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College Football Playoff- First Round
(11) SMU Mustangs at (6) Penn State Nittany Lions
SMU: Their situation is similar to the TCU Horned Frogs in 2022. First, they were a team that came out of left field and nobody could’ve expected it. If this group who entered their first season into the ACC and being as dominant as they were was on your bingo card for the season, you need to be betting and if you win your money, congratulations. Secondly, just as those Frogs did, they made their conference title game and lost and lastly, there was a debate about did either team deserve to get into the playoff, or should good old Alabama receive their spot in the playoff. In 2022, the Crimson Tide lost two games and this year, they lost three. The committee got it right and SMU got their flowers and will be making their first-ever playoff appearance. Here’s my question: Why on God’s green earth would you reward a football team who lost one too many games during the regular season and didn’t make their conference title game, but punish the one team who at least made their conference title game and I understand they lost, but they still made whereas the other didn’t. This is exactly why I said it was reminiscent of TCU in 2022. I give the Mustangs all the credit in the world because they got themselves back into a game that appeared to be over when Clemson was dominating early on. They just happened to run into a team with a bit more experience. I appreciate the effort to climb back into the game because it’s not over until the clock has three zeros on it. Next Saturday afternoon, they will travel north to Beaver Stadium.
Penn State: They played a lot better than I anticipated of them in the Big Ten title game. Let’s be honest here, a lot of teams aren’t given that much of a chance when you face the number one-ranked team in the country. They were able to hang with the Oregon Ducks and even outscored them in the fourth quarter, but still fell short. For the last few years, I’ve been comparing this group to the Michigan Wolverines before they won their National Championship. I think James Franklin is a good football coach and he’s a leader of young men, but the knock on him is not being able to win those big games against the quality opponents. He’s struggled against Michigan and has only defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes only once in his coaching tenure in Happy Valley. Their issue is at Quarterback and until they fix that issue, they will continue to see the same results on a yearly basis. Drew Allar wasn’t too bad this year and the one problem I’ve always had with Penn State has been their offense eventually, you need to take a shot down the field because the short passing game can only do so much for you until it’s contained by the defense. Whenever James decides to get that Quarterback that will take them over the hump, I believe people will take them more seriously as a football team. One thing I will say is they have a nice three-headed monster on offense in Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen of course, and Tyler Warren, the stud Tight End. Here they are and will host a first-round playoff game on December 21st.
SMU X-Factor: Brashard Smith– This is the engine that makes the SMU offense go and when he’s fed the football, good things happen and the entire offense opens up a bit more. Brashard is a former Wide Receiver who converted to Running Back and the rest is history. He plays with great patience, vision, and footwork and when running in between the tackles, he can get small. With experience as a pass catcher, Brashard is also another weapon in the passing game.
Penn State X-Factor: Harrison Wallace III– He was second in receiving yards during the regular season with Tyler Warren being first with 1,062. With Tyler, Allen, and Singleton commanding the attention of any defense, Harrison often sees many single man looks underneath. What Keenan Allen has been to offenses in the NFL is what Harrison is to Penn State. This is who Drew Allar will turn to when he needs the chains moved. He has all the talent in the world, but the only knock on him has been his health.
Final Thoughts: We have two teams here that are making their College Football Playoff debuts! Both made their conference title games but unfortunately fell short. Now, these two will meet and the winner will make their way to Arizona to face the Boise State Broncos in the Fiesta Bowl. This will be the best defensive line that the SMU offensive line will have seen all season long as the Penn State defensive front can get after the Quarterback with stunts and blitzes. This will also be the most physical team that SMU will see this year. I see the Nittany Lions dominating the line of scrimmage on both sides of the football. I’m already believing that this will be a hostile environment, so a fast start is important to set the tone and most importantly, silence that crowd and take them out of the game. I see this being a game where Drew Allar silences his critics and puts his team on his back. I like the Nittany Lions to advance to the second round of the playoffs with a win.
Prediction: Penn State 28, SMU 14
