It’s time for the 12-team College Football Playoff era to commence as Friday night brings us.
10 seed Indiana in a first-round game from Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana.
6 seed Penn State in a showdown between two teams making their College Football Playoff debut.
Clemson, meanwhile, is the first three-loss team to ever make the College Football Playoff after beating SMU in the ACC Championship Game.
CBS Sports experts have filed their picks for the first round of the College Football Playoff, so let’s have a look at what to expect this weekend.
Friday night marks the beginning of the 12-team College Football Playoff era. No. Seventh-seeded Notre Dame and No. Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana will host a first-round matchup against 10th seed Indiana. This is the first time the two have met since 1991, despite being in-state rivals.
When the focus shifts to Saturday, the first match of a tripleheader includes No. 11th-seeded SMU is going to No. In a matchup between two teams making their College Football Playoff debuts, Penn State is the sixth seed. at 4:00 p.m. M. ET: Two of college football’s most illustrious programs square off when 5-seed Texas hosts 12-seed Clemson. The Longhorns have a 11-2 record and have only lost twice, both to Georgia. After defeating SMU in the ACC Championship Game, Clemson, on the other hand, became the first three-loss team to ever qualify for the College Football Program.
No. OSU, the eighth seed, and No. Tennessee, the ninth seed, ends the first round on Saturday night at Ohio Stadium. The Volunteers want to make an impression in their first-ever postseason appearance, while the Buckeyes are under tremendous pressure to perform after their shocking loss to rival Michigan in the regular-season finale.
Let’s take a look at what to anticipate this weekend as CBS Sports experts have submitted their predictions for the College Football Playoffs’ opening round.
It’s always Eastern.
(7) Notre Dame at (10) Indiana.
eight o’clock. m. (Friday) | ABC, fubo (Try for free) — Despite pitting two of college football’s most potent offenses against one another, Notre Dame and Indiana may end up playing slugfests, at least in the early going. Given how similar they appear on paper, it might take some time to distinguish between the two. Notre Dame is at risk, despite Indiana’s poor performance in its lone matchup with a ranked opponent this season. After all, this is the same Irish team that lost to Northern Illinois, even though it was a while ago. Indiana will have a difficult time leaving South Bend with a victory, but I anticipate that the Hoosiers will play close. Will Backus, Indiana +7.5.
SMU at (6) Penn State (11).
Noon | TNT (Streaming on MAX)— Although it may snow, the absence of wind is what matters most to me as a gambler, and I believe the game’s total is a bit low. Although SMU’s defense has been strong and Penn State’s, led by All-American Abdul Carter, is exceptional, the game is special for both teams. When facing superior offensive lines, SMU’s defense hasn’t been nearly as effective, which gives the Nittany Lions an advantage. Penn State, on the other hand, hasn’t seen a quarterback like Jennings this season and might find it challenging to contain him. Although it won’t be a tennis match, don’t be surprised if both teams get close to the 30-point threshold. Tom Fornelli, pick: Over 53.5.
(5) Texas (12) Clemson.
4 p.m. A. The difference between Clemson and the real powers of the sport will be revealed in great detail by TNT (streaming on MAX). Against UGA in Week 1, we were given that kind of yardstick. Are things any different at Clemson? The Tigers’ chances don’t seem good to me. Despite their own shortcomings, Texas has the best defense in college football, according to the Longhorns. That presents a challenge for a Clemson offensive line that is still injured. Texas pulls away late, but it’s close for a while. Choose: Chris Hummer, Texas, -11.5.
Tennessee (9) versus Ohio State (8).
8 p.m. m. | ABC, Fubo (Try for free) — This all-in Ohio State team, which probably has the best roster in the country, is under a lot of pressure and hasn’t always performed up to par. I filled out a gut-reaction bracket as soon as the pairings were announced, and since I’m a good man, I’ll stick with my pick of Tennessee to win. Will the Buckeyes finally live up to the hype and come out firing against a very talented Tenenssee defense, or will the home loss to Michigan continue to loom over this team and cause some early boos? This should be a close game, and the play is for Tennessee to win. Pick: John Talty, Tennessee +7.5.
