It is still March, but the only madness going around involves the coronavirus and folks buying up all the toilet paper in our country. We wish nothing but good health and protection for everyone on a path to winning this battle.
Although the NCAA Tournament was canceled because of the many measures put in place to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus, many mock tournaments and simulations have risen up to fill the void many are dealing with.
ESPN has taken things a bit further and designed a 64-team college football playoff. Call it a marriage between the NCAA Tournament and an expansion of the current College Football Playoff. The four No. 1 seeds for each region include Ohio State (Midwest), Clemson (East), Oklahoma (South), and Alabama (West).
And wouldn’t you know, at the end of the road, the worldwide leader crowned THE Ohio State the national champion. There’s no word on whether a virtual banner is on the way.
So what was the road to glory according to the fictional writing of ESPN’s Chris Low? We’ll take you through it.
Next … The Midwest Regional games
How it all went down in the Midwest Region
In the first round, No. 1 seed Ohio State took on No. 16 seed Duke in the Midwest Regional and won because it wasn’ played on the hardwood.
The Buckeyes’ next opponent was No. 9 seed Louisville and there was no problem there either. But that’s when things started to get a little hairy. OSU’s advance to the Midwest Regional semifinal resulted in a matchup between SEC foe and No. 4 seed Auburn. Here’s how Chris Lowe of ESPN has it playing out.
MIDWEST REGIONAL SEMIFINAL
(1) Ohio State 31, (4) Auburn 27: In a back-and-forth game with Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields and Auburn quarterback Bo Nix both leading their teams on pressure-packed scoring drives in the second half, it’s a fourth-down stop behind the line of scrimmage by defensive end Zach Harrison that seals the game for the Buckeyes.
Whew. A close one, but it’s all about survive and advance. Ohio State then had a date with another SEC team, No. 3 seed Florida in the Regional final. It was another close one, but OSU squeaked it out to earn a trip to the Final Four of this hypothetical tournament.
MIDWEST REGIONAL FINAL
(1) Ohio State 34, (3) Florida 28: It’s always a party in Columbus when Ohio State beats up on an SEC team, especially in the postseason. The Buckeyes don’t necessarily beat up on the Gators physically. It’s an evenly matched game in the trenches, but Fields’ ability to extend the play and make plays on the move wears on a Florida defense that can’t get off the field during crucial moments in the second half.
In the national semifinal, a familiar opponent surfaced. In a revenge match of the Fiesta Bowl, the Buckeyes got another shot at Clemson. Apparently, SEC refs were removed from the game, and things went a much, much better in a game that wasn’t that close.
Next … The Final Four
The Final Four
The National semifinal
(1) Ohio State 35, (1) Clemson 24: The Buckeyes are still seething over the defensive touchdown that was overturned on replay in the 2019 College Football Playoff semifinals. They get another shot at the Tigers this season, again in the semifinals, and put the game away early.
So it was then off to the national championship game in which quarterback Justin Fields got a shot to matchup against his former Georiga squad. It was another close one, but in the end, Fields was the hero.
The National Championship Game
(1) Ohio State 35, (3) Georgia 31: In the new age of quarterback free agency in college football, you just knew we were going to get one of these matchups. Both teams have transfer quarterbacks who’ve had monster seasons, but one of those quarterbacks has a little extra motivation. Fields takes a pounding early from his former Georgia teammates, but keeps getting back up off the turf to lead the Buckeyes on a winning drive they will be talking about at the Ohio State University for a long time to come.
There it is. Ohio State is your national champion in a hypothetical 64-team tournament. Time to celebrate, raise the banner, and thump your chest Buckeye Nation.
