With the winding down of another year of college football, a champion is still to be decided. New Years Eve’s playoff matchups will bring us one step closer to finding out who will hoist the trophy on Monday, Jan. 11.

The first playoff matchup of tomorrow evening will feature two teams capable of beating opponents in numerous ways. The first game is between the No. 1 seed Clemson University Tigers, and the four-seed Oklahoma University Sooners. The Tigers and the Sooners have both found success behind strong play at the quarterback position from dual-threat players in Deshaun Watson of Clemson, and Baker Mayfield of Oklahoma.

Both quarterbacks were arguably among the best in the nation, leading their teams to a combined 24 wins this season. Watson of Clemson found success all year in the passing game, throwing for 3,512 yards and 30 touchdowns, while also accounting for 887 yards on the ground and finding the end zone with his legs 11 times on the year.

For Oklahoma, Mayfield showed strong leadership skills, and the ability to run a very efficient Oklahoma Sooner offense. Mayfield contributed more than 3,300 yards passing on the season to go along with a 35-5 touchdown to interception ratio.

Mayfield also has shown a strong pocket presence, with the ability to extend countless plays with an under-valued running ability. He has shown a lot of grit and determination on the field, barreling over many tacklers while most quarterbacks would take the safe option and slide to avoid big hits. Mayfield has a lot of strength and determination to make the big plays that have pushed Oklahoma to an 11-1 record on the season.

Oklahoma has also been propelled by a great ground attack led by star sophomore running back Semaje Perine. Perine is a strong and physical back that can also burn defenses for long runs with deceptive quickness, and with a strong, 237-pound frame, he has the ability to run over would-be tacklers.

Clemson, on the other hand, does have the overall ability to score in bunches, but the team has been anchored by a strong defensive effort this season. Clemson has held its opponents to a 20.2 points per game average this season, which is just lower than the Sooners opponent’s points per game average. What Clemson has however, is a big physical defensive line with an uncanny ability to clog up the running lanes and put pressure on opposing quarterbacks, causing numerous headaches for opponents.

The Tiger defense is led by defensive end Shaq Lawson, who has been a force in stopping the run, and someone that the opposing offense has to account for on every single snap. Lawson has been extremely disruptive all season, and has contributed strong leadership ability, along with phenomenal skill. Lawson finished out the regular season with a team-leading 10 sacks.

The Tigers will go into their matchup with Oklahoma with an unblemished 13-0 record fresh off an ACC Championship, but head coach Dabo Swinney and his Tigers will be in for a huge test at the Orange Bowl, one of the college football semifinal bowl games.

Oklahoma is led by Bob Stoops, and Stoops has won his ninth Big-12 Conference Championship in the last 17 years with Stoops at the helm. This game is bound to feature two-explosive offenses that like to spread the field and run the ball out of the shotgun formation, as well as use short quick passing patterns to move the ball efficiently down the field.

This game will come down to whichever team can get big stops late in the game, and will be must-watch television. It is hard to pick a winner, but looking at the matchups I believe that Clemson will come out on top in this game, behind a strong performance by Watson. Watson has proved himself unstoppable all-season and I do not see anything changing here. Clemson wins by a score of 38-31.

The other playoff matchup will feature two high profile teams, the University of Alabama and Michigan State University. Alabama has been a Southeastern Conference (SEC) powerhouse over the last decade, winning BCS National Championships in 2009, 2011 and 2012. The Crimson Tide of Alabama have been carried by Heisman Trophy winner Derrick Henry this season, who has done nothing but punish tacklers by running over them and using strong bursts of speed to out-run linebackers and turn the corner. Henry ran for 1,986 yards on the season, while scoring 23 touchdowns.

Nick Saban is, and will continue to be the big story for Alabama football, as he has coached the Crimson Tide to three championships, and a playoff appearance last season where the eventual champions in Ohio State University defeated them. Saban always finds a way to get the most out of his players, and seeing the Crimson Tide with another SEC Title and a 12-1 record is no surprise.

Michigan State had been an underdog this season, but not a team that has really shocked people by making it to the playoffs. Michigan State does not do one thing perfect, but they do everything well, and it has helped tremendously as Michigan State knocked off the reigning National Champion Buckeyes in Big Ten Conference play during the regular season, before going in to Indianapolis and defeating Iowa for the conference championship. The Spartans will go into their Cotton Bowl matchup with Alabama with a 12-1 record.

This game will come down to which team takes better care of the ball and capitalizes on its opponents mistakes. Michigan State will need to force turnovers and convert them for points if they want to come away with the victory. Michigan State has already faced a challenging test with one of the nations best backs in Ezekiel Elliot of Ohio State, so they know what they will be up against, but stopping Henry is a whole different story.

Michigan State, which is led by Mark Dantonio, will have to put all it has into this game defensively. Alabama has only allowed opponents to score 14 points per game this season, and its strong defense will give Connor Cook and the Spartans’ offensive nightmares all game.

Based on defensive ability and the strong running performance that Alabama will look to get out of Derrick Henry, I believe that Alabama will not fall to another Big Ten opponent in the first round of the college football playoffs. The Crimson Tide will defeat the Spartans and move on to the College Football National Championship Game, where they will face Clemson University. Given the strong performance in title games for Alabama recently, if I had to pick a winner for the Alabama Clemson matchup, I would take the Crimson Tide.

Swinney has done an incredible job this season with his Tigers and getting them over the hump with all the seasons where they just missed the chance to play in a title game, but I do not see Saban losing this one. The Crimson Tide will come out firing on all cylinders, and if any team in the playoffs falls behind early to the Tide, the game will not end well for them. I believe come Jan. 11, Alabama will hoist the College Football Playoff Trophy, claiming its 16th national championship in school history.

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