College Football Playoff Poll And Game Thread

I’ve spent this college football season being the Oregon Ducks voice at Off Tackle Empire, which I think is a very clever SBNation site – one that is a B1G site, devoted to all of the B1G teams. A significant part of what I’ve done is to throw my opinion in the ring as to my weekly Top-10 rankings, my weekly Power Poll rankings of all the Big-10 teams, and my weekly picks of all the B1G games.

I did very well on straight-up winners, and kinda “meh” against the spread, which is why I would never bet on sports. Never. If I’m going to gamble, I’ll do it at a craps table.

But I digress.

The following poll is who you think will be the straight-up winners of the 1st round playoff games. I have my opinion and who I’m voting for in this article, but you can also read here on OTE on what my picks for all of the Big Ten bowl games will be.

You’re going to hear what I think, and that’s fine and whatever, but let’s hear what you think about these first-round matches. I personally think this is great. I’m looking forward to watching all of these games; Oregon’s not playing and I can watch the drama and the potential crash-and-burn….it’s a beautiful thing to behold. Fire away!

#10 Indiana (11-1) vs. #7 Notre Dame (11-1)

Until week 13, I did not rank ND in the Top-10. ND is perennially overrated. They are also on my eternal hate list along with U$C, fOSU, Texas, and washinton. (Miami is too, but I get to point and laugh there).

I want Indiana to win this game. I really do. I don’t think they do. I think that they don’t, and Notre Dame is going to drive a ****** vampiric stake in my cold, black heart and advance.

#11 SMU (11-2) vs. #6 Penn State (11-2)

SMU is just happy to be here. The Nittany Lions will domesticate the ponies. This seems to me to be the easiest pick in the first round.

#12 Clemson (10-3) vs. #5 Texas (11-2)

I sooooo want Clemson to deliver the kind of post-season chaos this playoff needs. I have to admit this: Sarkisian is not really my favorite person. However, you have to give him props for rising from the ashes of his USC flame-out 10 or so years ago. He’s the best coach that Texas has had in quite some time, but I’ll still do a dance if the Horns lose, because I still don’t like them. I think Texas wins….and I while I might wish differently, I’m relatively certain that the Horns win convincingly.

#9 Tennessee (10-2) vs. #8 Ohio State (10-2)

I want to pick Ohio State. I should pick the Buckeyes. They’ll probably win. I’m picking the Vols because I want to see Columbus implode like a nuclear fusion experiment gone bad….and I want Oregon to play Tennessee.

Let the games begin.