The highly-anticipated 12-team College Football Playoff kicked off this weekend.
Although the matchups were expected to be close games, all of the matchups — Ohio State-Tennessee, Indiana-Notre Dame, SMU-Penn State and Clemson-Texas — were all blowouts.
None of the games were close. Notre Dame led Indiana 17-3 at halftime, and took a 27-3 lead in the fourth quarter. The Hoosiers’ first touchdown came in the last two minutes of the game. Penn State was up 28-0 at halftime, Texas led 28-10 at half and Ohio State was up 42-10 at the start of the fourth quarter.
Here’s a recap of all the games.
No. 5 Texas 38, No. 12 Clemson 24
Texas outlasted Clemson in its first round matchup of the College Football Playoff, winning 38-24 behind a melting pot of big plays, forced turnovers and the running back room’s field day. The Longhorns shut down the Tigers’ late-game surge that loomed large in the 14-point win, forcing back-to-back turnover on downs.
Texas looked like a freight train from the opening kick off, scoring on three straight drives by the rushing tandem Quintrevion Wisner and Jaydon Blue. By halftime, the Longhorns led 28-10, while Blue and Wisner finished the game with 256 rushing yards and four touchdowns.
Clemson caught fire between the last few minutes of the third quarter and early parts of the fourth through three straight touchdowns of its own, making it a one-score game multiple times. However, the Longhorns answered the bell when needed most, making a goal-line stand to slow down the Tigers, and another with less than minute left in the game to put the nail in the coffin.
They advance to the quarterfinals to face Arizona State in the Peach Bowl on Jan. 1.
College Football Playoffs: Don’t Overreact, Blowouts Are Common In CFP
No. 6 Penn State 38, No. 11 SMU 10
Penn State took care of business at home against SMU, cruising to a 28-point victory over the Mustangs. The Nittany Lions have punched their ticket to the quarterfinals, taking on Ashton Jeanty and Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl.
James Franklin’s squad took an early 7-0 lead with a pick-six, but the second quarter is where the game got out of hand for the Mustangs. SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings threw his second pick-six to start the quarter before throwing his third interception five minutes later. Penn State’s offense found its rhythm, punching in two rushing touchdowns in the final five minutes of the first half to take a 28-0 lead into the break.
SMU tallied just 253 yards of total offense in the freezing conditions. The Nittany Lions rushing duo of Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen totaled 160 yards and three touchdowns on the ground.
No. 7 Notre Dame 27, No. 10 Indiana 17
Jeremiyah Love tied the school record with a 98-yard touchdown run on the third play of the game, Riley Leonard accounted for two more scores and the Fighting Irish held high-scoring Indiana in check, giving seventh-seeded Notre Dame its first ever playoff victory, 27-17 over the Hoosiers.
He and the Irish (12-1) have a day or two to savor their 11th consecutive win to tie the school record for most wins in a season — their first in four playoff tries.
But it’s only one step. Next up is SEC champion Georgia (11-2) in the Sugar Bowl and a chance to reach the semifinals as they chase their first national title since 1988.
For Indiana, the Hoosiers trailed fewer minutes than any other FBS team this season entering the playoffs and had the highest-scoring team in the playoffs. They didn’t do either Friday night against a stout Irish defense.
College Football Playoffs: Don’t Overreact, Blowouts Are Common In CFP
No. 8 Ohio State 42, No. 9 Tennessee 17
Will Howard threw two touchdown passes to freshman Jeremiah Smith and Ohio State routed Tennessee 42-17 on Saturday night in a first-round College Football Playoff game, setting up a New Year’s Day rematch with No. 1 Oregon at the Rose Bowl.
Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson rushed for two touchdowns apiece as the Buckeyes (11-2) gave their fans an early Christmas present that should quiet some of the outcry following the devastating fourth straight loss to Michigan three weeks ago.
Howard finished 24 for 29 for 311 yards, his second 300-yard game of the season. Smith had six catches for 103 yards, the sixth freshman to have over 100 receiving yards in a CFP game. Henderson had 10 carries for 80 yards.
With the win, the Buckeyes advance to a second-round game against Oregon in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1. They lost to the Ducks 32-31 on Oct. 12.
