Ryan Day

Less than a month from now, Clemson, LSU, Ohio State or Oklahoma will be crowned the 2019-20 college football national champion.

Of the four semifinalists, though, which is best positioned to partake in at least two of the next three College Football Playoffs?

Perhaps even more intriguing or controversial, which one is least likely to participate in another playoff in the next three years?

Using a combination of current players and incoming recruits, we've assigned scores (out of 100 possible points) to each of the four teams in five major categories: passing offense, rushing offense, overall defense, coaching pedigree and conference affiliation.

Let the furious debating begin!

       

Passing Offense
Clemson - 99
Oklahoma - 99
Ohio State - 98
LSU - 92

Without question, Clemson and Ohio State are best situated in this area for next season. For some silly, archaic reason, Trevor Lawrence and Justin Fields are required to wait one more year to enter the NFL draft and will enter 2020 as the co-favorites to win the Heisman.

The Tigers will also get at least one more year of wideout Justyn Ross and two more years of Joe Ngata and Frank Ladson Jr., both of whom had three touchdowns this season and were top-10 wide receivers in the 2019 class. Meanwhile, the Buckeyes get another year of Chris Olave and two more years of Garrett Wilson, and they hold a commitment from the No. 1 receiver (and No. 2 overall recruit) in the 2020 class, Julian Fleming. Neither team will be hurting for targets any time soon.

Ohio State's QB situation beyond 2020 is a big question mark, though. Clemson has a 5-star recruit in this year's class (DJ Uiagalelei) and a 4-star freshman (Taisun Phommachanh) gaining valuable experience behind Lawrence. The Buckeyes, meanwhile, have the No. 25 QB in this year's class (Jack Miller) and, I guess, Chris Chugunov as the options for 2021. They could always snag another top-notch transfer, but the current outlook is a bit cloudy, which is why Clemson receives the higher score.

But, man, if you think Oklahoma might fall apart after losing Jalen Hurts and (presumably) CeeDee Lamb, think again.

The Sooners signed the No. 1 QB in the 2019 class (Spencer Rattler), the No. 1 wide receiver (Jadon Haselwood), the No. 3 wide receiver (Theo Wease), the No. 3 tight end (Austin Stogner) and the No. 15 wide receiver (Trejan Bridges). They barely needed to use any of those guys this season, but in one recruiting fell swoop, they put together an entire passing arsenal that will terrorize the Big 12 through at least the 2021 season.

Given the way they've been able to transition from Baker Mayfield to Kyler Murray to Jalen Hurts without missing a beat, one has to assume Rattler will immediately succeed next season and that the handoff to whomever follows him will go smoothly as well.

The odd man out here is LSU. Passing game coordinator Joe Brady helped turned Joe Burrow into a Heisman winner, but can he do the same with Myles Brennan or have the No. 20 overall QB in the 2020 class (Max Johnson) ready to run this same high-octane offense as a true freshman?

Whoever ends up starting at quarterback for the Tigers, at least that guy will have Ja'Marr Chase and Terrace Marshall Jr. in 2020. But if any of these four playoff teams is going to experience a hiccup in the passing department, LSU is the most likely culprit.

      

Rushing Offense
Oklahoma - 98
Ohio State - 95
LSU - 93
Clemson - 90

Unless Travis Etienne surprises us by returning for a senior season, Clemson is going to lose its starting running back and four of its five starting offensive linemen. Lyn-J Dixon is a more than capable tailback, but don't expect to see Clemson extending its streak to three consecutive years ranking top two nationally in yards per carry, even with potential star Demarkcus Bowman (No. 3 RB in 2020 class) on the way. There's just too much the Tigers need to replace up front.

Oklahoma is in the opposite boat. All five starting linemen and the top running back (Kennedy Brooks) each has at least two years of eligibility remaining. The Sooners will also get No. 2 running back Rhamondre Stevenson back next year and should get Trey Sermon back as well, provided he can make a full recovery from the knee injury that cut short his season. Rattler is nowhere near the runner that Hurts is, though, so Oklahoma's rushing attack will be different. However, that change probably won't be a bad thing.

Ohio State is likely going to lose J.K. Dobbins, but the combination of Fields, Master Teague III and Steele Chambers should keep the Buckeyes in business. There is some attrition along the offensive line—more than Oklahoma, less than Clemson—but the No. 1 offensive lineman in this year's class (Paris Johnson Jr.) should help matters.

Once again, LSU is the biggest unknown in this equation. While Etienne and Dobbins seem like obvious candidates to leave a year early for the NFL, Clyde Edwards-Helaire might come back for a senior season. If he doesn't, at least the Tigers have the No. 2 (John Emery Jr.) and No. 10 (Tyrion Davis) running backs from the 2019 class waiting in the wings.

Like Ohio State, there are going to be a couple of departures along the offensive line. Unlike Ohio State, LSU only has one top-50 offensive lineman signed in this year's class, only signed one of the top 25 O-linemen in last year's class and didn't sign a single top-50 O-lineman in 2018. At some point, that's going to catch up to the Tigers, right?

