Happy New Year!

The first-ever College Football Playoff isn’t perfect. But it’s a start. Even as every other sport held championship games or playoffs, NCAA football at its highest level did not, leaving the determination of a champion to media or coaches polls.

That foolishness has stopped. That only four teams could qualify for this playoff narrows the field a bit too much, but we will take the incremental step for what it is and hope for expansion in the near future so that other worthy teams at least get a look.

The two semifinal games take place Thursday, at the Rose Bowl and at the Sugar Bowl.

The early game, in Pasadena, Calif., matches No. 3 Florida State (13-0) against No. 2 Oregon (12-1). FSU quarterback Jameis Winston won the Heisman Trophy in 2013 and Oregon QB Marcus Mariota won it in 2014. Both are also expected to forego remaining eligibility and make themselves available for the NFL draft. This will be the 101^st  Rose Bowl. Kick off is 5 p.m. ET.

In the Sugar Bowl, in New Orleans, La., No 4 Ohio State (12-1) meets No. 1 Alabama (12-1). Kickoff is 8:30 p.m. ET. The Buckeyes are starting their No. 3 quarterback, Cardale Jones, after a preseason shoulder injury took out Braxton Miller and a knee injury felled his replacement, J.T. Barrett. Alabama may be the most complete team in the playoff field, with a sound running game built around backs T.J. Yeldon and Derrick Henry, who each rushed for 10 touchdowns. QB Blake Sims can throw it or run it, and wide receiver Amari Cooper had 115 receptions (the next leading receiver caught 37).

Predictions

Oregon 41, Florida State 27. FSU falls behind, as it has done too often, and can’t make up the ground against the speed-freak Ducks.

Alabama 23, Ohio State 17. Bama has too many weapons and simply grinds opponents down. OSU will hang with the Tide for a while.
 
 
Post By: Larry Weisman, a longtime sportswriter for USA TODAY, blogs for Twistity.com. Follow him on Twitter @MrLarryWeisman .