The Panel: 4 Fast 4 Furious
A December to Remember leads to Happy Honda Days
What have we learned?
Well, almost nothing at all. The first iteration of the 12-team CFB Playoff has left us with more questions than answers. Namely, how did we let these four teams be the final four? Jokes aside, how did we let these four teams be the final four?
Where do we go from here?
Great question! As with every bracket, the only logical thing left to do is have people on the internet make predictions. May I introduce to you: The Panel
Who will win the National Title?
Adam: Notre Dame
I don’t really have any data or statistics to believe in this. In fact, I have about 30 years of evidence to not believe in Notre Dame. Having said that, I don’t want to live in a world where the fans of the other teams are happy feel like Notre Dame has the mandate of Touchdown Jesus and Catholic Heaven.
Alex: Penn State
Man, lotta great options here, I was gonna type something describing each team and what I like and don’t like about each, but 1. that sounds boring, 2. I don’t know ball well enough to do that, and 3. if you came to this article looking for a deep analysis of football and the CFP semifinals you gotta make smarter decisions, dude. I’m gonna just rock with it and say Penn State, because my God would there be some good Ohio State and Texas discourse online if that happens, and I’m a sucker for the funny option.
P.S. Look at Bart down here putting a “u” in “favorably”, gross!
Bart: Penn State
Seriously! One of the best run-stopping teams in college football gets to face a run-heavy ND, and then either (i) a Texas team that has looked very mortal against both Clemson and ASU, or (ii) an OSU team that Penn State matches up favourably against in the trenches. How they’d fare under the bright lights against either Texas’ or OSU’s passing game is an open question, as are James Franklin’s game management abilities, but the Nittany Lions have what it takes.
Bill: Ohio State
I take no pleasure in reporting this. If Ryan Day does not win a national title with this roster, then protein powder crazed Buckeye fanatics will have every justification to depose their coach and exile him to a frozen island on Lake Erie.
Chris: Notre Dame
Notre Dame because they have the best defense and best path left.
Conor: Ohio State
Even Ryan Day can’t fuck this up.
Guapo: UConn & Georgia
Notre Dame is beating Ohio State. Notre Dame lost to NIU. UConn beat NIU. Hang da banner. Also, Georgia because they won the SEC Championship.
Joe: Ohio State
They aren't playing in cold weather anymore. Matchup nightmare versus any secondary. Deeply funny for Michigan to hold their win over them. We deserve it.
Kyle: Ohio State
Texas has had too many injuries and haven't been consistent. Penn State is suffering a severe case of Drew Allar and only sometimes does James realize the cure is Allen/Singleton on repeat. Notre Dame is reallllly good, but Ohio State’s offense is better and that'll be the difference.
Matt: Ohio State
We don’t know anything about anything yet when it comes to playoff football (I’m an idiot at math and I know this is a small sample size). I’ve got a theory that regular season results mean less than which team is ‘peaking’ right now, and if that holds up, there’s really one answer. I don’t like it and you probably don’t like it, but Ohio State is on fire, having cut Tennessee and a deserving number one seed in Oregon to ribbons. Ryan Day could fuck up boiling water, but I don’t think anyone left has the defense or patience to recreate how Michigan has sat on him in the past.
Matty: Ohio State
Notre Dame is going to get the TCU treatment, shocking the world with a dominating semifinal performance against an upstart Big Ten team before their Cinderella season ends getting curb-stomped by an SEC program. Yes, I know what conference Ohio State is in, but this team is built different.
Mitch: Notre Dame
I like Ohio State's offense but that Michigan game still worries me. Notre Dame’s defense is so damn good, I think it could shut down the offense for all the remaining teams. I don’t trust Ewers.
Puddles: Ohio State
Texas, because it’ll be funny but not because I necessarily want them to win but I also don’t know ball so realistically it could be anyone, which is why it’ll be Ohio State, which would annoy me.
Tim: Ohio State
Same reasons as Joe.
Trox: Texas
In this Capitalistic Conflict, the free market is telling me who wins and right now all signs point to $Texas. My oilfield services sources say to expect a strong Q2, and that Permian Basin oil rig numbers are holding steady. Good enough for me! Ohio State most likely actually wins it.
Wayne: Notre Dame
Texas can't stop tripping over their own dick. Penn State is still coached by James Franklin. Ohio State can't move the ball against a defense with a pulse. (Sorry, Vawls)