New Orleans, LA (SportsNetwork.com) - The second game of the inaugural College Football Playoff pits the fifth-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes against the top- ranked Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2015 Sugar Bowl on New Years night. The winner will advance to the National Championship Game in Arlington, Texas on Jan. 12 to face either Florida State or Oregon. Both teams come in sporting identical 12-1 records, with Ohio State the Big Ten Conference champion, and Alabama winning the SEC. Ohio State easily disposed of Wisconsin in the Big Ten title tilt, 59-0, running its current winning streak to 11 in a row. The only blemish on an otherwise spotless record for coach Urban Meyers club was a perplexing 35-21 home loss to Virginia Tech back on Sept. 6. The Buckeyes are appearing in their 45th bowl game, and they have a record of 20-24 in previous postseason ventures. OSU is hoping to stop a two-game slide in bowl games, with its most recent being a 40-35 defeat suffered at the hands of the Clemson Tigers in the 2014 Orange Bowl. Ohio State has played in the Sugar Bowl four times previously, the last time being in 2011 when it beat Arkansas in a 31-26 final. Its great to be here and its great to be representing the Big Ten Conference, the Ohio State University and a football team that is excited to be here. Meyer said. Its been made very clear that this is history ... the College Football Playoff. And what a great place to have the game - New Orleans, and the Sugar Bowl - and we are honored to be here. Alabama is arguably the most successful team in the FBS over the last several years, the program winning three BCS national titles (2009, 2011, 2012). The Crimson Tide suffered a 23-17 at Ole Miss back on Oct. 4, but have reeled off eight straight wins since, with a 42-13 dismantling of Missouri in the SEC Championship Game being the latest. Alabama is 35-23-3 all-time in bowl games, and this is the second straight Sugar Bowl appearance for the Tide. Nick Sabans squad lost to Oklahoma last year, 45-31, dropping its record in the Sugar Bowl over the years to 8-6. These two storied programs have met just three times previously, with Alabama winning each bout. The last meeting took place in the 1995 Florida Citrus Bowl, with the Tide slipping by in a 24-17 final. Meyer is 36-3 in his three seasons at Ohio State and he is 140-26 in his 13th season as a head coach. Saban is 86-16 in eight seasons at Alabama, and he is 177-58-1 overall in 19 seasons as a head coach. This is the fourth meeting between their respective teams, with Sabans Crimson Tide topping Meyers Florida Gators twice. The coaches split a pair of meetings against each other in the SEC Championship Game (2008-09). Down to their third-string quarterback, the Buckeyes put a serious hurting on what was thought to be a very good Wisconsin team in the Big Ten title tilt, proving just what kind of master recruiter and coach Meyer truly is. The season began under a dark cloud as Heisman hopeful Braxton Miller was lost for the year in training camp. Freshman J.T. Barrett was entrusted with running the offense, and he didnt disappoint in completing 64.6 percent of his passes for 2,834 yards, 34 TDs and 10 INTs, while adding 938 yards and 11 scores on the ground. Unfortunately, he too got hurt, suffering a fractured ankle in OSUs late win over bitter rival Michigan. That left sophomore Cardale Jones to assume the mantle, and he was superb in his first career start against the Badgers, going 12-of-17 for 257 yards, three TDs and no picks in being named the games MVP. For the Buckeyes to knock off Alabama, Jones will need to be an efficient game manager once again, and rely on his teammates to assume some of the pressure. In that regard, expect to see a heavy dose of RB Ezekiel Elliott, who rumbled his way to 1,402 yards and 12 TDs this season. The teams receiving corps features the talents of guys like Michael Thomas (43 rec., 680 yards, eight TDs), Devin Smith (30 rec., 799 yards, 11 TDs) and Jalin Marshall (28 rec., 392 yards, six TDs), with Smith being one of the top big-play performers in the country as evidenced by his 26.6 yards per reception average. Ohio State moved the chains on 52 percent of its third-down conversion attempts and averaged 45.2 ppg to rank first in the conference and fifth in the nation, while the teams defensive effort yielded only 21.2 ppg to rank fourth in the Big Ten and 21st nationally. The defense limited Wisconsins Melvin Gordon, the nations leading rusher, to just 76 yards -- his second-worst game of the season. Ohio State handed the Badgers their first shutout loss since August of 1997, and their worst setback since a 59-0 rout, also to the Buckeyes, back in 1979. Joshua Perry proved to be one of the more active defensive players in the Big Ten this season, finishing seventh in the league with 113 tackles. Joey Bosa was named the conferences Defensive Player of the Year after logging 13.5 sacks and 20 TFL. Vonn Bell, who finished second on the team with 78 tackles, and Doran Grant were credited with five INTs each, the Buckeyes coming up with 21 picks and a Big Ten-best 40 sacks. Alabama enjoyed plenty of success on both sides of the ball as well this season, the team putting up 37.1 ppg while permitting only 16.6 ppg. The latter figure ranking the team second in the SEC and fourth in the nation. The UA offense is led by senior QB Blake Sims, and he put forth a stellar campaign in hitting the mark on 64.8 percent of his passes for 3,250 yards 26 TDs and only seven INTs. Sims has the good fortune of throwing to star WR Amari Cooper, who hauled in 115 balls for 1,656 yards and 14 TDs in winning the 2014 Biletnikoff Award. Both his reception and yardage totals ranked second in the FBS this season. The Crimson Tide also have a potent rushing attack, as the highly-productive duo of T.J. Yeldon (184 carries, 932 yards, 10 TDs) and Derrick Henry (159 