Ryan Day

Much of the discourse surrounding the Ohio State Buckeyes in the last few weeks has revolved around their College Football Playoff credentials. 

Ryan Day's team has a chance to put its critics to rest on Saturday if it beats the Northwestern Wildcats in commanding fashion in the Big Ten Championship Game. 

Ohio State played the fewest games of any playoff contender, but when it has taken to the gridiron, it has impressed with its dynamic offense. 

Quarterback Justin Fields does not have a Heisman Trophy to play for, but he can win his second straight Big Ten title and set up a national semifinal showdown with one of the nation's premier programs. 

Northwestern put together a solid 6-1 season to win the Big Ten West, but it is in a difficult spot to attempt to land the Big Ten West's first-ever Big Ten Championship Game victory.

             

Big Ten Championship Game Info

Date: Saturday, December 19

Start Time: Noon ET 

TV: Fox

Live Stream: FoxSports.com or Fox Sports app

     

Preview

Saturday marks the second time in three years in which Ohio State and Northwestern are facing off in the Big Ten Championship Game. 

In 2018, the Buckeyes used strong outings from current NFL players Dwayne Haskins, J.K. Dobbins and Terry McLaurin to win 45-24. 

Wide receiver Chris Olave is one of the few holdovers from that game. He caught a touchdown pass from Haskins in the third quarter of that victory.

Olave and Garrett Wilson form one of the better receiver duos in the country, as they both have over 30 receptions, 500 receiving yards and five touchdowns. Those numbers are impressive considering Ohio State's five games played. 

Fields needs to get both players involved early. An accurate passing attack may open rushing lanes later in the game as the Wildcats look to contain the pass.

Pat Fitzgerald's team allows 192 passing yards per game and 121.9 rushing yards per contest. If Ohio State can open up the passing lanes, it could negate the pass rush and secondary play that got the Wildcats to this stage. 

The best way to open up Northwestern's rushing defense could be inside the red zone, with Fields, Master Teague III and Trey Sermon bruising through the lines. The trio combined for 12 rushing scores. 

If Fields and Co. thrive like they have in every game this season, Ohio State's main concern will be its defensive play. 

At times, the Buckeyes have not looked like a Top Four team. For example, they allowed the Indiana Hoosiers to score 28 second-half points to make the November 21 matchup a one-score game. 

Northwestern's offense is not as dynamic as Indiana's, but it can methodically move the ball down the field with former Indiana quarterback Peyton Ramsey at the helm.

Ramsey has a pair of receivers with 30 receptions and over 300 receiving yards to work with, and he is one of six players with more than 100 rushing yards. 

While the Wildcats have some nice offensive pieces, they do not have the dynamic playmakers that Ohio State possesses. 

Ohio State's ability to strike fast for scoring plays that flip the momentum in its favor could be the biggest difference on Saturday afternoon. 

If the Buckeyes play up to their abilities, they could secure one of the four playoff positions.

           

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.

Statistics obtained from ESPN.com.

Within 12 hours of the college football regular season ending, all of the postseason matchups will be set, including the College Football Playoff. 

Tuesday's latest CFB Playoff rankings release gave us a good idea of which teams will head to the Sugar Bowl and Rose Bowl on New Years' Day. 

The Alabama Crimson Tide, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Clemson Tigers and Ohio State Buckeyes established a clear top four over the last two months, and there is a chance they are the four playoff squads. 

For that to happen, Clemson needs to beat Notre Dame in the ACC Championship Game, which could trigger a two-spot drop for the Irish from No. 2. 

If that occurs, the Texas A&M Aggies and a few other programs will get shut out of the playoff and be sent to the New Year's Six, which will play a supporting role to the playoff during the second week of bowl season.

The first week of bowl matchups is already set with Group of Five teams. The rest of the bowl matchups will be unveiled on Sunday afternoon once the playoff teams are determined.

         

CFB Playoff Format

The CFB Playoff uses a rotation of six marquee bowl games to play its semifinals at. 

This season's rotation lands on the Sugar Bowl and Rose Bowl. The National Championship Game will be played at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, which also hosts the Orange Bowl. 