        

Overall Defense
Clemson - 99
LSU - 98
Oklahoma - 90
Ohio State - 89

Defense was Ohio State's downfall in 2018 and its forte in 2019. The Buckeyes will likely make a return to mediocre in that department in 2020, though, unless Chase Young is honestly going to come back. Assuming both he and Jeffrey Okudah are leaving a year early, Ohio State will need to replace seven of its best defenders. And aside from Zach Harrison, it doesn't have a breakout star waiting to happen.

The other three teams appear to be in good shape.

LSU is going to lose Kristian Fulton, possibly JaCoby Stevens and all but certainly Grant Delpit from its secondary, but the combination of Derek Stingley Jr. and incoming freshman Elias Ricks will wreak havoc on opposing quarterbacks for the next two years. The Tigers weren't as good on defense as we were expecting, but they should be just as good next year.

Clemson has a few key losses—most notably Chad Smith at linebacker and Tanner Muse at safety—but Dabo Swinney is reloading in a big way with five 2020 defensive commits who rank in the top 30 overall in the class. In particular, Swinney is putting together another defensive line that could be just as good as the one that Clelin Ferrell and Christian Wilkins helped lead to a 15-0 record last year.

Oklahoma's immediate future will depend on Kenneth Murray. If he stays with the Sooners, they should continue improving by leaps and bounds in Alex Grinch's second season as defensive coordinator. However, if the star linebacker leaves for the NFL, the Sooners will have one major hole to fill at all three levels and might take a step backward. And with the exception of Brendan Radley-Hiles, Oklahoma doesn't lure in the type of immediate-impact talent that the other three schools typically do on an annual basis.

        

Coaching Pedigree
Clemson - 100
Oklahoma - 98
Ohio State - 96
LSU - 94

Hard to say anything negative about four guys currently boasting a 51-1 record on the season. In the moment, they each seem more than capable of leading a different group back to the promised land again one year from now.

But how did we feel about these men four months ago? Which ones had shown an ability as head coaches to develop talent and navigate through adversity, and which ones might have landed on the hot seat if they had instead gone 9-3 this year?

Dabo Swinney is, by far, the longest tenured of the group. He took over a perennially good-not-great Clemson program in 2008 and turned it into a juggernaut over the course of the next five years. The Tigers have won two of the last three national championships and are competing in their fifth consecutive College Football Playoff. It's officially 1a and 1b between he and Nick Saban in any college football coaching hierarchy.

Lincoln Riley is one hell of a second fiddle in this conversation, though, as he is 3-of-3 in reaching the playoff and 3-of-3 in putting a quarterback in the top two of the Heisman vote. Bob Stoops was an incredible coach at Oklahoma for 18 years, but Riley has elevated this Sooners program to an even higher gear.

Ed Orgeron was certainly the one most in danger of approaching the hot seat back in August, but he instead improved this LSU team for the fourth straight year and has become synonymous with the Bayou Bengals and gumbo. However, this is his eighth season (including partials) as a head coach, and this is the first time he has come anywhere close to playing for a championship.

Coach O might be at the start of the type of five-year run of dominance that Swinney has been on at Clemson, but it's too soon to say. There's no question he is adored by those LSU fans, though.

Ryan Day is the wild card—or at least he was to start the season. He currently has a career record of 16-0 as a head coach, but we'll see if he can sustain that type of success when he isn't inheriting an incredible roster from a combination of Urban Meyer and the transfer market. Considering Ohio State has averaged 11.4 wins over the past 15 seasons despite going through three coaching changes, we almost have to give Day the benefit of the doubt.

        

Conference Affiliation (Ease of Path to CFP)
Clemson - 10
Oklahoma - 9
Ohio State - 7
LSU - 6

We're decreasing the scoring to 10 points instead of 100 for this category, because the wide gap here shouldn't supersede everything else we've discussed. However, the relative strength of these conferences is a vital factor when considering playoff potential.

LSU has to deal with Alabama, Auburn and Texas A&M every year just to win its division. Get through that gauntlet and it still needs to beat Georgia or Florida to win the SEC championship. Ohio State is in a similar boat with Michigan and Penn State in the Big Ten East for the right to face a Wisconsin or Iowa in the conference championship. But the Buckeyes grade a couple of points higher than the Tigers because Michigan ain't Alabama, to put it lightly.

Oklahoma doesn't even need to win a division to play in the Big 12 championship, and aside from Baylor, no one is particularly close to passing the Sooners in that league. As demonstrated repeatedly in the past half decade, they can afford to lose once and still reach the playoff.

And then there's Clemson in the ACC, where it has a 43-2 record (including conference championships) over the past five years. Not only has the gap been wide for a while, but it felt wider than ever this year, with an unexpected close call against North Carolina serving as the only game decided by fewer than 30 points.

Maybe Mike Norvell can bring Florida State back to relevancy in the next three years. Maybe Scott Satterfield will get Louisville up to the level of at least competing with Clemson at some point. But given the disparity in current talent and recruiting, it's likely the Tigers will continue running roughshod over this league for at least another few seasons.

     

Final Tally
Clemson - 398
Oklahoma - 394
Ohio State - 385
LSU - 383

It's no surprise that Clemson finished with the highest score, considering it has won two of the last three titles and has the No. 1 recruiting class for 2020. This program has been a freight train for a while, and the ride doesn't appear to be ending any time soon.

