cringe as I am, at least according to my favorite VTuber, Ashelia “Lia” Rinkou (though I will still defend my patron Menphina from Final Fantasy XIV and wonder why anyone wouldn’t want to share a Wyoming King-sized bed with Kafka, Himeko, and Welt Yang from Honkai: Star Rail every night,), I will say that, with this format of the CFP, the best teams have made it to the final in what is like a mini-March Madness. While certainly not perfect, it will be tough to change without expansion. The Group of Five conferences and probably the Big 12 and ACC will ensure that outcome via an extended legal battle.
We will finish the CFP as it started, as predictable as a teal platypus with a trilby saving the Tri-State area by destroying a middle-aged man’s newest invention. Ohio State has a significant advantage here, especially if they can keep drives short. Notre Dame is not the best team on special teams, with a field goal percentage of less than 60%.
So, it will be a straightforward night for the Buckeyes’ defense if they can stop the Fighting Irish rushing attack, led by running back Jeremiyah Love. Will Howard needs to avoid mistakes, and they’ll have this. I’m going Buckeyes -9.5 and Under 42.5 here, with a final score of 24-14.
(Forward all complaints to 25-15-4, The Goblet, Coeurl, and I’ll see they go to the shredder.)
