The Hangover: Ohio State? Penn State? Either just a potential Alabama victim

Personally, I think the College Football Playoff committee got it wrong. I would’ve gone with Penn State over Ohio State.

Sorry, SEC fans, but the Big Ten has been the best conference in America this season. The Nittany Lions ended up claiming the Big Ten title and own a head-to-head win over the Buckeyes, yet somehow OSU was the choice.

I know there’s no perfect formula for determining the Final Four. Conference strength is a factor. Out-of-conference scheduling is a factor. Voters will even take injuries into consideration. There are quality wins, not to mention good losses. The system seems better equipped to produce spirited debate than a national champion.

Even if PSU has two losses to Ohio State’s one, the head-to-head result alone should’ve been the difference maker in the voting.

It would be one thing if Penn State had four losses, maybe another if the Nittany Lions had gone down after upsetting the Buckeyes, but neither is the case. OSU’s absence on Championship Weekend almost became an advantage.

The last time anyone saw Ohio State play, it outlasted the committee’s darling, Michigan, in double overtime at The Horseshoe. In addition to the Wolverines, the Buckeyes have beaten Big 12 champion Oklahoma and Big Ten West winner Wisconsin. There might not be another club in the country with three more impressive Ws.

However, the unfortunate lesson voters taught us today was that teams don’t necessarily earn their way into the CFP.

Here’s what the committee is apparently looking for: the four best programs in the country based on some nebulous criteria that lacks true definition. Voters don’t think PSU can give Alabama a game, but perhaps the Buckeyes can.

There appears to be a political component, as well. Washington wasn’t going to get left out of the mix since the Pac-12 failed to be represented in 2015. This time, it was the Big 12’s turn again to watch from home. We’re yet to see two teams make it from the same league, probably because there are too many people in power to keep happy.

Regardless, it’s just a charade to see who will soon get beat up by the Crimson Tide. Come to think of it, Penn State is better off in the Rose Bowl.

Program by program, here are some of the more memorable nuggets and tidbits that I scribbled into my Championship Weekend notebook.

#rolltide

Derrick Henry won the Heisman Trophy last season and broke the SEC single-season record for rushing yards, yet Alabama hasn’t missed him.

The Crimson Tide got 2,888 yards on the ground in 15 games from its top four tailbacks in 2015: Henry, Kenyan Drake, Damien Harris and Bo Scarbrough (above). The overwhelming majority of it (2,219) came from Henry, of course. But this year, ‘Bama has 2,246 already in 13 games from Harris, Scarbrough, Joshua Jacobs and B.J. Emmons.

When you throw in quarterback Jalen Hurts and his 841, compared to Jake Coker’s 68 last year, the Tide are actually a better rushing offense now.

#wooopig

Arkansas is going to the Belk Bowl at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte on Thursday, Dec. 29 to face Virginia Tech.

The Hokies gave Clemson everything it could handle Saturday in the ACC Championship Game, so the Hogs better be ready for a team that will be well prepared with first-year coach Justin Fuente. This should be a terrific quarterback battle, as Austin Allen and Jerod Evans both exceeded expectations in 2016.

Evans is also Va Tech’s leading rusher, so the Razorbacks appear to have the edge there with SEC rushing champion Rawleigh Williams III.

#wareagle

Auburn is going to the Sugar Bowl at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans on Monday, Jan. 2 to face Oklahoma.

Because the SEC was so top-heavy this season, meaning Alabama and everybody else, the 8-4 Tigers were the best of a bad bunch for the decision makers. Nevertheless, expect some offensive firepower in this one, as the Sooners have won nine in a row and haven’t scored fewer than 34 during that streak.

Assuming quarterback Sean White and running back Kamryn Pettway return to full health, Auburn should be able to keep up on the scoreboard.

#gogators

When Florida coach Jim McElwain was asked about Alabama during his postgame press conference, he was at a loss for words.

