New Year’s rockin’ eve will have a whole new meaning this time around.
The semifinals of the second College Football Playoff will be played on Dec. 31 because college football can never be simple.
Last year’s first college football final four was played on New Year’s Day and drew record-breaking television ratings as fans gladly melted into their couches for Oregon-Florida State in the Rose Bowl, followed by Ohio State-Alabama in the Sugar Bowl.
Frankly, it was perfect.
So of course it is changing. Hey, you can’t just move the Rose Bowl game. What will people do after the parade?
The fact is no matter when the games are played you will watch. And New Year’s Eve is overrated anyway.
Who will reach the playoff and the rest of the New Year’s Six bowls? Here’s an educated guess.
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Dec. 31
Peach Bowl
Alabama (at-large) vs. Clemson (ACC champion)
College Football Playoff semifinals at the Cotton Bowl
No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 4 Notre Dame
College Football Playoff semifinals at the Orange Bowl
No. 2 Auburn vs. No. 3 Baylor
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Jan. 1
Fiesta Bowl
Oregon (at-large) vs. Boise State (best of Group of Five conferences)
Rose Bowl
Arizona State (Pac-12) vs. Michigan State (Big Ten)
Sugar Bowl
Georgia (SEC) vs. Oklahoma (Big 12)
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Extra point
Jan. 11
College Football Playoff national championship
Ohio State vs. Baylor
National champion
Baylor
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Extra extra point
Conference championships
Atlantic Coast Conference — Clemson over Virginia Tech
American Athletic Conference — Memphis over Cincinnati
Big Ten — Ohio State over Nebraska
Big 12 — Baylor
Conference USA — Western Kentucky over Louisiana Tech
Mid-American Conference — Toledo over UMass
Mountain West Conference — Boise State over San Diego State
Pac-12 — Arizona State over Oregon
Southeastern Conference — Auburn over Georgia
Sun Belt — Appalachian State
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Last word
Heisman Trophy finalists
Oregon quarterback Vernon Adams
Auburn quarterback Jeremy Johnson
LSU running back Leonard Fournette
Baylor quarterback Seth Russell
Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson
And the Heisman goes to … Watson.