Alabama (#1) - TCU (#4): TCU is having a magical season, but the fun ends here. Alabama is too good, too well coached and too driven to make up for last season. Alabama 41-TCU 30.
Oregon (#2) - Florida State (#3): FSU has played with fire too much and who knows if they’ll even beat Ga Tech in the ACC title game. Assuming that they do, Oregon will give them fits. The only way that they can win is if Winston doesn’t make any mistakes and he’s only made it through two games without throwing an INT. Oregon should roll. Oregon 54-FSU 23.
Title game: Alabama - Oregon. This will be fun, but Bama’s coaching staff puts them over the top. Alabama 30-Oregon 20.
The rest of the Playoff system bowls (note: this is based on the voting of who is the appropriate team at this moment):
Rose Bowl: Arizona (Pac-12 representative) - Wisconsin (Big 10 rep). Arizona is shooting up after beating their in-state rival. Wisconsin should be expected to beat OSU in the Big 10 title game this weekend. Arizona is hot and Wisconsin is still a flawed team. Arizona 27-Wisconsin 21.
Sugar Bowl: Mississippi State (SEC rep) - Baylor (Big 12 rep). The Bulldogs have crashed in November, but they’re still the best of the rest of the SEC. Baylor is pushing hard for a playoff spot, but it looks unlikely to happen. The Bulldogs have too much defense for the Bears. Mississippi State 28-Baylor 17.
Orange Bowl: Georgia Tech (ACC rep) - Ohio State (at large). One way or the other, Georgia Tech probably ends up here. They’ll face OSU even if the buckeyes lose on Saturday but if K-State upsets Baylor then they’ll end up here instead. The Tech offense will give an offense less OSU fits. Georgia Tech 35-OSU 17.
Cotton: Marshall (Group of 5 rep) - Georgia (at large). This will be brutal early and often. Georgia 44-Marshall 10.
Fiesta Bowl: Missouri (at large) - UCLA (at large). If Missouri gets brutalized by Alabama on Saturday, then Oklahoma or Arizona State ends up here. Assuming a decent performance, then Missouri’s defense gets a chance to tee off on Brett Hundley and his farewell party. Missouri 21-UCLA 13.
Peach Bowl: Ole Miss (at large) - Michigan State (at large). Ole Miss jumps a number of teams by winning the Egg Bowl. Assuming Wisconsin beats OSU this weekend, the Spartans are trapped as not being the Big 12 winner but ranked high enough to get a playoff affiliated bowl spot. Ole Miss 30-Michigan State 20.
A special thanks to all the Vavel.com writers and editors who took part in this poll week in and week out. It was a lot of work even for the voters and this author deeply appreciates it.