College Football Playoff overreactions: Big Ten has surpassed the SEC, Ohio State looks unbeatable

Most expected two blowouts in the quarterfinal round of the College Football Playoff. The routs, however, were anticipated in the Fiesta Bowl and Peach Bowl. Instead, the Rose Bowl between (8) Ohio State and (1) Oregon turned into one of the biggest mismatches of the entire CFP.

The new system is tilted toward teams that grow and improve over the course of a season. Without it, the best team in college football might be sitting at home. The Buckeyes took a 34-0 lead against the Ducks and never looked back this year’s first CFP rematch.

For a moment, it seemed Texas would similarly take control of the Peach Bowl after jumping out to a 14-0 lead. Instead, Arizona State running back Cam Skattebo achieved immortality with a historic performance to force double overtime. Skattebo and the Sun Devils eventually ran out of gas, and the Longhorns took control in the second extra period for a 39-31 win. Boise State, meanwhile, missed a 38-yard field goal with 9:20 remaining that would have cut the lead to seven points. Penn State needed every bit of its physicality to pull out a 31-14 decision that was far closer than the final score indicated.

After the season, some will complain about the CFP format. How could the 1-seed face Ohio State in the second round? The reality is that no system can insulate itself from the best team in college football playing poorly for multiple weeks. Following a thrilling Peach Bowl and competitive Fiesta Bowl, complaints about the quality of games should quiet down.

The smart play was always to trust the process. Here are a few other overreactions after three quarterfinal matchups came to a close.

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Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/college-football-playoff-overreactions-big-ten-has-surpassed-the-sec-ohio-state-looks-unbeatable/

Author : Shehan Jeyarajah

Publish date : 2025-01-02 17:30:00

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