My version is different than what shows here with last years games.
FIESTA
BOWLAT GLENDALE, ARIZONA
#10 MIAMI (12-2) vs #6 MISSISSIPPI (13-1)
THURSDAY, JANUARY 8
7:30 PM EST -- ESPN TELEVISION
LINE: MIAMI BY 2½ -- OVER/UNDER: 51½
AOPR AVS FDS RUSH PASS TRN EDGE TO:
Miami .......... 49.3 ... 33-14 ... 23-13 .. 149- 84 .... 265-198 .. +10 . Miami
Ole Miss ...... 49.1 ... 37-21 ... 26-18 .. 183-149 ... 314-186 .. - 2 . by 3.7 Pts
ANALYSIS
Not many experts predicted this matchup when the College Football Playoff (CFP)
bracket was released. Afterall, Georgia & defending champs Ohio St stood in
their way. That didn't matter to either of these suddenly dangerous squads. This
is only the 4th time these 2 have squared off, with the last meeting a mere 75
years ago back in 1951, with the Hurricanes winning 20-7 in Miami. However,
the stakes in this one are much more significant. The 'Canes have won back to
back games vs AP Top-10 for the first time since 1992 after knocking off Texas
A&M and Ohio St. As for the Rebels of Ole Miss, they have won 7 straight after
going down to Georgia back in October 43-35. Canes' QB Carson Beck com-
pleted 13 straight against the stout Buckeye "D" & Rebs slinger Trinidad Chambliss
had 12 straight completions to start the 2nd half vs the Bulldogs. Chambliss' 4th
quarter stats: 7/12, 127 yards & a TD. In that November loss to UGA, he was
1/10 for 1 yard in the 4th. Ole Miss outscored Georgia 27-13 in the 2nd half & for
the first time in 76 games, UGA lost a game when leading after the 3rd quarter.
Canes defense had 5 sacks & 2 picks, including a 72 yard 'pick-6'. The 24 points
Miami put on Ohio St were the most points allowed by the Buckeyes all season.
The Canes are the first double-digit seed to reach the CFP Semifinals in the 2
years of the 12 team format. After upsetting Georgia, Ole Miss has 7 Sugar Bowl
titles (2nd all-time to Alabama's 10). PK Lucas Carneiro was 3/3: 56, 55 & game
winning 47 yarder at the buzzer after Georgia erased a 10-point lead to tie it up
with 0:56 left. Can't see anything but a scorcher here, with final play deciding it.
PROPHECY: MIAMI 31 - Mississippi 24 RATING: 6
PEACH BOWLAT ATLANTA, GEORGIA
#5 OREGON (13-1) vs #1 INDIANA (14-0)
FRIDAY, JANUARY 9
7:30 PM EST -- ESPN TELEVISION
LINE: INDIANA BY 4 -- OVER/UNDER: 47½
AOPR AVS FDS RUSH PASS TRN EDGE TO:
Oregon ........ 47.8 ... 37-14 ... 22-15 .. 208-105 ... 221-139 .. +11 . Indiana
Indiana ........ 50.5 ... 42-10 ... 25-13 .. 238- 74 .... 181-246 .. +18 . by 8.9 Pts
ANALYSIS
Two Big 10 teams battling for a spot in the National Championship Game, with
neither participant named Penn St, Michigan or Ohio St. Still hard to fathom that
the Hoosiers of Indiana have upset the Ducks of Oregon in their last 2 meetings,
both in Autzen Stadium. Back in 2004, Indiana pulled off the upset 30-24, thanks
to 7 Oregon turnovers & earlier this season 30-20 (October 11), which is the
Ducks' only blemish this year. That was the Hoosiers first win over an AP Top 5
team since 1967. Indiana is the only team with a BYE (1-7) to reach the CFP
Final Four in its 2-year existence. Indiana's 38-3 domination of the Tide in the
Rose Bowl was the Hoosiers first bowl win since 1991, and only the 4th in team
history. HC Curt Cignetti (25-2 in 2 seasons in Bloomington) joins Lee Corso &
Bill Malloy as the only Indiana HCs with a bowl victory. Heisman Trophy winner
Fernando Mendoza (14/16, 192 yards, 3 TDs) gave the Tide their largest loss in
Alabama bowl history. Hoosiers knocked out QB Ty Simpson with cracked ribs
in the 3rd quarter & the last time Bama lost any game by 35 points was 1998. As
for the Ducks of Oregon, they registered the 3rd shutout in CFP history & gave
the Red Raiders of Texas Tech their first shutout in 25 years. Ducks "D" held
Texas Tech to 88 first half yards, a season low 215 yards, a time of possession
edge of 38:00-22:00 & forced a season high 4 Red Raider turnovers (including a
huge 4th quarter end zone pick with Oregon leading 13-0). Cannot ignore what
the Hoosiers have done under Cignetti, nor what the 'Ducks continue to do year
after year, especially with their nearly unstoppable "O". But Indy "D" the decider.
PROPHECY: INDIANA 33 - Oregon 17 RATING: 2