Underdog Takeover: CFP Semifinals

The CFP semifinals are here! The twists and turns in the quarterfinal games have left fans, including myself, in shock. All of the underdogs have officially advanced to the semifinals.

Oregon vs. Ohio State

The highly anticipated and exciting rematch between Oregon and Ohio State at the Rose Bowl shocked many viewers. No. 1 Oregon breezed through their undefeated season, beating Ohio State by one point in the regular season. However, the regular season game was nothing like this one. 

One minute into the first quarter, Ohio State’s quarterback, Will Howard, threw a 45-yard pass to wide receiver, Jeremiah Smith, to get the Sugar Bowl started. The Buckeyes asserted their clear dominance in the first half, ending the second quarter 34-8. Oregon’s only touchdown of the half came at the end of the second quarter, a pass from quarterback Dillon Gabriel to wide receiver Traeshon Holden.

In the second half, Oregon attempted a comeback, but the Buckeyes’ defense was no match for them. Though Oregon wide receiver, Noah Whittington, had a two-yard run to claim a touchdown for the Ducks, Ohio State responded back with a touchdown of their own. Ohio State’s domination led to the final score 41-21, a game far removed from their regular season matchup. Ohio State will now play Texas on January 10 at the Cotton Bowl. 

Texas vs. Arizona State

No. 3 Texas takes down No. 12 Arizona State in a double-overtime thriller. 

It seemed as if Texas was going to breeze through the game after watching the first half, getting two touchdowns from wide receivers DeAndre Moore Jr. and Silas Bolden, as well as a field goal from kicker Bert Auburn. 

After the second half, things started looking up for the Sun Devils. During the third quarter, they scored a safety and their kicker, Carston Kieffer, scored a field goal. Even though Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers responded with a five-yard touchdown, running back Cam Skattebo stepped up for Arizona State by throwing one touchdown and having a two-yard run to score a second touchdown. He wasn’t done yet, Skattebo also scored a 2-point conversion to tie up the game. Texas attempted to end the game on their next possession with a field goal, but their kicker, Bert Auburn, missed wide and hit the goalpost, leaving the game tied. 

During the first overtime, Skattebo had a three-yard rushing touchdown, leading the Sun Devil’s to their first lead of the night. However, Texas immediately responded with a touchdown of their own. In the second overtime, the Longhorns sealed the win with one last touchdown, ending the game 39-31. The results of this thrilling game will now have the Longhorns play against the Buckeyes on January 10 at the Cotton Bowl. 

Penn State vs. Boise State

Within the first 12 minutes of the game, Penn State was already up by 14. The Nittany Lions’ quarterback, Drew Allar, threw an 11-yard touchdown to tight end Tyler Warren, who was recently named an All-American. Omari Evans, a cornerback, caught an impeccable pass from Allar to score the second touchdown. Even as the underdog and away team, Penn State came out strong to take down No. 3 Boise State. 

About halfway through the second quarter, Boise State’s fullback, Tyler Crowe, finally scored a touchdown, bringing the score to 14-7. However, after an additional Boise State touchdown by tight end Matt Lauter, things went downhill for the Mustangs. Penn State’s Drew Allar and Tyler Warren responded with yet another touchdown. Nicholas Singleton, a running back, ended the fourth quarter with a 58-yard run, securing another touchdown for Penn State and solidifying the victory, 31-14, for the Nittany Lions. Penn State will now play Notre Dame on January 9 at the Orange Bowl.

Notre Dame vs. Georgia

The first quarter was scoreless. No. 7 Notre Dame faced off against No. 2 Georgia in what should have been an easy game for the Bulldogs. However, stand-out players like kicker Mitch Jeter helped put Notre Dame on top. 

After the scoreless first quarter, the second quarter started with a field goal from the Bulldogs’ kicker Peyton Woodring, giving Georgia the first points of the night. After this field goal, the Irish decided that they wanted to win. They responded with two field goals from Jeter, forced the Bulldogs to fumble, and then scored a Notre Dame touchdown. The Irish were up 13-3 by halftime. 

Fifteen seconds into the third quarter, wide receiver Jayden Harrison snagged a touchdown for the Irish, increasing their lead. About five minutes later, Georgia finally scored their first touchdown of the night. 

The game wrapped up in the fourth quarter with a field goal from Notre Dame, sealing their win with a final score of 23-10. The Irish will play against Penn State on January 9 at the Orange Bowl. 

My CFP Champion Prediction

Penn State will win the CFP Championship! Tyler Warren (tight end), Abdul Carter (defensive end), and Jaylen Reed (safety) all received All-American recognition. Head Coach James Franklin was awarded the George Munger Coach of the Year Semifinalist Award, and Drew Allar (quarterback) has amazing decision-making skills and accuracy. Their regular season achievements and stand-out performances will prepare them for any matchup. 

One of the most important duos on Penn State is Allar and Warren. Warren, who won the John Mackey Award, which recognizes him as the best tight end, and Allar, having one of the highest football IQs in the league, make a dynamic duo that will surely lead the Nittany Lions to the national championship. Penn State has many impactful players that can certainly take down the teams left in the CFP.