McElwain seemed genuinely speechless when trying to describe just how good the Crimson Tide have been this season. He believes this is the best ‘Bama has ever been under coach Nick Saban, and he should know since he used to be on staff in Tuscaloosa. Having so much depth was a critical factor in the game for the Tide.

According to McElwain, the Gators didn’t have enough bodies to stack up against a squad so loaded, especially on special teams.

Hopefully they’ll be rested, recovered and ready for Iowa in the Outback Bowl on Jan. 2 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.

#uga

Georgia is going to the Liberty Bowl at Memorial Stadium in Memphis on Friday, Dec. 30 to face TCU.

Both the Bulldogs and Horned Frogs disappointed to some degree this year. For first-year coach Kirby Smart, UGA endured a five-game stretch in the middle of the schedule that included four losses. TCU was considered a dark-horse candidate for the Playoff at one point but crumbled all the way to 6-6.

Keep an eye on the Dawgs’ backfield. This is probably it for Nick Chubb. It just might be for Sony Michel, too.

#bbn

Kentucky is going to the TaxSlayer Bowl at EverBank Field in Jacksonville on Saturday, Dec. 31 to face Georgia Tech.

It took coach Mark Stoops (above) four years to do it, but he’s taking the Wildcats bowling for the first time since 2010. That was the last of five consecutive bowl games for UK, so it remains to be seen if Stoops can put together a similar streak. He’ll face a Yellow Jackets team that just did something he couldn’t: beat Georgia.

If you’re a fan of the running game, then this is the bowl for you. While the ‘Cats can run with anyone, Tech’s triple-option offense can be maddening.

#geauxtigers

LSU is going to the Citrus Bowl at Camping World Stadium in Orlando on Saturday, Dec. 31 to face Louisville.

This will be Ed Orgeron’s first opportunity to lead the Tigers as their full-time head coach after having the interim tag lifted recently. While most of the talk in Baton Rouge centers around the offense, Orgeron’s defense better be ready. Cardinals quarterback Lamar Jackson is the presumptive Heisman Trophy winner.

Leonard Fournette will certainly be suiting up for the final time as a Bayou Bengal, too. He came and went so quickly.

#hailstate

Mississippi State is going to the St. Petersburg Bowl at Tropicana Field on Monday, Dec. 26 to face Miami of Ohio.

Since there are too many bowl games and not enough teams that finished 6-6 or better, the Bulldogs go bowling at 5-7 because of their high APR. If nothing else, it’s another opportunity for dual-threat quarterback Nick Fitzgerald to put up more video game-like numbers both through the air and on the ground. However, the RedHawks are 26th nationally in total D.

Miami started the campaign 0-6 before winning out the rest of the way to finish 6-6 and earn bowl eligibility. That’s never been done.

#spursup

South Carolina is going to the Birmingham Bowl at Legion Field on Thursday, Dec. 29 to face USF.

No matter what happens in the actual contest, all those extra practices for quarterback Jake Bentley will come in handy as the Gamecocks continue their rebuild next season. Not many experts — especially this one — saw coach Will Muschamp making it to a bowl game in Year 1. Beware the Bulls, though.

South Florida features the No. 5 rushing offense in the nation with quarterback Quinton Flowers and running back Marlon Mack.

#gbo

Tennessee is going to the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl at Nissan Stadium in Nashville on Friday, Dec. 30 to face Nebraska.

The Volunteers were once 5-0 and No. 9 in the country. The Cornhuskers were once 7-0 and No. 7 in the country. Eight combined losses later, these two once-proud programs will try to get up for a bowl game that has to be considered a mediocre consolation prize. No word yet if there will be a “Champions of Life” ceremony at halftime.

This will be all she wrote for Vols quarterback Joshua Dobbs. Whether his next stop is the NFL or NASA remains to be seen.

#gigem

Texas A&M is going to the Advocare V100 Texas Bowl at NRG Stadium in Houston on Wednesday, Dec. 28 to face Kansas State.