But it is a surprise (to me, at least) that Oklahoma is convincingly in second place and so close behind the Tigers. If Kenneth Murray does come back, I might have to pick Oklahoma to win it all in 2020.

And while Ohio State and LSU are a somewhat distant third and fourth, respectively, I couldn't even pretend to be surprised if they're both in the playoff again next year. The Buckeyes have a lot of holes to plug on defense, and LSU's quarterback situation is going to be one of the most intriguing offseason storylines, but both teams are dripping with talent and reloading with plenty more in this year's class.

        

Recruiting rankings via 247Sports' composite.

Kerry Miller covers college football and men's college basketball for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter, @kerrancejames.

Ohio State is preparing for its first College Football Playoff appearance in three seasons, but first the Buckeyes need to secure another top recruiting class.

Ryan Day and his assistants have assembled what is currently the fourth-best haul in the nation. The Buckeyes head into the early signing period with 25 committed players, including a couple of 5-star talents and more than a dozen 4-stars.

Wednesday, Dec. 18, marks the beginning of a three-day period when prospects can sign a national letter of intent. That document will officially lock in the players to Day and the Buckeyes.

As the excitement of signing day nears, we've outlined key points about Ohio State's 2020 recruiting class.

          

Ohio State 2020 Recruiting Information

National rank: 4

Big Ten rank: 1

Class size: 25 commits

Commit breakdown: Two 5-stars, 14 4-stars, nine 3-stars

         

Top Prospects

Julian Fleming, WR (No. 2 prospect overall): Day and Co. pulled off a nice steal when Fleming, who lives close to Penn State, chose the Buckeyes. Fleming caught 188 passes for 4,058 yards and 56 touchdowns in high school, per MaxPreps.

Paris Johnson Jr., OT (No. 7): The top in-state recruit, Johnson gave his verbal pledge to Ohio State in June 2018. Largely depending on whether left tackle Thayer Munford declares for the NFL draft, Johnson could be an impact player as a freshman.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR (No. 33): If you need a moment to comprehend this production, we don't blame you. According to MaxPreps, Smith-Njigba racked up 2,132 yards and 34 touchdowns on 109 catches this year. That followed a season with 96 receptions, 1,819 yards and 20 scores for the 4-star wideout.

         

Class Predictions

Ohio State might see its highest-rated defensive commit head elsewhere.

Ranked No. 47 nationally, Clark Phillips III recently took an official visit to Utah after his primary recruiter—defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley—accepted the head-coaching job at Boston College.

"We'll have a family discussion, prayer. He really likes the Utes," Phillips' father said after the trip, according to Steve Wiltfong of 247Sports. "He's still committed to Ohio State. More discussion today but a flip is definitely possible."

Otherwise, the Buckeyes are hoping for as little drama as possible.

Key targets announcing and/or finalizing their college choice during the early signing period are 4-star quarterback CJ Stroud and safety Lather Ransom, a current commit. We anticipate both will choose the Buckeyes while Phillips flips to Utah.

            

All recruiting information via 247Sports. Follow Bleacher Report CFB Writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR.

LSU Tigers head coach Ed Orgeron was named the Associated Press Coach of the Year on Monday, taking home 33 of the 56 possible first-place votes and 130 points overall in the voting. 

He bested Baylor's Matt Rhule (14 first-place votes, 86 points overall), Ohio State's Ryan Day (five first-place votes, 45 points overall) and Minnesota's P.J. Fleck (three first-place votes, 40 points overall).

Orgeron was the clear frontrunner to win the award after leading the Tigers to a 13-0 record, which included impressive wins over Texas, Florida, Auburn, Alabama and Georgia. The Tigers will face Oklahoma in the College Football semifinals on Dec. 28.

Orgeron wasn't alone in taking home some hardware for LSU. Quarterback Joe Burrow won the Heisman Trophy, the Maxwell Award, the Walter Camp Award and the Davey O'Brien Award, while defensive back Grant Delpit won the Jim Thorpe Award and wideout Ja'Marr Chase took home the Biletnikoff Award.

As for Rhule, the Baylor head coach led the Bears to an 11-2 record, the third straight season the program has improved since he took over in 2017, when the team went 1-11. Baylor went 7-6 last year. This season, they are headed to the Sugar Bowl to face Georgia. 

It's been a huge turnaround for Rhule, who could intrigue NFL teams even given his resume of improving both Temple and Baylor during his tenures at the school. 

As for Day, he led Ohio State to a 13-0 record and a berth in the College Football Playoffs, where the Buckeyes will face Clemson in the semifinals. Day is now 16-0 as Ohio State's head coach after taking over for Urban Meyer last season. 

Finally, Fleck led Minnesota to a 10-2 record this past season, the first time the school has posted 10 wins since the 2003 season. Like Rhule, Fleck has led Minnesota to steady improvement in his three years, going 5-7 in 2017 and 7-6 last year before this season's impressive showing, which included a signature win over Penn State.

Minnesota will face Auburn in the Outback Bowl.  

College football fans already had Dec. 28 circled on their calendars, but now the national semifinals are locked in.

