Ranked teams in college football

Erick Smith USA TODAY Published 5:54 PM EST Dec 29, 2018 The combination of Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence and wide receiver Justyn Ross proved to be the difference in the first half of the Cotton Bowl.  The two true freshman connected for two long touchdowns to help the Tigers take a 23-3 lead on Notre Dame at halftime of the day's first College Football Playoff semifinal.  Lawrence first found for Ross a 52-yard score as he beat man-to-man coverage deep down the sideline. The extra point was blocked, making the score 9-3. The second strike of 42 yards came as Ross split the middle of the Irish defense on third-and-14 with 1:44 left in the half.  A late strike from Lawrence to Tee Higgins gave Clemson a commanding lead. Lawrence finished the half 19-of-26 for 264 yards and three touchdowns. Ross had five catches for 137 yards. Defenses had their way early with each team forcing punts on the opening possessions. The Irish got the … [Read more...] about Cotton Bowl: Clemson, Notre Dame tied in College Football Playoff

Erick Smith USA TODAY Published 4:11 PM EST Dec 29, 2018 The College Football Playoff kicked off Saturday afternoon with Clemson and Notre Dame meeting in the Cotton Bowl. One team is on familiar ground as the Tigers are making their fourth consecutive playoff appearance. They won a national title in 2016. It's the first time in the field for the Irish, who last came this close to winning a national title six years ago on the Bowl Championship Series national championship game against Alabama. Both teams entered with unbeaten records. No. 2 Clemson (13-0) cruised through its ACC schedule with ease besides a narrow win against Syracuse in September, which was their first game with Trevor Lawrence starting quarterback in place of Kelly Bryant. No team has come within 20 points of the Tigers in their final eight games. Third-ranked Notre Dame (12-0) beat Michigan in its opener with Brandon Wimbush at quarterback. Brian Kelly then switched to Ian Book after three … [Read more...] about Cotton Bowl: Clemson, Notre Dame meet in College Football Playoff

Editors USA TODAY Published 3:41 AM EST Dec 29, 2018 Top teams face off in College Football Playoff The next step to crowning a college football national champion will be taken Saturday as the playoff commences with the Cotton Bowl and Orange Bowl. The action gets started at 4 p.m. ET as Notre Dame faces Clemson – who will be without star defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence – at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.  No. 1 Alabama will then take on the Oklahoma Sooners and Heisman Trophy winner Kyler Murray at 8 p.m. in Miami. The winner of those two games will meet in the national championship game on Jan. 7 in Santa Clara, Calif.  More: Players know Alabama fatigue is real, but that doesn't stop title quest More: Like it or not, Notre Dame's role as college football power broker secure Utah to lower legal standard for drunken-driving  On Sunday, Utah will become the first state to lower the legal standard for driving under the influence … [Read more...] about College Football Playoff, winter storm: 5 things to know this weekend

Shawn Windsor Detroit Free Press Published 10:24 AM EST Dec 23, 2018 Stop the romanticism. Rip off the amber-hued glasses. Forget the nostalgia, the traditionalism, the notion that college football is somehow different.  It's not.   It’s a business. It’s just that players haven’t treated it as such.  Until now.   If Michigan linebacker Devin Bush Jr. wants to skip the Peach Bowl and get ready for the NFL draft? He should. If MSU cornerback Justin Layne wants to skip the Redbox Bowl and do the same? He should, too.   You can hate it. You can wish every eligible — and healthy — player available would suit up for whatever bowl game your team makes. You can pine for the era when those players did suit up.  You know, like in 2015, the year before running backs Christian McCaffrey (Stanford) and Leonard Fournette (LSU) skipped their bowl games and set off weeks of … [Read more...] about College football a business, players now treating it as such

Shad Powers Palm Springs Desert Sun Published 3:25 PM EST Dec 13, 2018 The month of December is filled with tradition. Santa rounds up his reindeer, revelers watch the ball drop in Times Square and I use my fool-proof system to pick all 39 college football bowl games.  Yes, it's that time of year again, when I help you win your office bowl game pool by using the "Quality Game" system to reveal all the winners from the Rose Bowl to the Redbox Bowl. I have to say it's been working for me. The last three years I've finished second, first and second in a college bowl picking pool I'm in, and what I like most is it takes the guesswork or legwork out of picking the obscure games. You probably have a thought about who is going to win the Orange Bowl between Oklahoma and Alabama, but who do you like in the Camellia Bowl pitting Eastern Michigan and Georgia Southern?  More: The Shaddys! Our columnist's end-of-year football awards for the memorable moments of 2018 Before the … [Read more...] about All 39 college football bowl games: Columnist can help you win your office pool