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The first College Football Playoff is nearly here. In just three short weeks, we get to see the four best teams in the country, not just the top two, battle for the national title. For the most part, it looks like the committee got it right, picking a widely accepted four-team field (unless you live in Texas).
Among the top four teams, who are the very best what they do? SDS is going to hand out some pre-playoff superlatives throughout the four-team field.
Best offensive player: Marcus Mariota, Oregon
There’s no debating this one, all due respect to Amari Cooper. Mariota dominated the college football landscape, with 53 total touchdowns (38 passing, 14 rushing, 1 receiving) and just two interceptions. He is the triggerman of an offense that had the third-highest scoring average and second-highest yards per play average. There’s a reason he won the Heisman in a landslide.
Best defensive player: Joey Bosa, Ohio State
Ohio State’s star defensive end was a finalist for just about every defensive award he was eligible for. He came up empty handed in those pursuits, but he wrapped up his fair share of quarterbacks and ball carriers this season. Bosa finished fifth in the country in sacks (13.5) and 11th in tackles for loss (19.5).
Best special teams player: JK Scott, Alabama
The Crimson Tide’s freshman kicker was stellar all season, finishing third in the country with a 46.7 yard punting average. More than half of his punts were downed inside the opponents’ 20, and the Ray Guy Award finalist even took over some kickoff duties at the end of the season.
Best coach: Nick Saban, Alabama
Is this really a question? The coach with three of the last four national titles might not be an X’s-and-O’s expert like Urban Meyer or former coordinator Jimbo Fisher, or push the boundaries of what an offense can do like Mark Helfrich. Saban is a great motivator and recruiter, and he knows when to turn things over to his more-than-capable pool of assistants.
A former freelance journalist from Philadelphia, Brett has made the trek down to SEC country to cover the greatest conference in college football.
