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By Sonny Jones

Sorry the column is a bit late this morning. New Year’s Eve and all. A bit of a hangover.

Eyes a bit bloodshot.

Head throbbing.

Really can’t feel my legs. Must have been because I had trouble standing last night.

So, how are you feeling this morning? A tad too much for you last night?

Oh wait … before you get the wrong idea.

It’s not because of a wild New Year’s Eve party where the alcohol was flowing — I don’t drink and never have. It’s from spending New Year’s Eve night watching the greatest night of college football in the history of the sport.

For the first time since its inception in 2014 both College Football Playoffs semifinal games were decided by less than 10 points.

TCU outscored Michigan 52-45. Horned Frogs quarterback Max Duggan threw for two touchdowns and ran for two to beat previously undefeated Michigan in the first semifinal. TCU showed it deserved its spot in the final four.

Thinking the second game couldn’t get any better and I would be asleep before midnight, it turned out the second game was better.

Georgia scored with a minute to go as Stetson Bennett drove the Bulldogs down the field and connected with Adonai Mitchell to tie it and Jack Podlesny kicked the extra point. Ohio State missed a potential game-winning field goal in the closing seconds, giving Georgia a 42-41 victory as those of us on the East coast rang in 2023.

Prior to Saturday night, only three of the previous 16 semifinal games had been decided by less than 10 points — Ohio State 42, Alabama 35 in 2014; Georgia 54, Oklahoma 48 in double overtime in 2017; Clemson 29, Ohio State 23 in 2019. In fact, the average margin of victory in those 16 prior semifinal games was 21 points.

College football sent out 2022 with a bang Saturday night.

The resulting hangover this morning — assuming yours, too, is from watching football while welcoming in the new year — was worth it.

Can’t wait for Jan. 9 when Georgia and TCU play for the national championship.

BOWLS, BOWLS, BOWLS

Heading into the home stretch attempting to watch every bowl game. A couple of games might be difficult to find a replay. So far, I have watched 33 of 38 bowl games either live or on-demand.

Games played: 38 (through Dec 31)
Games watched live: 21
Games streamed: 12
Games to watch: 5 (Sun Bowl, Gator Bowl, Arizona Bowl, Orange Bowl, Music City Bowl)

• SUGAR BOWL: Alabama 45, Kansas State 20
(Played Saturday, Dec. 31, watched Saturday, Dec. 31)
So thankful Bryce Young opted to play. The Alabama quarterback, who is expected to be a first-round NFL draft choice in the spring, completed 15 of 21 passes for 321 yards and five touchdowns. Maybe by him playing will lead more top players choosing to play instead of sitting out of non-playoff bowl games.

• DUKE’S MAYO BOWL: Maryland 16, N.C. State 12
(Played Friday, Dec. 30, watched Saturday, Dec. 31)
N.C. State coach Dave Doeren may actually have won by losing. After all, he didn’t get a 4-gallon bucket of Duke’s Mayonnaise poured on his head. So, it wasn’t all bad. Great defensive effort by the Wolfpack and about as expected offensively.

TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY

• 1902 — Michigan beats Stanford 49-0 in the first Rose Bowl. Neil Snow scores four touchdowns in a game that ends with eight minutes to play. The Wolverines earned the nickname as the “Point a Minute” team, having scored 501 points in their ten games. The next Rose Bowl game does not occur until 1916.

POTATO PICKS TO WATCH TODAY

• WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: Louisville at Duke, noon, BALLY SOUTH

• NFL: Carolina at Tampa Bay, 1 p.m., FOX

• NFL: Miami at New England, 1 p.m., CBS

• WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: Wake Forest at Clemson, 2 p.m., ACCN

• NHL: Carolina at New Jersey, 3 p.m., BALLY SOUTH

• WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: North Carolina at Virginia Tech, 4 p.m., ACCN

• NFL: Minnesota at Green Bay, 4:25 p.m., CBS

• NHL: N.Y. Rangers at Florida, 5 p.m., NHLN

• WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: N.C. State at Syracuse, 7 p.m., BALLY SOUTH

• NHL: N.Y. Islanders at Seattle, 8 p.m., ESPN

• NFL: Pittsburgh at Baltimore, 8:15 p.m., NBC