The No. 5 Longhorns host the No. 12 Tigers for a College Football Playoff first-round matchup. The programs have never met. The winner faces No. 4 Arizona State in a quarterfinal on New Year's Day. Clemson beat SMU in dramatic fashion to win the ACC.
The No. 1 Crimson Tide (13-1) battle the No. 3 Bulldogs (13-1) in the CFP championship game. Alabama has won seven straight meetings after a 41-24 triumph in the 2021 SEC final. Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban boasts a record seven national titles.
The No. 3 Broncos (12-1) and No. 6 Nittany Lions (12-2) meet in the Fiesta Bowl for a CFP quarterfinal. Penn State got two pick-sixes in a 38-10 romp over No. 11 SMU on Dec. 21. Boise State star Ashton Jeanty finished second in Heisman Trophy voting.
The No. 9 Rebels face the No. 13 Tigers. Entering Week 7, Ole Miss' Jaxson Dart ranked second in FBS with 2,100 passing yards, while teammate Tre Harris led the nation in receiving. Dart totaled five TDs in a 55-49 win for Ole Miss over LSU in 2023.
The Peach Bowl hosts a College Football Playoff quarterfinal between the No. 4 Sun Devils (11-2) and No. 5 Longhorns (12-2). Texas, a 38-24 first-round winner over No. 12 Clemson, defeated Arizona State 52-34 in 2007, their lone previous meeting.
The No. 8 Buckeyes play the No. 1 Ducks in the Rose Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal. Ohio State drubbed No. 9 Tennessee 42-17 on Dec. 21. Oregon shaved Ohio State 32-31 on Oct. 12. Oregon's Dillon Gabriel finished third in Heisman voting.
The College Football Playoff's quarterfinals concludes with the No. 7 Fighting Irish facing the No. 2 Bulldogs in the Sugar Bowl. Notre Dame took down No. 10 Indiana 27-17 in the CFP opener Dec. 20. Georgia won the SEC championship game over Texas.
The No. 6 Nittany Lions and No. 7 Fighting Irish meet in a CFP semifinal at the Orange Bowl. Drew Allar threw for three TDs, two to Tyler Warren, as Penn State ousted Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl. Notre Dame got past Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.
The No. 24 Fighting Illini take on the No. 22 Cornhuskers. Illinois is off to its first 3-0 start since 2011, while Nebraska also has its first 3-0 mark since 2016. The Huskers ended a three-game slide against the Illini with a 20-7 verdict in 2023.