Top-ranked LSU will challenge No. 4 Oklahoma in the Peach Bowl, a game featuring two of the country's most prolific quarterbacks. Joe Burrow is the likely Heisman Trophy winner, and Jalen Hurts will probably finish in the Top Five of the award's voting.

While that showdown may break the scoreboard, No. 2 Ohio State and No. 3 Clemson are set for a duel in the desert. The perennial powerhouses will square off in the Fiesta Bowl.

B/R has you covered with all the details, from kickoff time and television listings to Caesars odds and key storylines.

             

Peach Bowl

Matchup: No. 4 Oklahoma vs. No. 1 LSU

When: Saturday, Dec. 28 at 4 p.m. ET

Line: LSU -13

TV: ESPN (stream on WatchESPN)

If you watch football and long for smashmouth days gone by, yearning for a "three yards and a cloud of dust" mentality, well, the Peach Bowl wouldn't be for you.

Do you like offense? Oh, this one's a beauty.

Oklahoma leads the Football Bowl Subdivision in yards per play at 8.2, while LSU has gained one more total yard than the Sooners this season. LSU is third nationally with 47.8 points per game, and OU's 43.2-point average checks in fifth.

That high-scoring attack has become a hallmark of Oklahoma's program, but it's a new development for LSU.

During this decade, the Tigers had maxed out at 35.8 points per game in 2013. Burrow's progression combined and first-year passing game coordinator Joe Brady have unleashed an offense that has 500-plus yards in 11 of its 13 games.

"Obviously, LSU is tough to stop," OU head coach Lincoln Riley said. "They've done a great job all year. Joe Burrow's had a great run, obviously played extremely well at the quarterback position. A lot of dynamic playmakers on the outside. And from what I've been able to see so far, their offensive line has done a great job as well."

Containing that offense will be a challenge for the Sooners, though they're better prepared than ever to have a chance.

New coordinator Alex Grinch has guided Oklahoma's defensive surge. After allowing 33.3 points and 453.8 yards per game last season, the unit is ceding 24.5 and 330.6, respectively.

Granted, only Auburn managed to hold LSU below 35 points. No other top SEC defense—not Florida or Alabama or Georgia—could silence this attack. None of those programs have an offense as powerful as the one Riley entrusts to Jalen Hurts, though.

While the Sooners are unquestionably capable of competing, LSU is likely to put up a ridiculously crooked number.

Prediction: LSU 52, Oklahoma 41

          

Fiesta Bowl

Matchup: No. 3 Clemson vs. No. 2 Ohio State

When: Saturday, Dec. 28 at 8 p.m. ET

Line: Clemson -1.5

TV: ESPN (stream on WatchESPN)

As far back as 1978, Ohio State has nothing but disappointing memories against Clemson in bowl games. The most recent of three postseason matchups, though, stung the worst.

During the 2016 College Football Playoff, Dabo Swinney and his Tigers steamrolled Ohio State 31-0.

Since a strong majority of both rosters were still in high school, it's not a true revenge game. Nevertheless, the Buckeyes can utilize the memory without it being the leading message.

"I think we'll use it as a reference point, but that's two very different teams," Ohio State coach Ryan Day told reporters. "So yeah, I mean, I wasn't here, and a lot of guys weren't here. But we'll definitely use it as a reference point, but I don't think it's very relevant here."

The Buckeyes, after all, have a consistent and balanced offense this time around. Dual-threat quarterback Justin Fields has totaled 3,424 offensive yards and 50 touchdowns, and J.K. Dobbins has collected 2,029 yards from scrimmage and 22 scores.

However, the challenge they'll face is even greater.

Clemson just allowed more than 300 yards for the first time all season, yet it happened in a 62-17 win. This defense is battling Ohio State for No. 1 spots in several categories, and Clemson's offense fits the "elite" category by every metric.

Trevor Lawrence endured a frustrating half-season stretch but has since dissected every opponent. In the last six games, he's completed 75.5 percent of his 147 passes for 1,638 yards and 20 touchdowns with zero interceptions. He's added 220 yards and two scores on the ground during that span.

Ohio State—which ceded 537 passing yards to Michigan and Wisconsin—must be ready for the greatest test it's encountered in a 2019 season full of quality games.

Prediction: Clemson 34, Ohio State 30

          

Follow Bleacher Report writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR.

The only drama on Selection Day centered on the No. 1 seed, and the College Football Playoff selection committee gave that coveted ranking to the LSU Tigers.

Following a stellar 37-10 victory over Georgia, head coach Ed Orgeron's club hopped Ohio State in the final rankings. The Buckeyes had previously jumped LSU for the No. 1 spot, but a poor first-half performance during an eventual win over Wisconsin cost Ohio State.

And, so, the Buckeyes have the less-favorable matchup; they'll take on 13-0 and last year's national champions Clemson.

That contest will probably draw more attention than LSU's clash with Oklahoma, but both are enticing showdowns.