Typically, the No. 1 seed plays at its preferred location, or is assigned a closer road trip by the selection committee. 

For example, the LSU Tigers played at the Peach Bowl for their national semifinal last season instead of shipping out to Arizona for the Fiesta Bowl. 

            

Bowl Predictions

College Football Playoff

Sugar Bowl (January 1): No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 4 Notre Dame

Rose Bowl (January 1): No. 2 Clemson vs. No. 3 Ohio State

If this scenario comes to fruition, the Sugar and Rose Bowls would host teams from the conferences that play there in non-playoff years. 

With an SEC Championship Game win over the Florida Gators, Alabama can solidify its No. 1 ranking and make the short trip to New Orleans for the Sugar Bowl.

If the Ohio State Buckeyes capture the Big Ten Championship Game, they will avoid Alabama and head to the Rose Bowl, like the Big Ten champion does in a typical year. 

If Clemson defeats Notre Dame, the Tigers would likely move from No. 3 to No. 2 because they would have the better final victory in comparison to Ohio State. 

Dabo Swinney's side improved in the two games it played since losing to Notre Dame on November 7, as it got Trevor Lawrence and a few defensive players back. 

Clemson's main issue in the first matchup with Notre Dame was containing Ian Book and Kyren Williams. Backup quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei turned in a solid performance by leading the Tigers to 40 points in the double-overtime defeat. 

In the last three years, Clemson held its ACC Championship Game opponents to a total of 30 points. Of course, Notre Dame is a higher-caliber team than those sides, but the Tigers know how to play better defense as the calendar moves into championship season.

If Notre Dame loses by a small margin, the selection committee could be inclined to keep it in the top four and align it with Alabama in a clash of two of the sport's most recognizable brands. 

Texas A&M has to hope for a blowout win by Clemson, or an upset elsewhere, to have a clear path into the final four.

          

New Year's 6

Cotton Bowl (December 30): Iowa State vs. Florida

Peach Bowl (January 1): Georgia vs. Cincinnati

Fiesta Bowl (January 2): USC vs. Indiana

Orange Bowl (January 2): Texas A&M vs. North Carolina

A handful of conference championship games will determine the final New Year's Six matchups.

The Big 12 champion will likely head to the Cotton Bowl, while the Pac-12 winner is destined to land in the Fiesta Bowl with the Rose Bowl off the table. 

If the Cincinnati Bearcats remain undefeated, they would be the best Group of Five team and head to the Peach Bowl, where a matchup with one of the Top 10 SEC teams likely awaits. 

The one scenario to watch is what happens to Florida if it loses to Alabama and drops a second straight result. The committee dropped the Gators one spot following their upset defeat to LSU. If they lose again, the committee may change its mind and move it away from a New Year's Six at-large berth.

That situation may open the door for the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers to be the second Group of Five team into the New Years' Six. The Sun Belt side landed at No. 12 on Tuesday and could move up a spot or two depending on Saturday's results. 

            

Confirmed Bowl Matchups

Myrtle Beach Bowl (December 21): North Texas vs. Appalachian State

Idaho Potato Bowl (December 22): Tulane vs. Nevada

Boca Raton Bowl (December 22): BYU vs. UCF

New Orleans Bowl (December 23): Louisiana Tech vs. Georgia Southern

Montgomery Bowl (December 23): Memphis vs. Florida Atlantic

New Mexico Bowl (December 24): Hawaii vs. Houston

LendingTree Bowl (December 26): Western Kentucky vs. Georgia State 

Independence Bowl (December 26): Army vs. Pac-12

First Responder Bowl (December 26): UTSA vs. Big 12

The Ohio State Buckeyes have sat atop the Big Ten for most of the 2020 college football season, but their status in the Big Ten Championship Game was in doubt until last week. 

Because of a few game cancellations, the Buckeyes were under the six-game threshold set by the league at the start of the regular season.

The conference altered that ruling so the Buckeyes could make the trip to Indianapolis with five games played.

The Northwestern Wildcats were luckier with their schedule, as they played seven games. But they do not have a shot at reaching the College Football Playoff because of their loss to the Michigan State Spartans. 

