College Football Playoff Quarterfinals Set Following Dominant First Round

Overview

• The first round of the College Football Playoff saw higher-seeded teams Texas, Penn State, Ohio State, and Notre Dame advance with a combined 77-point margin of victory over their opponents.
• Dominance in rushing yards, third-down conversions, and penalty management were key factors in the first-round blowouts, highlighting the victors' control of the games.
• Odds favor at-large teams, including Texas and Penn State, over conference champions like Oregon and Boise State heading into the quarterfinals, raising questions about the playoff seeding system.
• Quarterfinal matchups include Penn State vs. Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl, Texas vs. Arizona State in the Peach Bowl, Ohio State vs. Oregon in the Rose Bowl, and Notre Dame vs. Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.
• Betting lines show Texas, Penn State, Ohio State, and Notre Dame as favorites in their respective games, with some analytics giving Notre Dame and Ohio State slight edges over higher-seeded opponents.