Four teams remain in the hunt to win a national title, as the College Football Playoff prepares for the semifinal round.
Let’s check out the odds for the semifinal games at DraftKings Sportsbook as of Jan. 2, as well as what to know about each game.
No. 7 NOTRE DAME (-1.5, -120) vs. No. 6 PENN STATE (+100)
Capital One Orange Bowl
Jan. 9, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
O/U: 47.5
What to know: ND-PSU figures to be a defensive dogfight, between two defenses that have allowed a combined 51 points in four total CFP games. Notre Dame has arguably the most impressive win of the two squads, however, knocking off SEC champion Georgia in the quarterfinals, 23-10. The Fighting Irish opened as favorites, but only slightly, as the line will surely shift over the coming days. Something to think about: Notre Dame defeated a team ranked at the time four times during the regular season. Penn State only once beat a team ranked at the time, losing its other two ranked matchups.
No. 8 OHIO STATE (-6, -225) vs. No. 5 TEXAS (+185)
Goodyear Cotton Bowl
Jan. 10, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
O/U: 53.5
What to know: Talk about two teams having opposite performances in the round before they meet. Ohio State met No. 1 Oregon in the Rose Bowl, and it looked like the No. 1 team. The Buckeyes led 34-0 in the second quarter, before cruising to a 41-21 win in a game that was never remotely close. Meanwhile, Texas faced No. 4 Arizona State, and despite leading 24-8 in the fourth quarter, ended up needing two overtimes to a pull off a 39-31 win over the Sun Devils. Now, the Buckeyes have opened as a solid favorite over the Longhorns, and OSU is also the new favorite to win the CFP title. Their key weapon among a host of weapons? Freshman wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, who absolutely torched the Ducks to the tune of 187 receiving yards and two touchdowns. If the Longhorns can’t at least slow Smith down, it could be a long night for Matthew McConaughey and Co.
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