By: Kipp Branch

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

Break out the pork chops, black-eyed peas, fried okra, and cornbread which is the traditional New Year’s Day meal in the Branch Family.

The meal will be ready to eat at 12PM on Monday, which is also the best football day of every year.

You also have the College Football Playoff that starts at 5PM that day in Pasadena, California with Georgia and Oklahoma and ending with Alabama and Clemson immediately after in New Orleans.

Under the playoff format you have the two playoff games that rotate between the Sugar, Rose, Cotton, Fiesta, Orange, and Peach Bowls annually; these are now called the New Years 6 Bowls.

Here are my predictions for the NY6 Bowls.

Cotton Bowl: #5 Ohio State vs. #8 USC

In this matchup you have two conference champions in OSU and USC that got snubbed by the playoff committee in favor of a one loss non-conference champion in Alabama.

Both teams will come to Dallas with a chip on it’s shoulder. I personally thought OSU would get in the playoff over Alabama if the committee was going to put a two loss Auburn team in the playoff. Which would have happened if the Tigers would have beat UGA in the SEC title game.

I think OSU has something to prove in this game and the Buckeyes handle USC pretty easy, 34-20 and Urban Meyer proposes a new playoff system in his postgame presser.

Fiesta Bowl: #9 Penn State vs. #11 Washington

Penn State might be the best team in the Big 10 after blowing the 15 point 4^th quarter lead in Columbus against OSU and then sleepwalking into a loss to Michigan State the following week.

I think Penn State will be too physical for the Huskies and they will handle Washington 38-27. James Franklin is about to kick it into high gear in State College, PA.

Orange Bowl: #6 Wisconsin vs. #10 Miami

Former Glynn Academy standout Dee Jay Dallas is named Orange Bowl MVP after he scores 2 TD’s and has 140 yards rushing against the Badgers who will not beat Miami in Miami at the Orange Bowl. Too many athletes and Mark Richt owns Big 10 teams during his coaching career.

Peach Bowl: #7 Auburn vs. #12 UCF

Which Auburn team shows up? The one who beat UGA and Alabama in November or the one who blew a 20 point lead at LSU in October? Is Kerryon healthy? Does Auburn even want to be in Atlanta for the Peach Bowl?

I can guarantee you that UCF is thrilled to be there. If Auburn is motivated to play this game they win.

I think Auburn’s defense will be ready to play and the Tigers find a way to win 27-21. If Auburn comes out flat then look out for the upset, which I would be thrilled to see.

Rose Bowl: #2 Oklahoma vs. #3 Georgia

Oklahoma has the Heisman winner in Baker Mayfield at QB. UGA has the best defensive player in the country in Roquan Smith. What gives here?

For UGA to win they must control the clock and line of scrimmage with the running game and that will keep Mayfield on the sidelines.

The Sooners will score points but I think UGA gets enough stops and wins 38-34 and Nick Chubb is named Rose Bowl MVP with 175 yards and 3 TD’s, and will eventually have his #27 retired in Athens.

Sugar Bowl: #1 Clemson vs. #4 Alabama

Nick Saban lobbied to get the Tide in this year’s playoff and it is going to pay off.

Clemson’s DL is better than a couple of NFL teams and points in this game will be at a premium; so this one will come down to another heart stopping drive in the final minute with Jalen Hurts leading his team to victory 20-17 and being named Sugar Bowl MVP.

Georgia vs. Alabama in Atlanta for the NC on January 8^th. Oh, my goodness what will the ticket prices be?