             

College Football Playoff Schedule

Peach Bowl

Matchup: No. 1 LSU vs. No. 4 Oklahoma

When: Saturday, Dec. 28, at 4 p.m. ET

TV and live stream: ESPN, WatchESPN

          

Fiesta Bowl

Matchup: No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 3 Clemson

When: Saturday, Dec. 28, at 8 p.m. ET

TV and live stream: ESPN, WatchESPN

          

Championship Game

Matchup: Peach Bowl vs. Fiesta Bowl Winners

When: Monday, Jan. 13, at 8 p.m. ET

TV and live stream: ESPN, WatchESPN

          

Early Storylines to Watch

All four programs have excellent fan support, but LSU unquestionably has the most advantageous home-field advantage. The top-ranked Tigers will play in Atlanta, and a victory means they'd take on the Fiesta Bowl winner in New Orleans.

Yes, Orgeron said this on SEC Network after Saturday's victory: "It don't matter who they tell us to play, where they tell us to play, we comin'!"

But there's no question the Tigers—led by likely Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow—will enjoy the short trip to Atlanta.

2020 College Football Playoff field is set 🏆

🐯 LSU
⭕️ Ohio State
🐾 Clemson
🚩 Oklahoma pic.twitter.com/tbQJgt2AZU

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 8, 2019

Oklahoma, meanwhile, is certain to embrace the underdog role.

Sorry, Sooners fans; the conclusion of OU being a tier below LSU, Ohio State and Clemson is reasonable. Take, for example, the immediate betting line at 5Dimes rising from LSU -8.5 to -10.5 within three minutes, per Jimmy Traina of Sports Illustrated.

Fortunately for the Big 12 champions, Jalen Hurts has thrived with that mentality lately. The star quarterback lost his starting job at Alabama before emerging as a hero last season. And in 2019, he's quieted critics as a much-improved passer.

Nobody is playing with a larger chip on his shoulder than Hurts, and it may benefit the Sooners. Emotions aside, though, they'll need to play a near-perfect offensive game or slow Burrow and Co., which exactly zero defenses have done this season.

https://twitter.com/kerrancejames/status/1203726816399282178

In the Fiesta Bowl, mental tactics could also be a focal point.

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney has tirelessly pounded the narrative of his program being disrespected. "Y'all make it easy for me," he said on ESPN's selection show.

While not necessarily true in reality, any motivation ploy can be effective. Ohio State—no matter whether it stresses the narrative—will have a few players thinking about revenge. Three years ago, Clemson smoked the Buckeyes 31-0 in a national semifinal.

First-year coach Ryan Day and new starting quarterback Justin Fields will try to help Ohio State bury that memory and dethrone the reigning champions in the process.

             

Follow Bleacher Report writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR.

The three best teams in the FBS are familiar with the Fiesta Bowl. 

The Ohio State Buckeyes have made the most appearances in Arizona, with its last coming against the Clemson Tigers in a national semifinal in 2016. 

A year ago, the LSU Tigers made the trip to the desert for an eight-point triumph over the UCF Knights. 

Given Ohio State's Fiesta Bowl frequency and LSU's proximity to the Peach Bowl, the Buckeyes seem like the more likely of the two to visit the southwest on December 28.

             

Known Fiesta Bowl Information

Date: Saturday, December 28

Start Time: 4 p.m. or 8 p.m. ET. 

      

Ohio State entered Week 15 as the No. 1 team in the College Football Playoff rankings, but its poor first half against Wisconsin may allow LSU to take that spot. 

The Big Ten champion's case for the top seed includes three consecutive victories over ranked foes, a regular-season triumph over Wisconsin and a quality win over Cincinnati from nonconference action. 

But with the margins so slim between the Buckeyes and LSU, they may fall to No. 2 since the Tigers were the more dominant squad in their conference championship tilt. 

After Saturday's win, Ohio State head coach Ryan Day challenged observers to find a better team than his, per The Athletic's Ari Wasserman.

If Ohio State lands at No. 2, it should square off with Clemson, who beat the Buckeyes 31-0 in the 2016 Fiesta Bowl on the way to a national title. 

Most of the major figures involved in that contest have moved on, including former Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer. 

In the 2019 version of the matchup, Clemson would face a tough individual challenge in the form of Chase Young. 

The junior entered Saturday with 16.5 sacks and he garnered Heisman Trophy buzz for his performances against Wisconsin and Penn State. 

In 13 games, Trevor Lawrence has been sacked 12 times, including twice in the ACC Championship Game. 

Clemson's sophomore phenom has thrown for at least three touchdowns in eight consecutive contests, and he has a wide receiver corps, led by Justyn Ross and Tee Higgins, that can test the Buckeyes' secondary. 

If the Big Ten winner earns top billing Sunday, it would still have a tough task on its hands versus Oklahoma's Jalen Hurts. 

The Alabama transfer is one of the best dual-threat signal-callers in the FBS and he carries the most playoff experience of any player from his three previous trips with the Crimson Tide. 

In addition to Hurts, the Sooners possess a top receiver in CeeDee Lamb, who could be involved in a matchup of potential Top 10 NFL draft picks versus Jeff Okudah. 

In his latest mock draft, Bleacher Report's Matt Miller had Okudah landing at No. 5 and Lamb going at No. 7. 

The more favorable foe for Ohio State's offense would be Oklahoma, who gave up over 20 points in four of its last five games. 

