The Texas Longhorns fan's guide to the other College Football Playoff quarterfinal games
And then there were eight. New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day is littered with four of the most high profile matchups imaginable with a spot in the semifinals of the College Football Playoff on the line.
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What should Texas fans be looking for in those other games? Here’s the Longhorns fan’s guide to the quarterfinals.
No. 8 Ohio State vs. No. 1 Oregon
Game Time, TV, Location: January 1, 4 p.m., ESPN, Rose Bowl, Pasadena, Calif.
Ducks from Texas: DB Kobe Savage, DB Jabbar Muhammad, WR Evan Stewart, DB Kam Alexander, QB Austin Novosad
Buckeyes from Texas: RB James Peoples, CB Calvin Simpson-Hunt, LB Payton Pierce, K Jayden Fielding, LS Morrow Evans, OL Donovan Jackson
Key Matchup: The Oregon defensive line versus the Ohio State offensive line
Intriguing storyline: Which transfer out of a Big 12 contender will lead their Big 10 program to the national semifinals? Also, just like last week, what happens to Ryan Day if the team the Buckeyes went all-in for fails to reach the final four.
The Texas preference: Ohio State, but at this point they’re all tough. The Buckeyes under Howard don’t threaten as much on offense as the Ducks with Gabriel, and you take your chances with the Thorpe Award winner on Jeremiah Smith.
No. 6 Penn State vs. No. 3 Boise State
Game Time, TV, Location: December 31, 6:30 p.m., ESPN, State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Ariz.
Broncos from Texas: RB Ashton Jeanty, RB Jambres Dubar, WR Latrell Caples, WR Cameron Camper, LB Udoka Ezeani, WR Cameron Bates, TE Mitch Bothwell, WR Chris Marshall, DB Franklyn Johnson Jr., EDGE Nick Hawthorne, EDGE Gabe Hunter, DL Demanuel Brown Jr., TE Matt Wagner, DT Herbert Gums, DT Michael Madrie
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Nittany Lions from Texas: WR Omari Evans, DE Max Granville, OL Addison Penn
Key matchup: Jeanty versus the Penn State defensive front. This will be the best defense Jeanty has seen since Oregon early in the year. He fared well then, will he be able to do the same now with the whole Nittany Lion program focusing on him?
Intriguing storyline: Will Boise State become the giant killer they’re assumed to be?
The Texas preference: Boise State, they are not as talented across the board as Penn State
No. 7 Notre Dame vs. No. 2 Georgia
Game Time, TV, Location: January 1, 7:45 p.m., Caesars Superdome, New Orleans, La.
Fighting Irish from Texas: WR Jaden Greathouse, DL Loghan Thomas, WR KK Smith, CB Leonard Moore, RB Kedren Young, RB Jadarian Price
Bulldogs from Texas: WR Anthony Evans III, LB Justin Williams, QB Collin Drake, RB Cash Jones, WR Kavon Townsend, WR Dillon Bell, DL Joseph Jonah-Ajonye, OL Michael Uini
Key matchup: The Notre Dame offensive line versus the Georgia defensive line.
Intriguing storyline: How does Georgia look with Gunner Stockton instead of Carson Beck? The offense still has the capacity to succeed on the ground with Trevor Etienne… but is that enough against Notre Dame?
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The Texas preference: Notre Dame, because Texas is 0-2 versus Georgia.