Despite playing five games, Ohio State is in good shape to qualify for the playoff, and it is projected to have an easy time with Northwestern based off the 21-point spread in its favor.

         

Big Ten Championship Game Info

Date: Saturday, December 19

Start Time: Noon

TV: Fox

Live Stream: FoxSports.com and Fox Sports app

Odds (via DraftKings Sportsbook): Ohio State (-21); Over/Under: 57.5

     

Prediction

Ohio State 49, Northwestern 21

Ohio State was not affected by a week off in between games during its last win over Michigan State.

Justin Fields and Co. made easy work of the Spartans, which is something Northwestern failed to do the week prior. 

Ryan Day's team rushed out to a 28-0 halftime lead and only conceded 12 points in what became its final tune-up for the Big Ten title game. 

Fast starts have become Ohio State's offensive trademark in 2020. The Buckeyes scored 136 first-half points in five games. 

If the Big Ten East winner follows that trend on Saturday, it would reverse its performance from a year ago. The Wisconsin Badgers held Ohio State to seven points and possessed a two-touchdown lead at halftime before the Buckeyes mounted a comeback.

An explosive first half led by Fields and his dynamic set of playmakers would neutralize Northwestern's defensive strengths and lead to a potential cover of the 21-point spread. 

A single Northwestern game has been decided by more than 20 points. That was its season opener against the Maryland Terrapins. 

After that, the majority of Wildcats games produced around 50 total points and were decided by one score. 

If that extends into Saturday, it would mean Pat Fitzgerald's team turned in a spectacular defensive performance and contained Fields for long stretches. 

Northwestern has the second-best scoring defense in the FBS, and it allows under 200 passing yards per game. 

The Wildcats have not faced an offense that is as dynamic as Ohio State's because of the lack of quality quarterbacks in the Big Ten West. 

Wisconsin's Graham Mertz is probably the best signal-caller they faced. Northwestern played two more games than Wisconsin when they met on November 21, and the freshman quarterback had plenty of difficulties in that contest. 

Fields is much more experienced and has been more consistent during his time in the Big Ten. In the 19 games he has played, Ohio State produced fewer than 30 points on two occasions. 

Northwestern has not reached the 30-point mark since its October 24 opener, and it does not have the firepower to keep up with Fields, if he gets off to another fast start. 

Since the Buckeyes have not been affected by the week off in between games this season, they should start well and create a gap that the Wildcats may not be able to close. 

             

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90

Statistics obtained from ESPN.com

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Just under 24 hours remain until the early national signing day in one of the weirdest recruiting years ever gets underway.

For the vast majority of recruits, their visits to campus—usually done in-person and paid for by the school—have been done virtually. The relationships that prospects develop with coaching staffs are arguably the most integral part of getting a player to commit to a school, and those connections have been put to the test without in-person interactions. 

Will that mean we see a large number of last-minute flips or changes of heart? Likely no, but you can bet coaching staffs are working the phones nonstop to either secure a commitment or see if they can create a little wiggle room to slide in and steal one. 

Here are the top high school prospects making their decisions on signing day, where they are hearing from and where we predict they'll end up inking.

(Rankings and times via 247Sports)

       

5-star DT Maason Smith (No. 16)
Considering: LSU, Alabama, Georgia
Prediction: LSU 

5-star OLB Xavian Sorey (No. 20)
Considering: Florida, Georgia, Alabama
Prediction: Florida

4-star DE Tunmise Adeleye (No. 37)
Considering: Alabama, Florida, Texas A&M
Prediction: Texas A&M 

4-star RB Donovan Edwards (No. 44)
Considering: Michigan, Georgia, Notre Dame, Oklahoma
Prediction: Georgia

4-star OT Savion Byrd (No. 62)
Considering: LSU, Oklahoma, SMU
Prediction: SMU

4-star QB Jaxson Dart (No. 103)
Considering: USC, BYU, Arizona State, UCLA
Prediction: USC 

4-star DB Damarius McGhee (No. 185)
Considering: Ole Miss, LSU, Tennessee
Prediction: LSU

4-star ILB Trevin Wallace (No. 230)
Considering: Auburn, Ole Miss
Prediction: Ole Miss

     

Race For No. 1

As has been the case for pretty much the last decade, Alabama, Georgia and Ohio State are fighting for the top spot in team recruiting rankings. The Crimson Tide have won that title eight of the last 10 years, and Nick Saban and Co. are in prime position to do so again.

