The inaugural 12-team college football playoff has not lived up to the hype thus far. All four games in the first round were blowouts, which raised numerous questions about the selection process and which teams made the cut.
The hope is the quarterfinals, which begin New Year’s Eve, will be more evenly matched. Those games pit the surviving teams from the first round against the top four seeds. Here’s a look at each matchup.
Penn State vs. Boise State
Things get started with the Fiesta Bowl, where the No. 6 seed Penn State Nittany Lions take on the No. 3 seed Boise State Broncos. The Nittany Lions have proven they can light up the scoreboard with 37 points in a loss to Oregon in the Big Ten Championship and 38 points in a win over Southern Methodist University in the first round.
Can they slow down Heisman runner-up Ashton Jeanty, who rushed for nearly 2,500 yards this season, averaging 192 yards per game? On the flip side, Penn State has allowed only one player to rush for over 100 this season: USC’s Woody Marks.
Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin knows the challenge his team faces.
“I’ve talked all week about the craziest stat I’ve ever heard, is 1,900 yards after contact. It’s impressive, but most importantly, they’re in this position because they have a great team,” Franklin said. “Obviously, he’s a focus point but they got a great team.”
Arizona State vs. Texas
The first matchup on New Year’s Day involves the last “Cinderella” left on the field. No. 4 seed Arizona State was picked to finish dead last in the Big 12 Conference when the season began. Now the Sn Devils have an 11-2 record and are the Big 12 Conference champions.
With a couple of weeks of rest, they are ready to take on the No. 5 seed Texas Longhorns. ASU is led by running back Cam Skattebo, who proclaimed this week, “No one can stop me.”
The Sun Devils are a confident bunch as well, and linebacker Caleb McCullough has a message for anyone who will listen.
“That we’re a really good team, that we’re not scared to compete,” McCullough said. “We don’t care what team you are. We’re gonna come out there like we’re the better team, and I think that’s what we’re gonna show on Wednesday.”
That theory will be tested. The Longhorns have one of the best defenses in the nation. The unit put the clamps on Clemson in the first round with a 38-24 win.
Ohio State vs. Oregon
Next up, the “Granddaddy of Them All,” the Rose Bowl. It features a rematch from the regular season. No. 8 seed Ohio State Buckeyes versus the top seed, undefeated Oregon Ducks.
Back on Oct. 13, the two teams played a thriller in Eugene, Oregon. The Ducks barely escaped as the teams traded touchdowns until the final seconds. The Buckeyes ran out of time driving for what could have been the winning field goal.
Now, both teams seem to be playing their best football, averaging 36 points per game. These two teams are the current betting favorites to win the national championship.
“I think both teams are in a different place than we were midway through the season, and it’s going to come down to the play on the field, and it’s a balance of what you’ve built your foundation on but also change-ups and mix-ups, and it’s about matchups,” Ohio State Head Coach Ryan Day said.
Notre Dame vs. Georgia
The Sugar Bowl in New Orleans is the nightcap on New Year’s Day. No. 7 seed Notre Dame faces off against the No. 2 seed Georgia Bulldogs.
The Irish had no trouble against Indiana in the first round. They used a bruising defense and running game to steamroll their in-state neighbors. Now, the team faces a different challenge in the Bulldogs, who have had nearly two weeks off.
The Bulldogs, however, do have to replace starting quarterback Carson Beck. He suffered an elbow injury in the SEC Championship game. Sophomore Gunnar Stockton will step into the spotlight, and he believes he’s ready for it.
“I think, like I said earlier, it’s always been a dream to be the starting quarterback at Georgia, and just the work and preparation and everything that goes into it –– just kinda keeping my head down and just working,” Stockton said.
