Staff Predictions for the 2015 Sugar Bowl

It's finally here. College football has a playoff, and it starts on Thursday. Alabama and Ohio State will square off in the second semifinal game on New Year's Day, and our staff have made their predictions for this match-up between two heavyweight programs.

Alabama is the #1 seed of the inaugural College Football Playoffs and come in as the heavy favorite to win the national championship. The Ohio State Buckeyes are ranked #4 in the country with their lone loss coming during their first game of the year, dropping a non-conference game to the Virginia Tech Hokies.

_________________________________________________________________________

Ryan Fowler (Host of "The Game")

Ohio State comes into this game with an impressive 11 game winning streak, but none of those wins match up with what Alabama has had to do to earn one of the spots in CFB playoffs. Alabama has been battle tested and that will pay off Thursday night.

Alabama is the better team, I expect Ohio State’s defense to challenge Alabama’s offense. However, I do not think Ohio State has enough firepower on offense to get the job done. Alabama is going to the big D with an impressive 4^th quarter. Alabama 35 Ohio State 21

Chris Stewart (Host of "The Chris Stewart Show")

The size and speed of the elite teams in the SEC, has allowed the league to become the best in America.

Urban Meyer has taken great strides in bringing that formula to Big Ten Country. However, Alabama still has the edge in that regard. Most importantly, the Crimson Tide is playing at a very high level. Look for this to be a battle to the final five minutes, but Alabama will advance. Alabama 37, Ohio State 27

Ben George (Digital Managing Editor)

The second game of the College Football Playoff doubleheader will be a television executive’s dream as two of the best college football markets square off in the Sugar Bowl. Oddsmakers have Alabama as a 9-point favorite, but Ohio State is a bit undervalued. The Buckeyes feature one of the nation’s most balanced offenses and are one of just six teams that average 7+ yards per play. On top of that, they come in playing great football with added motivation from the tragic passing of a teammate.

On the other side, the Crimson Tide played one of the toughest November schedules and escaped unscathed. The team is as healthy as its been in a while and that could boost an already-explosive offense. Then you have to expect the defense to give Cardale Jones some serious problems in his second start. The most important thing is that it’s nearly impossible to beat Nick Saban on the biggest stages. Alabama 31, Ohio State 21

Ryan McMunn (Producer)

We're finally here folks. FBS football has itself a playoff. Honestly, I don't care who is in it, as long as we got our well deserved playoff. However, coincidentally, the Alabama Crimson Tide is in the inaugural College Football Playoffs, so we all have a vested interest in this particular game.

Alabama is about a nine point favorite over the Ohio State Buckeyes according to the experts in the desert, and they'll be right for most of the game, but this one will end similarly to the SEC Championship Game. The Buckeyes can hang around with the Tide for the first three quarters, but the depth and talent of Nick Saban's squad will ultimately prevail.

Ohio State can attack Alabama's secondary, and I think they will early and often, throwing the ball to speedster Devon Smith, but Alabama will make halftime adjustments and take this game over in the fourth quarter. Alabama 45, Ohio State 24

Trey Brooks (Producer)

Ohio State is good and deserves to be here. Anyone still stuck on the loss to Virginia Tech hasn't watched this team grow. Yes, the Big 10 is not the SEC, but Urban Meyer has accumulated the kind of talent that can beat any team, any time.

All that being said, losing two QBs is something almost no team can recover from. Even if Barrett was healthy, the speed of Alabama's defensive line has proven too much for most teams to run against. Buckeyes play valiantly, but the Tide gets it done. Alabama 27, Ohio State 20

Filed Under: Alabama Football, Sugar Bowl

Categories: Alabama, Alabama Football, College Football, Top 25