We’re about 24 hours away from the Sugar Bowl, and about 28 from knowing which two teams will play for the inaugural College Football Playoff national championship.
Unless you’re a beat writer for the Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch, you like the Crimson Tide in this one. Alabama is an 8.5-point favorite in Las Vegas as of Wednesday night.
Here are some picks from national writers and a few Alabama and Ohio State beat writers. What’s your prediction?
Phil Steele, ESPN: Alabama 34, Ohio State 24
Pete Thamel, Sports Illustrated: Alabama 21, Ohio State 10
Stewart Mandel, Fox Sports: Alabama 31, Ohio State 20
Bruce Feldman, Fox Sports: Alabama 37, Ohio State 27
Braden Gall, Athlon Sports: Alabama 37, Ohio State 24
Mark Schlabach, ESPN: Alabama 31, Ohio State 24
Pat Forde, Yahoo! Sports: Alabama 28, Ohio State 13
Ralph Russo, Associated Press: Alabama 28, Ohio State 17
Gil Brandt, NFL.com: Alabama 28, Ohio State 17
Greg Ostendorf, ESPN.com: Alabama 31, Ohio State 7
Barrett Sallee, Bleacher Report: Alabama 42, Ohio State 14
Tim May, Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State 31, Alabama 24
Bill Rabinowitz, Columbus Dispatch: Alabama 35, Ohio State 31
Joe Namath, former Alabama quarterback: Alabama 37, Ohio State 27
Michael Casagrande, AL.com: Alabama 33, Ohio State 21
Kevin Scarbinsky, AL.com: Alabama 35, Ohio State 21
An itinerant journalist, Christopher has moved between states 11 times in seven years. Formally an injury-prone Division I 800-meter specialist, he now wanders the Rockies in search of high peaks.
