NCAAF · 3 months ago

Ranking the 6 CFP Quarterfinal Matchups Fans Most Want to See

TJ Inman

Host · Writer

6. Rose Bowl - Oklahoma vs. IU (-9.5)
As previously written, the Rose Bowl could be Indiana versus Alabama or the No. 1-seeded Big Ten Champion IU versus Oklahoma. The Sooners host Alabama as a slight underdog on Friday night. Oklahoma’s offense has struggled to find much life, particularly since quarterback John Mateer had surgery on his thumb and returned against Texas in an ugly loss. The Sooners would have a tough time scoring against one of the nation’s best defenses and an elite defensive coordinator. Still, the matchup of Brent Venables and the OU defensive front against Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza and the Indiana offense would be entertaining. Regardless of which matchup we get, the Rose Bowl is going to be filled with a whole lot of red and fans that are soaking up the experience in Pasadena.

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1. Orange Bowl - Oregon vs. Texas Tech (-1.5)
While the Oregon Ducks have not officially stamped their ticket to Miami for the Orange Bowl, this is the matchup that is almost certainly going to take place. The Ducks are favored by more than three touchdowns at home against the James Madison Dukes, with Texas Tech awaiting the winner. This matchup is fascinating for a variety of reasons, and the look-ahead line has the Big 12 Champion favored by 1.5 points. Will the time off after the regular season allow the Ducks to get as healthy on offense as they have been all season? If so, many feel like they could do what Ohio State did a season ago: miss the Big Ten Championship Game, rest up, and rip through the College Football Playoff while playing their best football. To accomplish that, they’ll have to travel across the country and play one of the nation’s best defenses. The question for Texas Tech will be whether its offense can scale against the athletes Oregon has on defense, and whether the Red Raiders, who rely heavily on explosive plays, can be efficient enough against the most gifted team they will have seen. The winner of this game advances to the Peach Bowl.

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2. Sugar Bowl - Ole Miss vs. Georgia (-5.5)
The Ole Miss Rebels are the six-seed and heavy favorites against the Tulane Green Wave in Oxford. Just as we’ve seen that matchup before, the Sugar Bowl looks highly likely to be a rematch as well, with the Rebels advancing to take on SEC Champion Georgia. These two met on October 18 in Sanford Stadium in Athens, with Georgia winning a very entertaining 43-35 shootout. Ole Miss led 21-20 at the half and was in great position entering the fourth quarter, but the Bulldogs scored 17 unanswered points in the game’s final 15 minutes to give Ole Miss its only loss of the campaign. Of concern for Ole Miss, Georgia ran for 221 yards while holding Ole Miss to just 88, and they had the ball for nearly 38 minutes of the contest. Ole Miss can use the first round against Tulane to adjust to life without Lane Kiffin, but it will still be a tall order for new head coach Pete Golding to go toe-to-toe with Kirby Smart in just his second game in charge. With these two SEC foes and fan bases squaring off, the atmosphere in New Orleans should be electric.
4. Cotton Bowl - Texas A&M vs. Ohio State (-8.5)
The Texas A&M Aggies and Miami Hurricanes play on Saturday in College Station in a game many are considering the most interesting first-round College Football Playoff matchup. The winner will take on the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Cotton Bowl. The Buckeyes have a fanbase that will travel anywhere to cheer them on, but it would be fascinating to see what the crowd split would be if they were facing Texas A&M in Texas. Ohio State lost to Indiana in the Big Ten Championship Game, and its offensive line struggled to protect Julian Sayin consistently. Texas A&M has an explosive offense that could hit some explosive plays against the OSU defense, but the thing that would worry Ryan Day is one of the country’s best pass rushes and the blitz schemes of head coach Mike Elko. NFL scouts will be salivating all over some of the athletes in this game, regardless of OSU’s quarterfinal opponent.
5. Cotton Bowl - Miami vs. Ohio State (-9.5)
The other possible matchup in the Cotton Bowl is a rematch of a classic BCS National Championship Game: the Miami Hurricanes versus the Ohio State Buckeyes. Much like Texas A&M, “The U” has some outstanding pass rushers that could cause real issues for Ohio State’s offensive line, and Carson Beck has played in plenty of big games and has a couple of receivers that could make a few plays against Ohio State’s elite defense. The ACC has had a rotten season, but the league's perception could shift significantly if Miami knocks off the current national title favorite.
6. Rose Bowl - Oklahoma vs. IU (-9.5)
As previously written, the Rose Bowl could be Indiana versus Alabama or the No. 1-seeded Big Ten Champion IU versus Oklahoma. The Sooners host Alabama as a slight underdog on Friday night. Oklahoma’s offense has struggled to find much life, particularly since quarterback John Mateer had surgery on his thumb and returned against Texas in an ugly loss. The Sooners would have a tough time scoring against one of the nation’s best defenses and an elite defensive coordinator. Still, the matchup of Brent Venables and the OU defensive front against Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza and the Indiana offense would be entertaining. Regardless of which matchup we get, the Rose Bowl is going to be filled with a whole lot of red and fans that are soaking up the experience in Pasadena.

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1. Orange Bowl - Oregon vs. Texas Tech (-1.5)
While the Oregon Ducks have not officially stamped their ticket to Miami for the Orange Bowl, this is the matchup that is almost certainly going to take place. The Ducks are favored by more than three touchdowns at home against the James Madison Dukes, with Texas Tech awaiting the winner. This matchup is fascinating for a variety of reasons, and the look-ahead line has the Big 12 Champion favored by 1.5 points. Will the time off after the regular season allow the Ducks to get as healthy on offense as they have been all season? If so, many feel like they could do what Ohio State did a season ago: miss the Big Ten Championship Game, rest up, and rip through the College Football Playoff while playing their best football. To accomplish that, they’ll have to travel across the country and play one of the nation’s best defenses. The question for Texas Tech will be whether its offense can scale against the athletes Oregon has on defense, and whether the Red Raiders, who rely heavily on explosive plays, can be efficient enough against the most gifted team they will have seen. The winner of this game advances to the Peach Bowl.

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Ranking the 6 CFP Quarterfinal Matchups Fans Most Want to See

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