Jan. 01--Rose Bowl
No. 2 Oregon vs. No. 3 Florida State
TV/radio: 4 p.m. Thursday; ESPN, WMVP-AM 1000.
Line: Oregon by 8.
Records: Oregon 12-1; Florida State 13-0.
Last meeting: The teams have never met.
On the offensive: The 2014 Heisman Trophy winner, Oregon's Marcus Mariota, had a remarkably mistake-free season (38 TD passes, 2 INTs). The 2013 winner, Jameis Winston, threw 17 picks but was outstanding in the second half of games.
Getting defensive: Florida State has just 17 sacks and allowed opponents to complete 43 percent of third downs, ranking outside the top 100 in both categories. A knee injury to premier cornerback Ifo Ekpre-Olomu hurts Oregon.
The number: 29. Consecutive victories for Florida State, a remarkable streak that has been held together by duct tape.
The talk: Mariota might be the most boring interview in sports. Winston loves attention -- and sometimes gets it for the wrong reasons.
The pick: It's comeuppance time -- finally -- for the Seminoles. Oregon, 40-24
Sugar Bowl
No. 4 Ohio State vs. No. 1 Alabama
TV/radio: 7:30 p.m. Thursday; ESPN, WMVP-AM 1000.
Line: Alabama by 9.
Records: Ohio State 12-1; Alabama 12-1.
Last meeting: Alabama won 24-17 in the 1995 Citrus Bowl.
On the offensive: Ohio State has tremendous balance with 1,400-yard rusher Ezekiel Elliott and five receivers who caught at least 20 passes. Crimson Tide star tailback T.J. Yeldon might be limited with ankle and hamstring injuries.
Getting defensive: How will the Buckeyes deal with Heisman finalist Amari Cooper, who caught 115 passes for 1,656 yards and lines up all over the field? Alabama's run defense (3 TDs allowed, 2.8 yards per carry) is remarkable.
The number: 12. Seniors on Alabama's two-deep, making the Tide one of the nation's 25 most inexperienced teams. They're the football equivalent of Kentucky basketball.
The talk: Can Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones, previously regarded as a goofball, excel against a superb defense under the bright lights?
The pick: Ohio State will be up to the challenge but will fall just short. Alabama, 26-23.