Speaking of late-season collapses, don’t forget that the Aggies were originally No. 4 in the College Football Playoff rankings and in line to play for the national championship. Instead, they lost three of four — all to unranked opponents — to close the schedule 8-4. Coach Kevin Sumlin (above) continues to see his club fade down the stretch.

The Wildcats, conversely, have won five of six and only been defeated by Big 12 giants Oklahoma and Oklahoma State going back to Week 6.

#anchordown

Vanderbilt is going to the Camping World Independence Bowl at Independence Stadium in Shreveport on Monday, Dec. 26 to face N.C State.

The Commodores surely would have gone to a bowl game at 5-7 due to their terrific Academic Progress Rate (APR), but officially earning this bowl berth with a 6-6 mark has to be extra satisfying for third-year coach Derek Mason. To do so by upsetting in-state rival Tennessee in the regular-season finale? Even sweeter.

Likewise, the Wolfpack made it to .500 by shocking an intrastate foe. They knocked off North Carolina in Chapel Hill.

Sweet Tweet

A year ago in the SEC title game, former Florida quarterback Treon Harris was 9-of-24 passing for 165 yards with 1 touchdown and 1 interception in a 29-15 loss to Alabama. As he watched new Gators QB Austin Appleby struggle with 3 INTs and 4 sacks against the Crimson Tide, Harris reactivated his Twitter account to offer some analysis.

Harris, who transferred from UF but is yet to announce where — or if — he’ll continue his football career, apparently wasn’t impressed with offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier. It was the first tweet since this past April.

Sweet Stat

Alabama scored a season-high 54 points vs. Florida. Prior to this matchup, the Gators hadn’t given up more than 38.

However, the Crimson Tide only totaled 372 yards of offense. That happens to be their third-lowest output of the year. ‘Bama went for 332 against Chattanooga and just 323 against LSU, even if it did win those two games by a combined score of 41-3.

It was a bizarre first quarter that saw the Tide score 16 points despite minus-7 yards offensively. But after that, they were humming.

Sweet Quote

“We have open locker room today. I’m surprised you all are here. You have the opportunity to go talk to our players, some of whom we don’t let you talk to, so I thought it would be just me and my family here.”

— Alabama coach Nick Saban to the crowd he drew at the postgame press conference 

Pick Six

• If you want to understand the worthlessness of ESPN’s made-up QBR statistic, Hurts was credited with a 31.6 while Austin Appleby recorded a 36.2. QBR supposedly “accounts for a team’s level of success or failure on every play.” Hurts beat Appleby by 38 points, if you recall. Go figure.
• While Harris and Jacobs were the primary tailbacks early for Alabama, Scarbrough (11 carries for 92 yards and 2 TDs) did most of his damage late. Harris and Jacobs are more versatile, but Scarbrough is ideal for killing clock with a lead. That’s his best role.
• A week ago, Pettway could do no better than 17 yards on 12 rushes facing the Crimson Tide. Florida’s Jordan Scarlett finished with an equally inept stat line: 17 yards on 11 attempts. ‘Bama hasn’t allowed more than 46 yards to any tailback this season.
• The Tide picked off Appleby three times and probably should’ve had four. Safety Ronnie Harrison jumped high and got his hands on a pass, but he couldn’t secure the ball after hitting the ground. Harrison said in the locker room that the turf was much harder than he anticipated.
• Just as he did the week before against Florida State, Appleby started hot and looked very sharp throwing the ball. However, he cooled off quickly. The Gators appear to do a fine job scripting the first series or two but struggle to make calls on the fly as the game progresses.
• Even with 54 points at the final gun, Alabama didn’t have a quality choice for MVP of the game on offense. Linebacker Reuben Foster ended up getting the nod after he posted a team-leading 11 tackles and 2.0 sacks. He was all over the field defensively.

---

John Crist is the senior writer for Saturday Down South, a member of the FWAA and a voter for the Heisman Trophy. Send him an e-mail, like him on Facebook or follow him on Twitter.