Eight teams remain in the 12-team College Football Playoff.
Oklahoma State, Texas A&M, Tulane and James Madison all exited the playoffs in the first round. Quarterfinal matchups on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day have been confirmed. Here’s a quick look at the matchups and betting lines for the next four games.
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cotton bowl
No. 2 Ohio State (12-1) vs. No. 10 Miami (11-2)
December 31 | 7:30 pm ET | ESPN | Ohio State -9.5 | Total: 42.5
The Hurricanes needed just one touchdown to defeat Texas A&M 10-3. Malachi Toney broke a 3-3 tie with a rushing touchdown with 1:44 left, and Bryce Fitzgerald sealed the game by intercepting Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed in the end zone with less than 30 seconds left.
A victory in Miami may have lifted Ohio State out of its New Year’s Eve road atmosphere. Aggie fans are sure to pack AT&T Stadium in Arlington. Meanwhile, Ohio State fans headed to the Cotton Bowl for the third time in as many years.
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The Hurricanes sacked A&M quarterback Marcel Reed seven times on Saturday. Ohio State has allowed just 11 sacks all season. Can edge rushers Rueben Bain and Akheem Mesidor get consistent pressure without blitzing? Will linebacker Mohamed Toure still be available after a horrific collision in the final minute of the game? If Miami can’t get pressure on quarterback Julian Saine without additional rushers, receivers Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate could have a lot of open spots in the Hurricanes’ secondary.
orange bowl
No. 4 Texas Tech (12-1) vs. No. 5 Oregon State (12-1)
January 1 | Noon ET | ESPN | Texas Tech -1.5 | Total: 53.5
It’s the first Orange Bowl appearance for either team and the longest possible road trip for Oregon State this postseason.
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The Ducks blitzed James Madison from the start on Saturday night, a game that ended after Oregon State’s first touchdown. This win could make for the most interesting quarterfinal of a very interesting second round.
Both Oregon State and Texas Tech are capable of reaching the national championship game and even winning it all. Will Tech’s defense be the deciding factor? Oregon State’s defense was far from dominant against JMU – Duke could blame itself for its own offensive miscues that kept the game from getting closer. The Red Raiders, meanwhile, need to convert their red zone opportunities into touchdowns rather than field goals.
rose bowl
No. 1 Indiana (13-0) vs. No. 9 Alabama (11-3)
January 1 | 4 PM ET | ESPN | Indiana -6.5 | Total: 48.5
The Crimson Tide shook off an early scare with aplomb Friday night. Alabama trailed Oklahoma 17-0 before scoring 27 straight points to win 34-24. With Alabama tied at 17-17 before halftime, the Tide blocked a punt after Oklahoma State’s punter threw and picked up the 6.
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But this is still a very flawed Alabama team. The Tide had fewer than 70 rushing yards on Friday; 30 of those yards came on one run by Daniel Hill. Wide receiver Ryan Williams has thrown the ball 10 times this season.
Indiana’s defense is allowing less than 78 rushing yards per game. Alabama will have a hard time shaking off its edgy funk. The Indians also have Heisman-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza. In any other year, it would be weird to say Indiana has the better team. But this season it is.
Over the next two weeks, you’ll also be reminded that Indiana coach Curt Cignetti was an assistant under Nick Saban for five seasons from 2007 to 2011, while Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer served as Indiana’s offensive coordinator before becoming Fresno State’s head coach.
sugar bowl
No. 3 Georgia (12-1) vs. No. 6 Ole Miss (12-1)
January 1 | 8 pm ET | ESPN | Georgia -6.5 | Total: 55.5
This is the fourth all-SEC Sugar Bowl ever. Did you know Ole Miss is in all four games? The most recent was in 1964, when Alabama beat Ole Miss 12-7.
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This is also the Rebels’ second straight playoff rematch. After defeating Tulane in Week 4, Mississippi State defeated the Green Wave again on Saturday. Now the Rebels are trying to avenge their only loss of the season after losing to Georgia 43-35 on Oct. 18.
Following the win over Mississippi State, Georgia has allowed 21 points or fewer in each of its last six games and has not scored more than 10 points in its last four games against the Bulldogs. What can Miss Mississippi think of to break this record without Lane Kiffin on the sidelines? Is Kewan Lacy still healthy after exiting Saturday’s game early with an apparent shoulder injury?