We’ve reached it, folks. One of the most chaotic seasons in recent memory has reached its apex in the form of the first 12-team playoff. After endless debates of strength of schedule and quality losses, twelve teams will converge with one goal – to hoist a trophy in Atlanta on January 20th.

First Round Preview

Bye Teams:

• #1 Oregon – Big Ten Champion, only remaining undefeated team
• #2 Georgia – SEC Champion, had the pleasure of beating Texas twice
• #3 Boise State – Mountain West Champion, looking to prove the Group of Five teams can make noise
• #4 Arizona State – Big 12 Champion, riding a torrid hot streak seemingly out of nowhere

#10 Indiana @ #7 Notre Dame: The playoffs will commence in South Bend on Friday night with the fight for Indiana. Can the Cinderella Hoosiers bounce back and shock the world, or will the Irish prove that this time they haven’t been overrated by the committee?

#11 SMU @ #6 Penn State: These two teams will share the national stage for the first time in forty years. SMU flamed out a bit in the ACC championship after a torrid winning streak, and now must face the Nittany Lions in front of a raucous Beaver Stadium crowd.

#12 Clemson @ #5 Texas: Clemson seized the last playoff spot via a dramatic last-second win over the aforementioned Mustangs. It was a great story for the Tigers, but their stay may be cut short. Clemson must venture into the home field of a Texas team that is still reeling from another loss to Georgia and has a massive chip on its shoulder.

#9 Tennessee @ #8 Ohio State: The Volunteers have flown under the radar for much of the season and have mostly avoided the chaos that plagued the rest of the SEC. They’ll hope to replicate that formula against the Buckeyes, who are certainly still angry over the shocking loss to Michigan and want to avenge it with a deep playoff run.

Playoff Prediction

First Round:

• Indiana vs Notre Dame
• SMU vs Penn State
• Clemson vs Texas
• Tennessee vs Ohio State

Quarterfinals:

• Boise State vs Penn State (Fiesta Bowl)
• Arizona State vs Texas (Peach Bowl)
• Oregon vs Ohio State (Rose Bowl)
• Georgia vs Notre Dame (Sugar Bowl)

Semifinals:

• Georgia vs Penn State
• Oregon vs Texas

Championship:

• Oregon vs Georgia