2019-20 College Football Playoff: Semifinals Picks

Here are my picks for the 2019-20 College Football Playoff Semifinals.

Saturday, December 28th
Chick Fil-A Peach Bowl: (4) Oklahoma (12-1) vs (1) LSU (13-0)- 4:00, ESPN: This is the Sooners' fourth College Football Playoff appearance and their third in a row, this time led by former Alabama quarterback and Heisman finalist Jalen Hurts. This is the Tigers' first time in the College Football Playoff led by Heisman winner Joe Burrow. I do expect there to be a ton of points in this game although there's a chance Tigers running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire may not play due to a hamstring injury, but I don't see that affecting the result of the game. I do think there's a chance that Hurts, Cee-Dee Lamb, and the rest of the Sooners offense goes toe-to-toe with them a majority of the game, but ultimately I do not see the Sooners defense stopping Burrow and that offense.
Prediction: LSU 48, Oklahoma 35.

PlayStation Fiesta Bowl: (3) Clemson (13-0) vs (2) Ohio State (13-0)- 8:00, ESPN: This game is what I'm going to call "the defacto National Championship game" (barring significant injuries to the winner of this game) because I feel these are the best two teams in the country. The Tigers in the second half of the regular season is when they started looking like the team many imagined they'd be after a near loss at North Carolina as Trevor Lawrence started to play like the guy that looked like the best quarterback prospect since perhaps Peyton Manning. The Buckeyes have looked like the best team in the country nearly all season long led by stud Georgia transfer quarterback Justin Fields on offense and stud edge rusher Chase Young, who were both Heisman finalists. The winner of this game certainly would not surprise me, but the experience that Lawrence gained last season as well as guys like Travis Etienne, Tee Higgins, and Justyn Ross on offense will be a big difference in this game as the Buckeyes defense despite Young's presence as well as Jeff Okudah in the secondary showed leaks against better competition as the Tigers go to their second consecutive National Championship game and their fourth in five years.
Prediction: Clemson 41, Ohio State 37.