College Football Playoff semifinal schedule, matchups, odds: Ohio State is now the favorite

The semifinals of the 12-team College Football Playoff are set. And there are no conference champions remaining.

All four of the teams still alive in the playoff hosted games in the first round of the playoff. And all four have been favored in their first two games. Favorites are 8-0 straight-up so far this postseason and are 7-1 against the spread. The only underdog to cover the point spread through the first eight games of the playoff is No. 4 Arizona State in its 39-31 double-overtime loss to Texas in the Peach Bowl on Wednesday.

Here’s an early look at the Orange Bowl and Cotton Bowl, as the final four teams will play for the chance to be in the national championship game on Jan. 20 in Atlanta.

Orange Bowl: No. 7 Notre Dame vs. No. 6 Penn State

Date: Jan. 9 | Time: 7:30 p.m. ET | TV: ESPN | Line: Notre Dame -1.5 | Total: 48.5

Notre Dame got its biggest bowl win in 30 years over No. 2 Georgia in the Sugar Bowl on Thursday. The Irish scored 17 points in less than a minute sandwiching halftime to build a 20-3 lead over the Bulldogs. Penn State kept Boise State’s star rusher Ashton Jeanty in check during the Fiesta Bowl in a 31-14 win on New Year’s Eve.

The line for the game feels right to open and we’re interested to see where action moves it. Notre Dame opened as an underdog to Georgia before becoming a slight favorite in the days before kickoff. Both teams’ defenses have been fantastic, though they’re also dealing with injuries up front. Notre Dame edge Rylie Mills suffered a season-ending leg injury in the first round and Howard Cross III appeared to suffer a left ankle injury late against Georgia. Penn State star defensive end Abdul Carter missed the second half of the Fiesta Bowl with a left shoulder injury. Carter has 11 sacks and 22 tackles for loss this season.

Cotton Bowl: No. 8 Ohio State vs. No. 5…

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Author : Yahoo Sports

Publish date : 2025-01-03 01:02:00

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