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Roger Steinman / Associated Press
Although the national championship will soon attract all of our attention, the 2020 season has come to an end for all programs except Alabama and Ohio.
They will enter the title clash by fighting for first place, but the rest of the Top 25 B / R is locked.
The panel of five B / R experts – David Kenyon, Adam Kramer, Kerry Miller, Joel Reuter and Brad Shepard – each sent a ballot of the top 25. One vote for first place counted for 25 points, followed by 24 points for second, 23 for third, etc.
B / R Post-Bowl Top 25
1. Alabama (last week: 1)
2. Clemson (4)
3. State of Ohio (3)
4. Notre Dame (2)
T-5. Texas A&M (6)
T-5. Oklahoma (7)
7. Georgia (11)
8. Cincinnati (5)
9. Northwest (14)
10. State of Iowa (16)
T-11. Indian (9)
T-11. BYU (12)
13. Florida (10)
14. Coastal Carolina (8)
15. Louisiana (15)
16. North Carolina (13)
17. Freedom (20)
18. State of Oklahoma (24)
19. State of the ball (21)
20. Miami (18)
21. Iowa (19)
22. Texas (23)
23. USC (NR)
24. State of San Jose (17)
25. State of North Carolina (25)
Others receiving votes: Buffalo, Wisconsin
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Michael Ainsworth / Associated Press
After winning three consecutive places in the college football playoffs, the Oklahoma Sooners were left out in 2020. The first defeats to the state of Kansas and the state of Iowa condemned Lincoln Riley’s team.
Get ready for an off-season full of enthusiasm, however.
Finished by a 55-20 Florida demolition at the Cotton Bowl, the Sooners ended the season with a streak of eight straight wins. They finished 9-2, won the sixth consecutive title of the big 12 and finally combined a legitimately strong defense with an efficient attack.
Eliminating Florida’s labor shortage was impressive, but the most important note is what Oklahoma brings back in 2021.
Even without including his 287 yards and four touchdowns in the Cotton Bowl, quarterback Spencer Rattler totaled 3,191 yards and 34 points in his first season as a starter. The Sooners are expected to return all offensive skill players in addition to running back Rhamondre Stevenson, but 2019 rusher leader Kennedy Brooks plans to return after giving up this season. In addition, the Sooners are expected to lose only a handful of important contributors to the defense.
Oklahoma will be the favorite of the big 12 and a popular choice to reach the college football tie in 2021.
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Michael Ainsworth / Associated Press
Let’s be clear: Bowl records are among insignificant and of little value. This is not an enduring judgment of the ACC.
But 2020 was not a good postseason for the 0-6 league.
Alabama had few problems with Notre Dame, and the state of Ohio destroyed Clemson. The ACC has had two of the four teams from the college football playoff still won’t have a chance to win a national title.
Wake Forest quarterback Sam Hartman–who launched an interception on 236 regular season passes–played a choice in four consecutive units in a loss to Wisconsin in Duke’s Mayo Bowl. Miami trailed Oklahoma State 21-0, lost quarterback D’Eriq King to a torn ACL and made a final comeback with 37-34.
The state of North Carolina committed three turnovers during a 23-21 loss to Kentucky in the Gator Bowl, and the shorthanded North Carolina fell to Texas A&M 41-27 in the Orange Bowl.
Hey, did Conference USA at least finish 0-6 too?
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Gerald Herbert / Associated Press
Game Rose Bowl: Alabama 31, Notre Dame 14
Although the fight did not reach its limit until the third quarter, Alabama controlled the Rose Bowl. Quarterback Mac Jones and receiver DeVonta Smith connected for touchdowns on two of Tide’s first three possessions, the second of which responded immediately to Notre Dame’s lone bid in the first half.
“It wasn’t about losing the ball or not having enough players to compete against Alabama,” Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly told reporters. “It was about making plays.”
And the Irish fought hard in that department.
Ian Book managed just 5.9 yards per pass attempt, and Notre Dame ran 3.7 yards per pass. This is simply not good enough to accompany a crime of the caliber of Alabama.
Jones completed 25 of 30 passes for 297 yards and four touchdowns, hitting Smith seven times for 130 yards and three scores. In all likelihood, Jones or Smith will be named the winner of the Heisman Trophy on Tuesday night. Running back Najee Harris also shot 125 yards and added 30 yards in reception in the win.
Sugar Bowl: Ohio State 49, Clemson 28
As the Buckeyes and Tigers played to a 14-14 stalemate in the first quarter, it looked like a high-score shootout was underway. But the next 15 minutes shaped the result.
Justin Fields Quarterback–that played some massive hits, including one by James Skalski that resulted in a segmentation call and subsequent ejection–played three more points before the break. The Buckeyes got a 35-14 lead for the break and left no doubt about which side line deserves to be celebrated.
“They were the best team and they deserved it,” said Clemson coach Dabo Swinney, by Eleven Warriors.
The state of Ohio accumulated 639 yards of attack (an average of 8.9 yards per move), repeatedly destroying a large Clemson defense. Fields threw 385 yards and six touchdowns while running for 42, and Trey Sermon’s running back accumulated 254 yards of scrimmage.
Clemson’s quarterback, Trevor Lawrence, shot for 400 yards and two touchdowns in what was probably his last high school game.
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Ron Jenkins / Associated Press
CFP Championship 2020
Records: Ohio State (7-0) vs. Alabama (12-0)
When: Monday, January 11
Where: Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida
Time: 8 pm ET
TV: ESPN
Ohio defeated Alabama 42-35 in the CFP semifinal six years ago. This time, a national championship is at stake.
Alabama is listed as an eight-point favorite, according to DraftKings.
On the Buckeyes side, most of the headlines leading up to the contest will focus on Fields’ health. In Alabama, they will revolve around Jones, Smith and the Heisman race, as well as Steve Sarkisian. The offensive coordinator has accepted the position of head coach in Texas, but still plans to define plays in the title game, for Matt Zenitz from AL.com.
Perhaps it is an appropriate way for Alabama to transition from Sarkisian’s time as coordinator. Four years ago, Sark replaced Lane Kiffin–who had been appointed the Florida Atlantic coach–between a CFP semifinal and the national championship.
Clemson, however, led the tide in that competition. Sarkisian hopes to make the program better.