Winners Club: Prepare for the College Football Playoff and Fantasy Championship Weekend
The eve of New Year’s Eve is the first Thursday without NFL football since Aug. 26. It’s been a while.
Championship fantasy football managers and ardent NFL fans and bettors will have to wait until Sunday for Week 17 to begin, but the long-awaited College Football Playoff kicks off Friday afternoon. That’s where we begin today.
College Football
Yes, there are still bowl games Thursday night and there will be more after the playoff semifinals conclude, but the New Year’s Eve meetings – No. 4 Cincinnati vs. No. 1 Alabama and No. 3 Georgia vs. No. 2 Michigan – are the crown jewels of the college football season.
Cincinnati (13-0) vs. Alabama (12-1)
3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
The Crimson Tide, 2021 SEC champs and winner of three of the seven titles in the CFP era, are 13.5-point favorites on SI Sportsbook against the Bearcats, American Conference champions. Alabama has Heisman winner Bryce Young, a handful of All-Americans on both sides of the ball and a winning tradition; Cincinnati has a 13-game win streak, an All-American of its own and the honor – and pressure – of being the first Group of 5 team to crack the top four.
Cincinnati-Alabama Betting Guide: Richard Johnson analyzes recent CFP history as it relates to this matchup and makes his betting picks. “If you’re into taking Cincinnati, its elite defense could hold Alabama down due to the fact that the Tide are without one of their primary receiving targets, John Metchie. But Alabama still has plenty of firepower to both win the game and cover,” Johnson writes.
Photo credit: Jason Getz/USA TODAY Sports
Standout Players to Watch For: Johnson highlighted the standout performers on either side of the ball for the Bearcats and Crimson Tide. “At least four of the five best offensive players among any of the College Football Playoff teams will be playing in the Cotton Bowl. Besides Cincinnati QB Desmond Ridder, three of them play for Alabama,” he writes.
Georgia (12-1) vs. Michigan (12-1)
7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
The Bulldogs, who ripped off 12 straight wins to open the season before falling to Alabama in the SEC Title Game, are 7.5-point favorites against the Wolverines, winners of the Big Ten. Georgia’s undefeated regular season was punctuated by a stingy defense that allowed fewer than 10 points per game, while Michigan ran all over its opponents to the tune of 223.8 rushing yards per game.
Georgia-Michigan Betting Preview: Frankie Taddeo breaks down what looks to be the closer of the two semifinal games and makes his bets. “The questions bettors now must answer: Can Michigan follow the winning formula laid out by Alabama or will Georgia bounce back with a statement victory?” he writes.
Photo credit: Darron Cummings/AP
Stetson Bennett Named UGA Starter: Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart said on Wednesday that Bennett, who started in the SEC Championship loss to Alabama, will start against Michigan in the CFP Semifinal. J.T. Daniels was Georgia’s starter to begin the season before he was injured and Bennett took over.
NFL and Fantasy Football
The NFC playoff picture is slowly taking shape, but the AFC is still anyone’s game. Five teams have already clinched playoff berths in the NFC, which means six teams are fighting for two remaining spots. Meanwhile in the AFC, only the Chiefs have locked up a division and playoff spot. The other six playoff spots in the conference are up for grabs among the 12 teams that are still in the hunt.
Fantasy Football Player Rankings: Michael Fabiano lays out the top options at every position for championship week. His rankings can help you prioritize your most difficult lineup decisions, especially at flex, where even more options come into play.
Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em: Fabiano’s Start of the Week at running back might come as a bit of a surprise. Ronald Jones was buried on the Buccaneers depth chart early in the season, but he seized his opportunity with Leonard Fournette out and managers who handcuffed Tampa Bay’s running backs could see that decision pay off in a big way this week.
Photo credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Adam Thielen Out for the Season: Vikings receiver and touchdown machine Adam Thielen will miss the rest of the season after undergoing ankle surgery. Craig Ellenport analyzes the fantasy impact of Thielen’s absence, specifically for Justin Jefferson and K.J. Osborn.
NFL Futures Bets: Jen Piacenti checks in on end-of-season awards odds and searches for value in each. See who she likes to win the Super Bowl, MVP, Comeback Player of the Year and more.
NBA Action
Thursday is a light night for the NBA with only four games going on around the league. That doesn’t mean it’s an off night for our SO/UP picks, though!
Visit si.com/betting later today for Bucks-Magic and Cavaliers-Wizards picks!
Ricky Rubio Tears ACL: Cavaliers guard Ricky Rubio tore his ACL in his left knee and will miss the rest of the season. He has been a valuable player off the bench for Cleveland, which holds the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference.
Durant, Irving Clear COVID-19 Protocols: Brooklyn’s Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and LaMarcus Aldridge were all cleared from the NBA’s health and safety protocols on Tuesday. Nets coach Steve Nash said he thinks Durant and Aldridge will play against the 76ers Thursday night.
Photo credit: Cary Edmondson/USA TODAY Sports
Happy New Year and thanks for reading Winners Club! I’ll be back in your inbox in 2022, bright and early Sunday morning.
