2021 Death to the BCS Playoffs: Semifinals

And then there were four.

We had a pretty thrilling second round that got unveiled yesterday and we have a pair of intriguing matchups on the docket today.

On one side of the bracket we have a preview of the upcoming College Football Playoff title game, and a game that I think everyone who saw this bracket had circled as the likely matchup for this round. And then on the other side, we saw chaos play out and we'll have a first time participant in the Death to the BCS title game no matter what.

So as we get ready to go with this, as a refresher, I'm trying to go by active depth charts based on what I can dig up about injuries and what have you. Weather conditions from the game sites is being taken into account in an attempt to make this as realistic as possible.

All simulations are provided by WhatIfSports.com. Let's play some football!

Semifinals

5pm Game

(8) Michigan State 42, @ (5) Notre Dame 30

The Cinderella run for Sparty will continue all the way to Pasadena! Michigan State opened the game with an almost five minute touchdown drive capped by Kenneth Walker. The Irish seemed poised to tie it on their first drive, but the MSU defense toughened up with goal to go and they had to settle for three. The Spartans made them pay as Jordan Simmons capped another long drive with a one yard scoring plunge and a 14-3 lead. A pair of Notre Dame touchdowns sandwiched one by Michigan State early in the second, followed by the teams swapping interceptions, and eventually the Irish grabbed the lead late in the first half when Kyren Williams punched it in from six yards out. Unfortunately for them, they left too much time for Payton Thorne, who helped lead a 10 play, 61 yard drive capped by Walker punching it in from three yards out to give the Spartans a 28-24 halftime lead. Notre Dame survived a lost fumble to open the second half, but on their second drive did enough to get a field goal to cut it to one. But a monster kick return set up Walker three plays later to punch it in once again. Down eight, the Irish had multiple chances to try and tie it, missing a field goal off the upright with just over nine minutes to go before cutting it to five with six minutes to go while the defense kept things under control. But Notre Dame relied on them one too many times, and with just under two minutes to go Walker iced it with a 41 yard sweep to set up a four yard plunge. Walker annihilated the Irish defense to the tune of 139 total yards, but five total touchdowns, including four on the ground, to lead the way in the upset. Payton Thorne did what he needed to, completing 21 of 32 passes for 247 yards, a score to Walker, and just one pick, and four Spartans recorded sacks. Jack Coan had a pretty good game in the loss, notching 331 yards, two touchdowns, and just one interception on 25 of 41 passing. Kyren Williams recorded 147 yards on the ground for Notre Dame.

8pm Game

@ (2) Alabama 49, (3) Georgia 17

The Tide have played like a team possessed so far this postseason as they make it back to the title game, but this one was close for a good chunk of the game. The Tide looked like they might run away with it early after getting a red zone pick and marching 86 yards for a touchdown to open the scoring, but the Bulldogs settled down, with a long James Cook run helping set up a 28 yard game tying strike from Stetson Bennett to Brock Bowers. A pair of second quarter Bryce Young touchdowns gave the Tide a 21-7 lead going into the locker room, though they missed a field goal at the halftime gun. The Bulldogs made their run in the third quarter, getting a field goal on the opening drive of the half, forcing a three and out, and seeing JT Daniels get in on the action again by finding George Pickens for a 44 yard touchdown to cut it to four. Daniels got another crack after the Georgia defense forced a three and out, but Pickens followed his touchdown with a fumble, and coming back to a cold Bennett saw him throw a pick, and less than a minute into the fourth the Tide capitalized when Brian Robinson punched it in from eight yards out. Robinson hauled in an 11 yard touchdown catch on the next drive, and the Bama defense iced the game with a pair of pick-sixes. Bryce Young had a good day, completing 21 of 28 passes for 310 yards and four touchdowns spread among four receivers. Robinson scored once on the ground and once through the air while picking up 215 all purpose yards, Will Anderson notched two of Bama's six sacks, and Daniel Wright and Jaylen Moody recorded the two interceptions returned for touchdowns. Those were two of four thrown on the day by Stetson Bennett, who finished with 227 yards and a touchdown while completing 17 of 31 throws, JT Daniels finished 8 of 12 for 160 yards and a score, and Nakobe Dean got to Bryce Young twice.

To see the updated bracket, click here.