The College Football Playoff, initially featuring twelve teams, now has only eight contenders remaining.
First-round eliminations saw Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Tulane, and James Madison exit the competition. The quarterfinal clashes are finalized for New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. Below is a quick overview of these matchups and their current betting odds.
Cotton Bowl
No. 2 Ohio State (12-1) vs. No. 10 Miami (11-2)
Dec. 31 | 7:30 p.m. ET | ESPN | Ohio State -9.5 | Total: 42.5
The Hurricanes secured a 10-3 victory over Texas A&M with just a single touchdown. Malachi Toney’s late rushing score, occurring with 1:44 remaining, broke a 3-3 deadlock, and Bryce Fitzgerald secured the outcome by intercepting Aggie quarterback Marcel Reed in the end zone with under 30 seconds left.
Miami’s triumph potentially spared Ohio State from facing a hostile crowd on New Year’s Eve, as Texas A&M supporters would have filled AT&T Stadium in Arlington. In contrast, Ohio State’s fanbase is making its third consecutive appearance at the Cotton Bowl.
On Saturday, Miami’s defensive line sacked A&M’s quarterback Marcel Reed seven times. Ohio State, however, has conceded only eleven sacks throughout the entire season. A key question is whether edge rushers Rueben Bain and Akheem Mesidor can consistently generate pressure without needing to blitz. Additionally, the availability of linebacker Mohamed Toure remains uncertain following a concerning collision in the game’s final minute. Should Miami struggle to pressure QB Julian Sayin with only their primary rushers, wide receivers Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate could find ample open space against the Hurricanes’ secondary.
Orange Bowl
No. 4 Texas Tech (12-1) vs. No. 5 Oregon (12-1)
Jan. 1 | Noon ET | ESPN | Texas Tech -1.5 | Total: 53.5
Neither team has previously participated in the Orange Bowl, and this represents the longest potential travel distance for Oregon this postseason.
The Ducks initiated an aggressive offense against James Madison on Saturday evening, a game effectively decided once Oregon scored its initial touchdown. This victory set the stage for what many consider to be the most compelling quarterfinal in a highly engaging second round.
Both Oregon and Texas Tech possess the capability to advance to, and even win, the national championship. Will the Red Raiders’ defense prove to be the decisive element? Oregon’s defensive performance against James Madison was far from dominant, with the Dukes’ own offensive miscues largely preventing a closer contest. Conversely, Texas Tech must focus on converting its red-zone opportunities into touchdowns rather than settling for field goals.
Rose Bowl
No. 1 Indiana (13-0) vs. No. 9 Alabama (11-3)
Jan. 1 | 4 p.m. ET | ESPN | Indiana -6.5 | Total: 48.5
The Crimson Tide emphatically overcame an early struggle on Friday night. Alabama, initially down 17-0 to Oklahoma, surged back by scoring 27 consecutive points to secure a 34-24 win. As Alabama evened the score at 17-17 before halftime, the Tide successfully blocked a punt after a miscue by Oklahoma’s punter and then recorded a pick-six.
Despite this comeback, Alabama’s team still exhibits notable weaknesses. On Friday, the Tide accumulated less than 70 rushing yards when adjusted for sacks; Daniel Hill contributed 30 of these on a single play. Furthermore, wide receiver Ryan Williams has recorded ten dropped passes this season.
Indiana’s defense consistently limits opponents to under 78 rushing yards per game, suggesting Alabama will face significant challenges in improving its ground game. Moreover, the Hoosiers boast Heisman-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza. While it might seem unconventional to state that Indiana has the superior team in other years, it holds true for the current season.
In the coming two weeks, there will be frequent mentions of Indiana’s coach, Curt Cignetti, who served as an assistant on Nick Saban’s staff for five seasons from 2007 to 2011, and that Alabama’s coach, Kalen DeBoer, was Indiana’s offensive coordinator before taking the head coaching role at Fresno State.
Sugar Bowl
No. 3 Georgia (12-1) vs. No. 6 Ole Miss (12-1)
Jan. 1 | 8 p.m. ET | ESPN | Georgia -6.5 | Total: 55.5
This marks the fourth Sugar Bowl in history to exclusively feature SEC teams. Interestingly, Ole Miss has participated in all four of these matchups, with the most recent prior instance being a 12-7 defeat to Alabama in 1964.
Furthermore, this constitutes the Rebels’ second consecutive playoff rematch. After defeating Tulane in Week 4, Ole Miss once again triumphed over the Green Wave on Saturday. Now, the Rebels have an opportunity to avenge their only loss of the season, which was a 43-35 defeat to Georgia on October 18.
Following their victory over Ole Miss, Georgia’s defense has surrendered 21 points or fewer in each of its last six contests, and no opponent has scored more than 10 points against the Bulldogs in their most recent four games. The key question for Ole Miss is how they will strategize to break this defensive streak, especially with Lane Kiffin absent. Additionally, there’s concern regarding the health of Kewan Lacy after he exited Saturday’s game early due to a suspected shoulder injury.