Alabama holds a slight edge over the Buckeyes ahead of signing day, with six 5-star and 12 4-star prospects. OSU is just behind them with five 5-stars and 13 4-stars for an average recruiting ranking of 94.55—or .04 less than Alabama. 

Each team has just a handful of spots left in their classes, and both are in tight races to secure the signatures of a couple of blue-chip prospects. Washington defensive end J.T. Tuimoloau, the No. 3 prospect in 247Sports' rankings, has both in his group of finalists, though his decision likely won't come until the late signing period in February. 

Five-star offensive tackle Tristan Leigh is also on Ohio State's radar, though none of 247's Crystal Ball predictions are pointing in the direction of Columbus, Ohio. 

For Alabama, six players ranked in the top 100 nationally are still in play. In addition to Tuimolaou, defensive tackle Maason Smith (No. 18 overall), linebacker Xavian Sorey (No. 20), and running back Camar Wheaton (No. 26) are still uncommitted.

The Tide currently have 22 prospects committed, theoretically leaving them with only three or four spots still open. If you needed an idea of the embarrassment of riches that Alabama has, the Tide already have the No. 2, No. 3, No. 5 and No. 8 prospects in the country committed and could add three more in the top 30. 

        

Follow Keegan on Twitter @ByKeeganPope. 

A week ago, the Big Ten wasn't even sure whether its best team would be able to participate in the conference championship game Dec. 19.

After deciding on a six-game minimum for teams to make the Big Ten title game before the season, the league reversed course—with the blessing of its member schools—to allow the 5-0 Ohio State Buckeyes to represent the Big Ten East in the title game. If they win, they will likely make the College Football Playoff as well, which would be a reported $40 million-50 million revenue boost to the league in a year wherein schools have collectively lost hundreds of millions of dollars because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The league got smart, though, and the Buckeyes will face a Northwestern team ranked No. 14 and coming off of a commanding win over Illinois. Ohio State is likely to be a double-digit favorite, and the Buckeyes will need to be at least that convincing to get the CFP committee to put them into the playoff ahead of teams with eight, nine and 10 games under their belts.

Let's begin by breaking things down a little further.

                    

Key Matchups

Justin Fields vs. Northwestern Defense

Despite only getting to play in five games, Justin Fields has again shown why he's considered a Heisman contender and prospective top-five overall NFL draft pick. He's completed nearly 74 percent of his throws, tossed 15 touchdowns to just three interceptions, and he's run for five more scores. He's the straw that stirs Ohio State's offensive drink, and Northwestern's biggest challenge will be getting pressure on him and forcing him to win the game with his legs.

The Wildcats rank 15th in the country in total defense, but they rank No. 3 out of 127 teams in points against, No. 6 in yards allowed per play and are among the top 25 in turnovers gained. They have been particularly elite against the pass, allowing just a 51 percent completion rate among opposing quarterbacks, while forcing 10 interceptions in eight games.

Ohio State will put them to the test with Fields, who utilizes the Buckeyes' skill players to get the ball out quickly and avoid sacks that would put OSU in long-yardage situations.

                

Northwestern Run Game vs. Ohio State Defense

One of the biggest keys for Northwestern's defense has nothing at all to do with that side of the ball. Ohio State has the fourth-highest scoring offense in college football (46.6 points per game), and if the Wildcats get into a shootout, this one will be over quickly. Northwestern quarterback Peyton Ramsey has been serviceable this year, but he's completed just 59 percent of his passes and averages just 5.8 yards per attempt.

On the ground, though, Northwestern has six players with more than 100 yards rushing this season, and their success mainly comes through ball control. The Wildcats won't gauge Ohio State—or anyone—with eye-popping runs, but they are physical up front and will do everything they can to make this a 14-10 or 10-7 game in the final minutes.

