LINEUP

FOOTBALL, FOOTBALL ... MORE FOOTBALL

FEATURES

BCS TITLE GAME

30 Alabama vs. Notre Dame

The resurgent Irish met the Crimson Tide for the national championship in Miami

BY TIM LAYDEN

The top 10 bowl performances

SUPER BOWL PICKS

40 Final Forecast

Green Bay and title-tested QB Aaron Rodgers fit the Lombardi formula, but they'll have to get past Denver's Peyton Manning

BY PETER KING

NFL PLAYOFFS

48 The Matchups

Go inside the numbers with SI's football writers as they analyze each of the final eight playoff teams and break down every divisional game

NFL PLAYOFFS

56 Von Miller

The Broncos' defense—the best in the postseason—rides on the shoulders of a sack-machine linebacker who's still learning his job

BY JIM TROTTER

BONUS

66 Falcons Addict

The author has learned bitter life lessons as a hopelessly devoted fan of luckless Atlanta. But this year? This year is different

BY THOMAS LAKE

DEPARTMENTS

4 SI Digital

6 Leading Off

12 The Mail

19 Scorecard

The lesson of Ray Lewis

26 Faces in The Crowd

28 Just My Type

How to guard Stephen Curry

BY DAN PATRICK

78 Point After

In praise of losers

BY STEVE RUSHIN

PHOTO

JOHN W. MCDONOUGH

JOHNNY BE GONE Heisman winner Johnny Manziel (2) gashed Oklahoma for an FBS bowl record 229 rushing yards, leading Texas A&M to a 41--13 Cotton Bowl win.