Playoffs on the horizon

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By James Howey


jhowey@jccc.edu


Not only does December bring cold weather and holiday cheers, it also brings the home stretch of the football season. College football has the final weekend of football before we have our first ever college football playoffs finalized with the number four seed in question. With the ending of the college football seasons comes awards. Non more coveted than the Heisman Trophy.

This year, the Heisman race is defi­nitely one of the closets in recent memo­ry. The three main players are Oregon’s Quarterback Marcus Mariota, Wiscon­sin, running back Melvin Gordon, and Alabama wide receiver Amari Cooper. Mariota’s stats are maybe not as gaudy as previous winners but his 36 touchdowns and two interceptions are very impres­sive and has been one of the most con­sistent players in the country his entire career at Oregon. Gordon was the fastest player to two thousand yards in a season and held the single game rushing record until Oklahoma’s Samaje Perine broke the record a week later. Cooper is the main weapon on the Alabama offense and is maybe the best receiver coming out of college since Calvin Johnson. If I had a vote it would be for Gordon. In this day in age it is always remarkable for a Run­ning back to dominate like he is doing similar to how Demarco Murray is doing in the NFL. Gordon is averaging an other­worldly eight yards per carry through the season. Although in what is now the age of the quarterback, Mariota will probably win the award.

For years now, college football fans have had playoffs at the top of their Christmas wish list and soon they will be here. The latest rankings have Alabama, Oregon, TCU, and Florida State in that or­der. I would put Florida State at three but I do understand the reason for putting them at four. Florida State has constantly had close games and has not looked near­ly as impressive as the team of last year. Another issue that some people might have is the fact that Baylor who also has one loss defeated TCU 61-58 earlier this season. Although TCU has been more impressive through the season I do un­derstand the perspective of putting a lot into a head to head matchup. I would still leave TCU in the top four over Baylor.

Either way I really don’t see anyone beating the powerhouse that is Alabama and Nick Saban come January. The pros­pect of Sabans defense facing either Mari­ota or Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston in a playoff is a dream made in football heaven. If I had to predict on the championship I’d stick with my pre­season pick of Alabama winning. It’s all like what I said back in August.

 

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