The first round of the College Football Playoff came on gone, with four teams advancing to the quarterfinals. Having CFP games on campus brought something new to the sport, with multiple great atmospheres being produced.
From South Bend to Columbus, hundreds of thousands of fans brought a new dynamic to attempting to win a national championship.
Now, games go back to the venues we have known for a long time — New Year’s Six Bowl sites. The four quarterfinal matchup rounds have been set following action on Friday night and all day Saturday.
Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti will be quite happy, with three teams from his conference alive in the final eight. The SEC is not too far behind with two representatives. Of the power conferences, the ACC is the only one to be out of the CFP at this point.
Action will be back underway on New Year’s Eve before a trio of games in 2025. You can check out the updated College Football Playoff bracket and quarterfinal matchups below.
Of the four matchups, this is the only one where both teams are from the same conference. It’s also a rematch of the thrilling Oct. 12 game from Euguene, won by Oregon.
Many expected the second game between these two to take place in Indianapolis. Pasadena will have to do, fittingly being a classic old-school Big Ten vs. Pac-12 matchup from the Rose Bowl.
A current Big 12 team vs. a former Big 12 team although they never were in the conference at the same time. Texas is fresh off a win against Clemson and will now head to Atlanta for the second time this season to face Arizona State.
Just once have these two programs faced off — the 2007 Holiday Bowl in San Diego. Seventeen years later, this go-round will have a little more on the line.
Mandatory Credit: Matthew O’Haren-Imagn Images
James Franklin is playing in his first-ever College Football Playoff and is officially 1-0. His reward is now a long plane ride out West, heading to the Desert for the Fiesta Bowl.
Waiting on the other side is Heisman Trophy runner-up Ashton Jeanty and Boise State. A Group of Five team earning a bye was historic in itself. Taking down Penn State would only elevate how special of a season the Broncos are having.
New Orleans will serve as the quite fitting New Year’s Day nightcap. Two historic programs are set to play in the game too as Georgia and Notre Dame meet once again.
Kirby Smart’s squad swept the Fighting Irish in a home-and-home series beginning in 2017. Both games were classics and college football fans will be hoping for the same in the Sugar Bowl.