Conversely, Clemson has given up 47 points since the start of November, and it outgained Virginia 619-387 in the ACC Championship Game. 

Justin Fields and J.K. Dobbins could find more holes in the Oklahoma defense, and if that occurs, they may continue their recent runs of form.

Fields eclipsed 200 passing yards in four of his last five games and Dobbins has three straight 150-yard-plus rushing performances. 

No matter which defense lines up across from them, the quarterback-running back tandem may be the biggest challenge Clemson or Oklahoma faces this season.

                       

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.

Statistics obtained from ESPN.com.

The Ohio State Buckeyes are in search of their fourth Big Ten Championship Game victory and third over the Wisconsin Badgers. 

In 2014, Ohio State trounced Wisconsin 59-0, and it won by six points in 2017 at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Ryan Day's team comes into Indianapolis with a perfect record and a 31-point triumph over the Big Ten West champion from October 26. 

In that meeting, the Buckeyes took away the Badgers' top offensive weapons, and if they do so again, they could lock up the top seed in the College Football Playoff. 

                     

Big Ten Championship Game Info

Date: Saturday, December 7

Start Time: 8 p.m. ET 

TV: Fox

Live Stream: FoxSports.com or Fox Sports app

        

Preview

Ohio State is in possession of a seven-game winning streak over Wisconsin. 

While the blowouts from October and five years ago resonate most, a majority of their clashes this decade have been tight affairs. 

In 2017, the Buckeyes squeezed out a 27-21 victory to win the Big Ten title, but despite it being a close game, the Badgers struggled for consistency on the ground. 

Jonathan Taylor, who was a freshman in that game, was held to 41 rushing yards on 15 carries, while J.K. Dobbins starred with 174 rushing yards on 17 touches. 

The disparity in the ground game stood out when the teams met at Ohio Stadium, as Dobbins tallied 163 yards and two scores while Taylor was held to 52 rushing yards, his lowest total of the season. 

In those two clashes, the Buckeyes outgained the Badgers 880-489, with Chase Young and Co. holding the Big Ten West side to 191 total yards in October. 

Since their last meeting, Ohio State racked up a pair of Top 25 wins over Michigan and Penn State to leapfrog LSU in the playoff rankings. 

Dobbins was the offensive star of both victories with 368 rushing yards on 67 carries for six touchdowns. 

If the junior continues his dominant run, he may turn in a third 100-yard performance versus the Badgers. 

Quarterback Justin Fields also has two 300-yard passing games in his last three outings. If he connects early with Chris Olave, K.J. Hill and others, the opposing defense may not stand a chance at containing the Big Ten East champion.

Success in the passing game could be the difference-maker, as the Buckeyes have thrown 44 passing scores compared to Wisconsin's 17. 

Olave, Hill, Binjimen Victor and even Dobbins at times can threaten the opposing secondary, which means if one is stopped, another can likely find space. 

Conversely, if the Buckeyes shut down Quintez Cephus, who leads the Badgers with 45 receptions and 720 receiving yards, the Badgers do not have more explosive options for Jack Coan to work with. 

Jeff Okudah can take away Cephus' impact, just like has with other top receivers in Big Ten action. Bleacher Report's Matt Miller has Okudah going No. 5 in his latest NFL mock draft. 

Between Young getting to Coan, Okudah shutting down Cephus and the entire offense wreaking havoc on Wisconsin's defense, Ohio State could have the edge in every key matchup Saturday. 

If that conveys to the gridiron, the Buckeyes would earn their 13th double-digit win of the campaign and stay away from Clemson in the national semifinals by earning the top playoff seed. 

               

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90

Statistics obtained from ESPN.com

The 2019 College Football Playoff could feature as many as three new participants compared to a year ago. 

Clemson is the only one of the four 2018 playoff teams in good position to qualify for this season's version.

The Tigers, LSU and Ohio State have been the three most dominant FBS sides all season, and with wins in their respective conference championship games, they will enter as undefeated teams. 

If LSU beats Georgia, the discussion for the No. 4 seed will come down to Utah and Oklahoma. The Sooners might join Alabama and Notre Dame as programs to drop from the playoff to the next bowl tiers. 

If Utah gets in over the Sooners, it would be the second time in the playoff era in which there was a three-team changeover from the previous season. 

                    

Bowl Predictions

College Football Playoff

Peach Bowl (December 28): No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 4 Utah 

Fiesta Bowl (December 28): No. 2 LSU vs. No. 3 Clemson 

If the current top three and Utah win, the selection committee would take four conference champions, and the fifth would sit at No. 5 in the rankings.

The playoff seeding does not typically play out in that manner, as the last three playoff fields included a trio of conference title winners. 

Alabama's Iron Bowl loss eliminated the possibility of a program qualifying for the final four without taking part in a conference championship game, like the Crimson Tide did two years ago. 

For the last two weeks, Ohio State has been ahead of LSU in the playoff rankings, which leads us to believe another win by the Buckeyes will lock up the No. 1 seed. 

The top honor is important because it allows that team to avoid reigning champion Clemson, who is expected to slide into No. 3 due to its lack of Top 25 wins. 

Each of Ohio State's four Top 25 victories are by double digits, and it could earn another one over Wisconsin, who sits at No. 8, Saturday. 

