As well as two NFL games, this Saturday sees the start of the College Playoffs, with two games in the evening, one starting at 1am Saturday morning and the last one of four starting at 1am Sunday morning.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe early Saturday morning game sees the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame (11-1) are hosting the Indiana Hoosiers (11-1) battle for state supremacy in South Bend, Indiana. The 7th seed Notre Dame closed out the regular season with a 10-game winning streak and had two weeks off to prepare, whereas the 10th seed Hoosiers, who also won 10 games on the bounce, won 31-7 against Florida International University (FIU).
Embed from Getty ImagesThe biggest matchup in this game will be Notre Dame’s rushing game against the Hoosier’s defense. This Irish Offense pins their hopes on a three-pronged running attack of Jeremiyah Love, Jadarian Price and QB Riley Leonard, who have run for a total of 2321 yards from 347 carries, averaging 6.7 yards per carry.
However Indiana’s Defense leads the nation in fewest rushing yards per game allowed (70.8) and their average of 2.5 yards per carry allowed is the 2nd best in the FBS. Notre Dame are favoured by 6.5 points, and the winner travels down to play the 2nd seed Georgia Bulldogs for the Allstate Sugar Bowl.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe second game sees number 11 seed SMU Mustangs (11-2) travel to Beaver Stadium to face off against the six seed Penn State (11-2), in a game that kicks off at 5pm.
Embed from Getty ImagesPenn State RBs Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton sit 9th and 10th in the Big Ten conference with 839 and 822 yards respectively, and they are up against the SMU’s rushing defense, that led the ACC, and are 4th nationally, having given up only 93.4 rushing yards per game, and a paltry 2.74 yards per carry.
The Mustangs have won 10 straight road games, which is the second longest active streak in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), but Penn State have won at least 10 games for the past three seasons, and have finished in the top 12 of the College Football Playoffs (CFP) six times. Penn State are favoured by 8.5 points and the winner goes on to play number three seed Boise St (12-1) for the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe third game, kicking off at 9pm, sees 12th seed Clemson (10-3) head to Darrell K Royal Memorial Stadium to do battle with the 5th seed Texas Longhorns (11-2), who finished 2nd in the SEC, behind the Georgia Bulldogs.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe ACC champion Clemson QB Cade Klubnik has 282 from 443 for 3303 yards this season with 33 touchdowns and only five interceptions. His opposite number, Texas QB Quinn Ewers has 223 from 352 for 2665 yards with 25 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
Klubnik will have to try to get through this Longhorns Defense, who have only allowed four passing touchdowns all season, but Texas have only scored one touchdown in the last six quarters. Texas is a huge 12 point favourite in this one and the winners faces the number four seed Arizona St (11-2) in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe fourth and final game of the playoffs sees number nine seed the Tennessee Volunteers (10-2) face off against the Ohio State Buckeyes (10-2) at Ohio Stadium.
Embed from Getty ImagesBoth QBs have been good this year. Freshman QB Nico Iamaleava has 199 from 303 for 2512 yards with 19 touchdowns and five interceptions for the Volunteers. His opposite number, Buckeyes Senior Will Howard has 227 from 314 for 2860 yards with 27 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Howard will enter the 2025 draft and could be heading to the NFL, predicted to be a later rounds pick.
Embed from Getty ImagesGoing into this game, the Vols won six of their last seven games, averaging 31 points per game over those seven games, with their only loss against the number two seed, Georgia. Their defense allowed an average 17.1 points per game.
The Buckeyes, however, lost two of their last seven, with losses to the number one seed Oregon Ducks and in their last game against Michigan Wolverines. They averaged 28 points per game over that stretch and allowed an average 13.9 points per game.
The Ohio State Buckeyes are favoured by 7.5 points over the Tennessee Volunteers, with the winner going on to face the number one seed Oregon Ducks for the Rose Bowl.
Predictions – These are eight of the best teams in College Football, so predictions will be difficult to make but I would go with the favoured teams – Penn State, Notre Dame, Ohio State and Texas to win.