Duke playing Ole Miss in the Gator Bowl and Minnesota facing Virginia Tech in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl. So things could look a little better by the end — or they could look even worse.

Mike Vrabel decided to focus on stability for the Patriots' special teams unit, retaining their coach from the previous season.

The Buckeyes, meanwhile, blew through Tennessee and top-seeded Oregon before outlasting Texas in a thrilling Cotton Bowl showdown. It was a historic journey through the bracket, but now it's ...