College Football Semi-Final Previews: Bama vs Cincy/Georgia vs Michigan

I’ve got an 11-month old who’s sole aim (between teething) is to exhaust me.

I’m sorry for not getting previews out there for all the bowls, but Christmas + child + wife who’s a pastor = Literal Hell on Earth.

But saying that, I have been granted some time by the Lord Jesus to preview the two college football semi-final games, which I can’t believe are happening tomorrow. I truly thought the games were next week or something (Christmas screwing my dates up, yo!).

ALABAMA (-13 1/2, O/U 57 1/2) VS CINCINNATI

No-one seems to think Cincinnati’s got a cat in hell’s chance of winning this one. After Alabama overcame Georgia in a brilliant performance in the SEC Championship Game, the Crimson Tide are nailed-on favorites for yet another National Title.

But there are some potential lumps in the road. Heisman winner Bryce Young is exceptional, but he’s only going to have the one main wideout in Jameson Williams with John Metchie injured. That means that we could be seeing more from Slane Bolden as well as freshmen Agyie Hall (who’s hardly been used this year), Javon Baker, Ja’Corey Brook and Traeshon Holden.

We should see more of the running game from Brian Robinson despite recent improvements from Cincinnati (they’ve only given up an average of 93 yards in the last four games of the season).

Defensive-wise, Alabama’s going to face the most mobile QB it has all season in Desmond Ridder. The QB has put the team on his back all season long, throwing for 3,190 yards and 30 TDs. He’ll pass a lot to Alec Pierce (876 yards receiving) and Tyler Scott (477), but the main focus of the Luke Fickell offense is the running game. Jerome Ford – a former Bama transfer – has run for 1,268 yards and 19 TDs

But really, Cincinnati’s a rushing team.  Jerome Ford – an Alabama transfer – ran for 1,268 yards and 19 TDs, and Ridder himself has 361 yards and 6 TDs on the floor, too.

Anyway, this one should be fascinating. At least for a half, anyway.

PREDICTION: Bama, Bama, Bama. Alabama 41, Cincinnati 21.

GEORGIA (-7 1/2, O/U 45 1/2) VS MICHIGAN

While it would be great for college football if Michigan and Cincinnati play for all the onions in the Natty this year, it would be an absolute shocker if it does.

We don’t know if Georgia will be licking its wounds after a piss-poor first half performance against Alabama, in which Bryce Young made future first rounders Devonte Wyatt and Jordan Davis chase shadows look like fat high school kids, but expect a different attitude against Cade McNamara and Big Blue.

Although the stats may tell you that McNamara shone out during Michigan’s blowout 42-3 thrashing of Iowa last week, the brutal honesty is that he got better and better when Iowa’s defense got more and more tired. In the first half, it was two lovely trick plays that put gave the Wolverines a 14-3 lead, but the reality is that Michigan’s offensive line was pressured, pressured, pressured by a Hawkeyes defense all half long. If Georgia can punish the Michigan offensive line in the way that they should do – and did in the second half against Young by blitzing almost every time – then McNamara’s going to spend a lot of time eating turf.

Michigan’s main offense comes from Hassan Haskins. Georgia hasn’t given up a lot to a good runner all season long, and we don’t expect Haskins to have the sort of game he had against Ohio State.

On the other side of the ball, Michigan’s got two first-round DEs in Adrian Hutchinson and David Ojabo. It’s going to be ‘pick your poison’ for the offensive line, who gave up 3 sacks against Alabama. Stetson Bennett ain’t that mobile, so we can expect him to spend a little time licking his wounds. Bennett will have George Pickens back (Praise The Lord!), but the very best catcher of the lot is Brock Bowers, who is downright filthy. The freshman TE had 10 receptions for 139 yards and a TD in the SEC Championship Game, and it wouldn’t surprise us if he comes up with the same kind of numbers on Friday night.

The further good news for Georgia is that All Big Ten DB Daxton Hill – Michigan’s second-highest tackler – will be missing because he’s ‘working through some stuff’, according to Jim Harbaugh.

Anyway, this one will be fun.

PREDICTION: GEORGIA 31, Michigan 24.