carries, 895 yards, 10 TDs) keep opposing defenses honest. The offensive line allowed only 13 sacks all season, and helped the team convert 54 percent of its third-down attempts. We could not be more excited to be going to New Orleans to play in the first College Football Playoff, said Sims. We have made a couple of trips to the Sugar Bowl and it has always been a great experience. That being said, we are going there to win a football game and that has to be our mindset. I know we are looking forward to the challenge. The Bama defense takes great pride in stopping opposing ball carriers at the point of attack, the unit ranking first in the FBS with only 88.7 ypg and a paltry three TDs allowed on the ground. The Tide give up 223.8 ypg and have allowed 17 TDs through the air, but thats mainly due to foes needing to throw the ball in an attempt to get back into contention. Landon Collins has recorded a club-best 91 tackles, and he has three of the teams 10 INTs. Reggie Ragland is next with 88 stops, and he has been credited with three fumble recoveries and the second-most TFL of any player on the roster with 8.5. Xavier Dickson leads in that department with 10.5, which includes his team-high eight sacks. In terms of a coaching matchup, it doesnt get any better than Meyer vs. Saban. It will be interesting to see if Jones is able to keep his composure in the face of the unprecedented pressure the Crimson Tide are going to bring. Conversely, expect the Buckeyes to stand their ground as best they can when their backs are to goal line. Cheap Air Max Authentic .com) - No Sidney Crosby, no problem. Cheap Wholesale Air Max Shoes . -- Michael Bennett gambled last off-season that playing on a one-year deal in Seattle would pay off in the future with the long-term contract he always wanted. http://www.wholesaleairmaxauthentic.us/ .A. remained bitter for Henrik Lundqvist and the Rangers on the long flight back home to New York. Cheap Air Max Online Sale .com) - Jenny Boucek is the new head coach of the Seattle Storm. Wholesale Air Max Authentic .J. -- Kevin Gilbride retired Thursday as offensive co-ordinator for the New York Giants. PITTSBURGH -- Edinson Volquez couldnt seem to find the strike zone in the first inning of his start against the Philadelphia Phillies, throwing 11 of his 16 pitches for balls. After escaping the jam unscathed, he got some advice from pitching coach Ray Searage. The rest of the way went smoothly with Volquez allowing a run over seven innings, and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Phillies 3-2 Saturday. "He slowed me down," Volquez said. "I was too fast to the plate and everything was late with my hands to get the ball where I wanted." The adjustment worked. "I could see the strike zone a little closer to me and I felt like I could put the ball where I wanted," Volquez said. Andrew McCutchen hit a two-run homer in the first and Volquez (7-6) had an RBI groundout with the bases loaded in the second inning as the Pirates moved a season-high five games over .500 at 46-41. The Pirates couldve added to the 3-0 lead but Gregory Polanco Starling Marte each flew out with men on second and third. Volquez allowed four hits and walked four. He struck out five in his third straight win. "He battled," manager Clint Hurdle said. "It was a very, I thought, gritty performance by him today because he spent a lot of time out of the stretch again." McCutchen followed up Fridays game, when he was a home run shy of the cycle, with the big hit off David Buchanan. McCutchen connected to right after Polanco led off the home first with a single. McCutchen said it was nice to begin his day with a home run after he ended Friday with a ball that smacked the wall about 10 feet lower than necessary to clear it. "I got a little better swing on it," McCutchen said. "(I) got out in front of it a little more so I was able to get hands through the zone and put a little more backspin on it." Hurdle was pleased his team jumped on top early, similar to the way the Pirates scored four runs in the first inning Friday. "Its always nice to get in front," he said.dddddddddddd "It does give you a sense of momentum coming out of the chute." Philadelphia dropped a season-high 13 games below .500 at 37-50. "We havent been able to bounce back from being down early in the game," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. "Its been different when weve scored early. Its something were going to have to try and do, score earlier in games." Buchanan (4-5) found his stride after the second and kept the Pirates at bay until he was lifted in the sixth. Philadelphias starter was charged with three runs and six hits and an intentional walk. "The biggest thing for me today was not walking anybody," Buchanan said. "If you throw strikes and make them put it in play then good things usually happen." Marlon Byrd stranded five men on base in his first two at-bats. He flew out in the first to leave men on the corners, then struck on four pitches to end the third with the bases loaded. Byrd homered off Pirates closer Mark Melancon in the ninth but even an attempt at starting a rally wasnt enough to appease the right fielder after his earlier at-bats. "I have to do a better job producing in the first at-bat, too," Byrd said. "Bases loaded and I struck out. My job is to produce." Melancon retired to next three batters he faced for his 16th save. Tony Watson worked a perfect eighth. Cody Asche homered in the fourth for Philadelphia against Volquez. NOTES Asches home run in the fourth inning snapped a 16-inning scoreless streak for Volquez. . In their last 14 starts, Pittsburghs starting pitchers have combined to post a 2.32 ERA. . Pittsburgh SS Jordy Mercer doubled twice and is batting .714 (10 for 14) in his last five games. . Pirates LHP Jeff Locke (1-1, 3.46 ERA) faces Phillies RHP A.J. Burnett (5-7, 3.92 ERA) when Pittsburgh and Philadelphia conclude their three-game series Sunday. ' ' '