College Football Playoff: 5 Bold predictions for National Championship Game

3. Roquan Smith won’t win College Football Playoff defensive MVP honors

Over the course of the 2017 season, there was a growing call for Roquan Smith to get some love in the Heisman voting. Smith ended up on 21 ballots and finished 10th in the final tally. It was a fitting tribute to the season produced by the junior linebacker, who finished as the highest vote-getter among defensive players.

In the Rose Bowl, Smith had another game for the ages. Smith racked up 11 total tackles, including one tackle for loss. And while he didn’t get a sack, he did a great job of keeping pressure on Heisman winner Baker Mayfield. The quarterback struggled to get comfortable in the pocket, especially in the second half.

Smith played a huge role in that turnaround performance by the Bulldogs. He has been one of the most consistently disruptive forces for Georgia all season long. On Monday night, he will once again be an integral part of the defensive effort as the SEC champions try to tack on the school’s first national title in nearly four decades.

But while Smith will be a critical cog, he will not win defensive MVP honors. That will go to Sanders or whoever walks away with the interception return off Hurts. Or perhaps it could go to someone like defensive lineman Tyler Clark or linebacker D’Andre Walker, who each had a sack and two tackles for loss in the win over Oklahoma.