The College Football Playoff field has been whittled down to eight teams as we continue moving through the first-ever 12-team bracket.
The action gets underway Tuesday as 6-seed Penn State heads to the Fiesta Bowl to clash with 3-seed Boise State.
Finally, the quarterfinal action wraps up with 7-seed Notre Dame battling 2-seed Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.
Everything points to a Notre Dame win, even with Kirby Smart’s knack in preparing his teams for playoff runs.
Pick: Boise State +11 — Shehan Jeyarajah
Eight teams remain in the College Football Playoff field as we proceed through the inaugural 12-team bracket. As the 2024 season draws nearer, the remaining teams will compete at the classic New Year’s Six bowl locations on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day for the opportunity to advance to the semifinals. There was a lack of excitement in the first-round matches, but hopefully the quarterfinals will provide it.
The action begins on Tuesday when 3-seeded Boise State and 6-seeded Penn State square off in the Fiesta Bowl. On Wednesday, the Peach Bowl will see 5-seeded Texas play 4-seeded Arizona State in the opening match of the three-game schedule. The Rose Bowl will see a historic rematch between 8-seeded Ohio State and 1-seeded Oregon. The Sugar Bowl matchup between 7-seeded Notre Dame and 2-seeded Georgia concludes the quarterfinal action.
Let’s look at what to anticipate this weekend as CBS Sports experts have submitted their predictions for the College Football Playoff quarterfinals.
Eastern time is used.
Fifth Peach Bowl: Texas vs. Arizona State, p. 4. A. | ESPN, fubo (Try for free) — Arizona State’s success this season has been largely attributed to their ability to win by a narrow margin, and I believe that this will be the strategy for preserving the game against a Texas squad that frequently wastes points in the red zone. With Cam Skattebo’s crucial playmaking and a defense that has compiled a strong stat profile against the pass, the Sun Devils should be able to maintain a close game. Chip Patterson of Arizona State is the pick at +13.5.
(8) Ohio State vs. Rose Bowl. (1) Oregon. .
five o’clock. m. | ESPN, fubo (Try it for free) — The first meeting’s play wasn’t an anomaly. Actually, it could be claimed that both offenses scored a few points. High-scoring matches between elite teams have become commonplace in recent years. It makes sense because both teams have a lot of talented offensive players. There will likely be a lot of points scored in The Granddaddy of Them All. Selection: Tom Fornelli, over 55.
Notre Dame vs. Sugar Bowl, (7). (2) Georgia. .
8.45 p.m. m. | ESPN, fubo (Try for free) — The SportsLine consensus places Georgia as the slight favorite, which worries me. This season, the Bulldogs are the favorite going into the playoffs, 1-9 against the spread. Without a doubt, Georgia had a more challenging schedule than Notre Dame, and their two overtime victories at the end of the season showed how hard they worked. However, it is questionable whether the Bulldogs are letting opponents better control the tempo of those games, which produces closer-than-expected outcomes. Notre Dame has one of the best pass defenses in the country, so even though Gunner Stockton isn’t the most gifted passer, he seems to be a gamer at quarterback. Despite Kirby Smart’s skill at getting his teams ready for postseason runs, everything points to a Notre Dame victory. Candidate: Brandon Marcello, Notre Dame +1 point 5.
Fiesta Bowl: (6) against Penn State. (3) Boise State. .
at 7:30 p.m. M. (Tuesday) | ESPN, fubo (Try for free) — In the first round, Penn State did manage to capitalize on SMU’s mistakes, but the Broncos are not known for making mistakes. Boise State actually shares a tie for No. with just four fumbles and four interceptions, ranking second nationally in turnovers lost. Thirteen turnovers occurred even against the dependable Nittany Lions. The game will ultimately remain closer than anticipated for four quarters. Pick: Shehan Jeyarajah of Boise State +11.
