The author expresses excitement for the College Football Playoff semifinals, previewing the matchups between Notre Dame and Penn State, and Ohio State and Texas. Highlighting Notre Dame's strong performance and depth despite injuries, the author predicts a close battle between Notre Dame and Penn State.
The College Football Playoff semifinals are here, and I really couldn't be more excited about these games. First, seventh-seeded Notre Dame will take on sixth-seeded Penn State in the Orange Bowl on Thursday night. A day later, No. 8 seed Ohio State and No. 5 seed Texas will meet in the Cotton Bowl; I actually predicted those two teams to meet in the national championship game at the start of the season.
I sense that one of these games will be a bit of a tight battle, while the other one might be more decisive. I've got a good track record this season, going 54-33 in my picks against the spread. The expanded CFP has been incredible to this point. Let's hope these two games continue the excitement. One thing that became very obvious in Notre Dame's win over Georgia in the Sugar Bowl is that it's built for the CFP. This is a fast and physical team that's built in the mold of a team that can win a championship. I feel like that about Penn State as well, but I feel that way more about Notre Dame. The Irish were fast and physical at the line of scrimmage in the quarterfinals, making it difficult for the Bulldogs to win the battle in the trenches. That's something we would've never said about a Notre Dame-Georgia matchup in the past, but it rang true this season. It's pretty remarkable what Notre Dame has done through all of its adversity. It lost two starting offensive linemen, two starting edge rushers, All-American cornerback Benjamin Morrison and defensive tackle Rylie Mills during the season. It still has standout safety Xavier Watts, but Notre Dame is playing so well and defeated Georgia relatively handily despite missing those key players. That speaks to the depth that head coach Marcus Freeman has been able to attain and develop. It really is an incredible roster. Notre Dame's depth will be tested against Penn State. James Franklin has been building toward this moment for year
COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF NOTRE DAME PENN STATE OHIO STATE TEXAS
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Penn State Football: What Penn State Is Saying About Boise State in the Fiesta BowlThe Penn State Nittany Lions' offensive starts discuss the buzz, and the grind, of playing the Boise State Broncos in the College Football Playoff.
Read more »
College football bowl game predictions: Indiana vs. Notre Dame, Penn State vs. SMUIndiana will cover against Notre Dame on Friday, The Post’s Howie Kussoy predicts.
Read more »
Virginia Football 's Malachi Fields Draws Interest from Penn State and Notre DameFormer Virginia Football wide receiver Malachi Fields Draws Interest from Penn State and Notre Dame
Read more »
Penn State to Face Notre Dame in CFP SemifinalPenn State will face Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff semifinals after defeating Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl.
Read more »
Notre Dame Advances to CFP Semifinals, Favored to Beat Penn StateNotre Dame's dominant performance against Georgia in the Sugar Bowl secured their spot in the College Football Playoff semifinals. They will face Penn State in the Orange Bowl, where they are favored to win. The Irish defense was stellar, holding Georgia to just 62 rushing yards and forcing two turnovers. The winner of this matchup will advance to the National Championship game against either Ohio State or Texas.
Read more »
Notre Dame Set to Face Penn State in College Football Playoff SemifinalThe Notre Dame Fighting Irish will take on the Penn State Nittany Lions in the Orange Bowl semifinal game on January 9th. This matchup marks the third time Notre Dame has reached the College Football Playoff semifinals.
Read more »