If that is the case, the Buckeyes' overall body of work could be more impressive than LSU, who defeated Alabama, Auburn and Texas by a combined 15 points. The Tigers also own a 14-point victory over Florida. 

Since the SEC West winner has a better resume than most programs, it could remain in the top four with a loss to Georgia. 

In that situation, two SEC teams would get in regardless of what occurs in the Pac-12 and Big 12 Championship Games. 

If LSU triumphs Saturday, it could lock into the No. 2 seed, which would set up a clash with Clemson. 

The SEC and ACC champions may have to travel to Arizona for the Fiesta Bowl if Utah slides in at No. 4.

In that case, Utes fans would travel a further distance to the Peach Bowl, which may make it feel like a truer road game with Ohio State as the home squad. 

Kyle Whittingham's team earned praise from committee chair Rob Mullens Tuesday night, per The Athletic's Stewart Mandel. 

"You look at Utah, you say, boy, they've been so consistent all season long, they have been dominant, their defense is incredible," Mullens said. "We see a season-long balance of very consistent play on both sides of the ball." 

The Pac-12 South winner has been as dominant as Ohio State, LSU and Clemson over the last two months, and it can earn a marquee win over Oregon Friday.

Oklahoma owns three Top 25 wins, and it could receive a fourth by beating Baylor Saturday, but if it can't match Utah's performance from the night before, it may not persuade the committee to move it up from No. 6 to No. 4. 

                            

New Year's Six 

Cotton Bowl (December 28): Memphis vs. Baylor 

Orange Bowl (December 30): Virginia vs. Florida 

Rose Bowl (January 1): Oregon vs. Penn State 

Sugar Bowl (January 1): Georgia vs. Oklahoma

If Utah gets into the playoff, Oregon would represent the Pac-12 in the Rose Bowl against either Penn State or Wisconsin. 

At the moment, the Badgers are two spots ahead of the Nittany Lions, but that could change if the Big Ten West winner is blown out by Ohio State for the second time. 

The Sugar Bowl would be the consolation prize for Georgia and Oklahoma, who last played in an overtime epic at the Rose Bowl as part of the playoff two years ago. 

Virginia would be the top ACC program for the Orange Bowl to select, and Florida is locked into a New Year's Six berth at No. 9. 

If Memphis beats Cincinnati for a second straight week at home, it will be the Group of Five representative. 

Even with a loss to Oklahoma, Baylor could earn a Cotton Bowl berth since it enters the weekend at No. 7. 

If the Bears have two losses to the Sooners, it should be enough to keep them above three-loss Auburn for the final at-large berth. 

                         

Other Bowls

Bahamas Bowl (December 20): Charlotte vs. Buffalo

Frisco Bowl (December 20): Temple vs. Southern Miss

New Mexico Bowl (December 21): Florida International vs. Wyoming

Cure Bowl (December 21): Tulane vs. Arkansas State

Boca Raton Bowl (December 21): Liberty vs. Western Michigan 

Camellia Bowl (December 21): Miami (Ohio) vs. Georgia State 

Las Vegas Bowl (December 21): Washington State vs. Boise State 

New Orleans Bowl (December 21): Marshall vs. Appalachian State 

Gasparilla Bowl (December 23): SMU vs. Western Kentucky 

Hawaii Bowl (December 24): BYU vs. Hawaii 

Independence Bowl (December 26): North Carolina vs. Louisiana Tech 

Quick Lane Bowl (December 26): Michigan State vs. Boston College

Military Bowl (December 27): Miami vs. Navy 

Pinstripe Bowl (December 27): Pittsburgh vs. Indiana

Texas Bowl (December 27): Kansas State vs. Kentucky 

Holiday Bowl (December 27): Iowa vs. Washington 

Cheez-It Bowl (December 27): Florida Atlantic vs. San Diego State

Camping World Bowl (December 28): Notre Dame vs. Texas 

First Responder Bowl (December 30): Ohio vs. UAB

Music City Bowl (December 30): Virginia Tech vs. Texas A&M 

Redbox Bowl (December 30): Illinois vs. Arizona State 

Belk Bowl (December 31): Louisville vs. Mississippi State 

Sun Bowl (December 31): Wake Forest vs. California 

Liberty Bowl (December 31): Iowa State vs. Cincinnati 

Arizona Bowl (December 31): Nevada vs. Georgia Southern 

Alamo Bowl (December 31): Oklahoma State vs. USC 

Citrus Bowl (January 1): Wisconsin vs. Alabama

Outback Bowl (January 1): Minnesota vs. Auburn 

Birmingham Bowl (January 2): Florida State vs. UCF

Gator Bowl (January 2): Michigan vs. Tennessee 

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl (January 3): Eastern Michigan vs. Utah State 

Armed Forces Bowl (January 4): Kent State vs. Air Force 

LendingTree Bowl (January 6): Central Michigan vs. Louisiana

                  

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90

Finalizing the College Football Playoff field seems like a simple exercise after Tuesday's rankings release.

Here’s the full #CFBPlayoff Top 2️⃣5️⃣ rankings for games played through November 30.

