The newly expanded college football playoff gets underway on Friday, December 20. The bracket now consists of 12 teams, and since the playoff expanded, the four highest-seeded teams received a bye into the quarterfinals. Seeds 5 through 12 will play in first-round games this week. With the higher of the two seeds getting home games on their own campus.
The first-round games are Clemson (12) at Texas (5), SMU (11) at Penn State (6), Indiana (10) at Notre Dame (7), and finally Tennessee (9) at Ohio State (8). Ahead of those massive matchups, we rank everyone from worst to best.
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Clemson at Texas
Fifth-seeded Texas takes on number 12 seed Clemson on Saturday, December 21 at three PM. The winner of this game advances to the quarterfinals to take on Arizona State in the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl. How did they get here?
Clemson’s path to CFP
Clemson finished the regular season 10-3 and won the ACC conference championship game against SMU to earn a spot. Had they not won against SMU, they would not have made the playoffs. All three of their losses were major disappointments on their resumé: a 34-3 blowout loss to Georgia in week one, a loss in early November at home to Louisville, 33-21, and a loss to South Carolina at home on November 30, 17-14.
However, despite those losses, they had one of the best offenses in college football. They averaged 37.4 points per game led by quarterback Cade Klubnik. Klubnik threw for 3,303 yards, 33 touchdowns, and only five interceptions. He has a very tall task ahead of him facing Texas.
Texas’ path to CFP
Texas finished the regular season 11-2 and lost to Georgia in the SEC Championship Game in overtime, 22-19. Their only two losses this season were to Georgia. The other time they lost to the Bulldogs was on November 19th, 30-19. For as great as Clemson is on offense, Texas is just as dominant on defense.
The Longhorns give up the fewest passing yards per game among any college football team in the nation: 143. They also rank third in total yards allowed only giving up 250. But here’s the big one that catches our attention: on average, their defense gives up 12.5 points per game. Linebacker Colin Simmons led Texas during the regular season with eight sacks, while defensive back Jahdae Barron led the team with five interceptions.
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SMU at Penn State
Eleventh-seeded SMU travels to Happy Valley and faces sixth-seeded Penn State. It is the first of three games being played on Saturday, December 21. Noon Eastern time kickoff. The winner of this game moves on to face Boise State in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl.
SMU’s path to CFP
The SMU Mustangs got a playoff bid because they finished runner-up to Clemson in the ACC Championship Game. They finished the regular season 11-2. Quarterback Kevin Jennings threw for 3,050 yards, 22 touchdowns, and eight interceptions this year. SMU ranked sixth in average points per game, 38.5. Here’s where things could be drastically different this weekend: the forecast for Saturday morning’s game has a chance of snow and the high temperature is scheduled to be 28 degrees. Yikes.
Penn State’s path to CFP
Penn State was also 11-2 in the regular season. They lost in the Big Ten Championship game in a high-scoring game, 45-37. Unlike SMU, Penn State uses its running game to its advantage, averaging 200 yards per game during the regular season. SMU only ran for 100 yards a game. With the weather as cold as it is expected to be, it plays right into Penn State’s hands.
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Indiana at Notre Dame
The 10th-seeded Indiana Hoosiers face the seventh-seeded Notre Dame Fighting Irish in an inner-state showdown at Notre Dame Stadium. This is a standalone game on Friday, December 20 at 8:00 pm. The winner of this game faces Georgia in the quarterfinals at the Allstate Sugar Bowl.
Indiana’s path to the CFP
Looking at this honestly and realistically, Indiana had a very light schedule this season and did not make the Big Ten Championship Game, so the committee’s decision to put them in the playoff was… controversial shall we say. Especially considering the fact that they got blown out by Ohio State on November 23, 38-15. Although Indiana ranks second in the country in scoring offense averaging 43 per game, they are in for a tall order against Notre Dame.
Notre Dame’s path to CFP
Although Notre Dame is an independent school, they played an ACC type of schedule this season along with other opponents. Notre Dame being an independent school means they are not part of any of the Power Five conferences (Big Ten, Pac-12, ACC, SEC, Big 12). The Fighting Irish finished their regular season 11-1. Their only loss this season came against Northern Illinois in week two.
Notre Dame runs the ball as well as any team in the country, averaging 225 yards per game which ranked 10th. Their defense is just as good. They allow 297 yards per game, ranking eighth. Passing the ball against them is even harder: they allow only 158 yards through the air. Scoring defense? Ranking third in the country only allowing an average of 13.6 points per game. Indiana is in for a tall order.
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Tennessee at Ohio State
The ninth-seeded Tennessee Volunteers travel to Columbus to take on the eighth-seeded Ohio State Buckeyes. This is the last first-round game of the playoff. It will take place on Saturday, December 21st at 8:00 eastern time. The winner of this first-round game faces top-seeded Oregon in the Rose Bowl.
Tennessee’s path to CFP
Tennessee finished the regular season 11-2 with their only losses coming in SEC conference play: an upset loss at Arkansas in early October, 19-14, and the other loss came against Georgia in November, 31-17. The big strength of Tennessee’s offense is how great they can run the football. They averaged 233 yards per game, ranking ninth in college football. They also averaged 37 points per game offensively, ranking eighth. However, they are in for a huge challenge facing the Buckeyes defense.
Ohio State’s path to CFP
Ohio State finished the regular season 10-2 failing to make the Big Ten Championship after losing to Michigan in their last regular season game, 13-10. However, it did not do any harm to their hopes of making the college football playoff. For as great as Tennessee’s offense is, Ohio State’s defense is the best in the country.
The Buckeyes allow the fewest points per game, only giving up an average of 11. They also allow the fewest yards per game in the country, only allowing an average of 241. Can Tennessee find a way to break through the Buckeyes’ stout defense? It remains to be seen.