Whether they can do that is a different story. While it isn't an elite unit like it has been in previous years, Ohio State's defense still ranks among the top 45 nationally in total defense, and the Buckeyes have been especially good (No. 13) at getting off the field on third down and getting their offense the ball back. Simply put, the Wildcats have a steep hill to climb to keep this a low-scoring affair.

Prediction: Ohio State 42, Northwestern 21

                

Follow Keegan on Twitter, @ByKeeganPope.

With the recent shifts in college football recruiting—namely players committing earlier in their process—the buzz that used to surround National Signing Day in February has largely faded. Not only has an early signing day in December pretty much replaced it in importance, but most elite-level players have already decided on their school as a way to ensure their spot isn't given to another prospect. 

Of the top 25 prospects in the 2021 class, according to 247Sports, 22 have already committed to a program. Of the top 55, just 10 aren't already spoken for. 

In a recruiting year that has been completely upended by the COVID-19 pandemic, with prospects unable to take official visits to schools since March, most of the recruiting has been done by coaches via Zoom, Twitter and text messages. Prospects have been able to visit campuses on their own accord, but the usual pomp and circumstance of a blue-chipper coming to town has been largely eliminated because coaches are prohibited from "hosting" them. 

There won't be a shortage of intrigue on signing day, as there are still a handful of top prospects committed, and there are always a few players with a surprising flip up their sleeves. 

       

Announcement Schedule and Predictions

(Rankings and times via 247Sports)

5-star OLB Xavian Sorey (No. 20, 247Sports)
Decision: Wednesday, Dec. 16 at 10 a.m. ET
Considering: Florida, Georgia, Alabama
Prediction: Florida

5-star DE Shemar Turner (No. 31, 247Sports)
Decision: Wednesday, Dec. 16 at 11 a.m. ET
Considering: Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Texas, Texas A&M
Prediction: Texas A&M

4-star ILB Trevin Wallace (No. 230, 247Sports)
Decision: Wednesday, Dec. 16 at 11:30 a.m. ET
Considering: Auburn, Ole Miss
Prediction: Auburn

4-star OT Savion Byrd (No. 62, 247Sports)
Decision: Wednesday, Dec. 16 at 11:50 a.m. ET
Considering: Auburn, LSU, Oklahoma, SMU, Texas
Prediction: SMU

4-star RB Donovan Edwards (No. 44, 247Sports)
Decision: Wednesday, Dec. 16 at 2:30 p.m. ET
Considering: Michigan, Georgia, Notre Dame, Oklahoma
Prediction: Georgia

4-star DB Damarius McGhee (No. 185, 247Sports)
Decision: Wednesday, Dec. 16 at 5:00 p.m. ET
Considering: Ole Miss, LSU, Tennessee
Prediction: LSU

     

Barring a shocking turn of events on signing day, we will yet again see Alabama, Ohio State and Georgia reigning atop the college football recruiting world. One of those programs had brought in the No. 1-ranked recruiting class every year since 2010, and it doesn't appear that will be changing any time soon. 

Of the 34 5-star recruits in the 2021 class according to the 247Sports rankings, 14 are committed to either the Crimson Tide, Buckeyes or Bulldogs, and it's likely that at least two more will commit to one of those three schools on signing day. 

Behind them are defending national champion LSU, Oregon, Clemson, Florida, Notre Dame, Michigan and Oklahoma. The Wolverines have been able to hold on to their stable of committed players, despite rumors about head coach Jim Harbaugh's future in Ann Arbor being in doubt. 

Of the aforementioned uncommitted prospects, two are among the top four players in the country, according to 247Sports. Korey Foreman, a defensive end from California and the No. 1 overall player in the class, committed to Clemson in late January but backed off that pledge by April. Most recruiting analysts opined that he wanted to be closer to home, and the two schools thought to be in contention for his commitment are USC and LSU. 

The No. 3 overall player in the class is another defensive end, J.T. Tuimoloau, a 6'5", 277-pound lineman from Washington. The hometown Huskies were thought to be a serious contender for him, but all signs point to him ending up at Ohio State, which has produced Joey Bosa, Nick Bosa and Chase Young, all top-3 NFL draft picks at the defensive end position in recent years. It's tough to argue with that pedigree. 

    

Follow Keegan on Twitter @ByKeeganPope.