Is your team in? 👀

🏈🏆 pic.twitter.com/PaGC4Tbw2z

— College Football Playoff (@CFBPlayoff) December 4, 2019

If Ohio State, LSU and Clemson win their respective championship games Saturday, they will be the first three programs into the playoff.

That would leave Utah and Oklahoma to fight for the No. 4 seed with Georgia cleared out of the way by LSU.

The Utes moved into the No. 5 position vacated by Alabama, whose loss to Auburn simplified the debate for the final position.

Utah, with one loss and a Pac-12 title, will be compared to Big 12 champion Oklahoma, also with one defeat, as long as LSU beats Georgia.

The only way neither team qualifies for the final four is if they both lose this weekend or Georgia beats LSU in the SEC Championship Game, which may force the selection committee to take a pair of SEC programs.

                      

College Football Playoff Prediction

Peach Bowl (December 28): No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 4 Utah

Fiesta Bowl (December 28): No. 2 LSU vs. No. 3 Clemson

Ohio State is the front-runner for the No. 1 overall seed, as it sits atop the rankings once again.

The Buckeyes could boost their resume by beating No. 8 Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship Game.

If they triumph at Lucas Oil Stadium, the Big Ten East winner would own three consecutive Top 13 victories, with two of the three coming against the No. 8 team.

One of Ohio State's other two ranked wins came against Wisconsin. The 38-7 win at Ohio Stadium occurred when head coach Paul Chryst's team was 13th.

The most impressive part of the Buckeyes' resume is double-digit wins over every opponent.

If they beat Wisconsin by 10 or more points Saturday, they should remain on top of the rankings and avoid Clemson.

LSU can earn a fifth win over a Top 10 squad Saturday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, but the difference between it and Ohio State is three of them were single-digit victories.

Since beating Alabama, head coach Ed Orgeron's team posted three consecutive 50-point performances, and its defense improved Saturday by containing Texas A&M to seven points.

The Tigers are not expected to be as dominant against a Georgia defense that has held its last six foes under 20 points.

The difference-makers could be LSU wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson, both of whom have over 1,000 receiving yards.

Heisman Trophy favorite Joe Burrow has more weapons at his disposal than Jake Fromm, and eventually the Tigers will find holes in the Georgia secondary.

However, an SEC championship may not be enough to boost the Tigers over the Buckeyes for the top seed, which leaves it with a potentially difficult matchup against Clemson.

Head coach Dabo Swinney's team rolled through ACC play in October and November, and it is the overwhelming favorite to win the conference crown Saturday.

Clemson deserves credit for blowing out weaker opposition, but its schedule will ultimately hold it back from competing with Ohio State and LSU for No. 1.

Virginia jumping into the rankings at No. 23 helps the Tigers' resume, but they currently have a single Top 25 win over Texas A&M.

If Utah wins the Pac-12 and Oklahoma takes the Big 12 crown, the Utes could hold the edge because of how dominant they have been.

Since October began, the Utes have six double-digit wins in seven games, and they have held five opponents under 10 points.

Conversely, Oklahoma had four games between their last two triumphs of 10-plus points.

The Sooners struggled to put away Iowa State and TCU at home, which may weigh on the minds of some committee members when comparing them to Utah.

Head coach Lincoln Riley's team will have an edge in Top 25 victories, but Utah has an opportunity to bolster its resume by taking down No. 13 Oregon.

If the Utes extend their dominance into Friday, they could prove to the committee that their style can carry into the playoff.

Their dominance combined with entering championship weekend ahead of Oklahoma hands Utah the edge for the No. 4 seed.

             

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.

Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields made it clear Tuesday that he will not miss Saturday's Big Ten Championship Game against Wisconsin despite suffering a knee injury last week against Michigan.

According to Dan Hope of Eleven Warriors, Fields said: "In my mind, I'm playing on Saturday, I don't care how much it hurts."

Fields left the game against Michigan temporarily, but he returned with a bulky knee brace and led the Buckeyes to a 56-27 win over the rival Wolverines.

The sophomore star shook off the injury to throw for 302 yards and four touchdowns, while also rushing for 25 yards. Fields is a leading Heisman Trophy candidate this season by virtue of his 2,654 yards, 37 touchdowns and one interception through the air, and 470 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground.

The No. 1 Buckeyes will need their dual-threat quarterback in the lineup against a No. 12 Badgers team that is dangerous due to the presence of running back Jonathan Taylor, who has 1,761 rushing yards and 25 total touchdowns this season.

OSU is likely heading to the College Football Playoff no matter what happens in the Big Ten Championship Game, but it needs to beat Wisconsin to maintain the No. 1 spot over LSU and Clemson, and it may need to win big.

Getting the top seed is huge because that team will likely face an apparently weaker team like Georgia, Utah or Oklahoma in the CFP semifinal. Meanwhile, the second and third seeds figure to be two of Ohio State, LSU or Clemson, who are the clear top three teams in the country.

While all signs point toward Fields playing and going full bore Saturday, senior quarterback Chris Chugunov will be ready in case the injury is aggravated.

Chugunov replaced Fields for a few plays Saturday, and on the season he has completed 60.5 percent of his passes for 286 yards, six touchdowns and no interceptions.