The College Football Playoff quarter-finals were an astonishing spectacle and a perfect example of why having knockouts at the end of the college season is a good thing. Every single underdog knocked off the higher seed, that means the four semi-final places went to the teams ranked 5-8. After a first round that saw all games go to chalk (and sometimes get quite ugly) it was incredible to watch upset after upset, a great advert for the first year of this new format.
We now turn attention to the semi-finals where first No. 6 Penn State will take on No. 7 Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl before No. 5 Texas plays No. 8 Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl. Having a final four with no Oregon or Georgia is still hard to get your head round but this is exactly the kind of drama we wanted.
These are two fascinating games, read on to find what we’re tipping.
College Football Playoff Multi-Match Bet Builder
Notre Dame @ Penn State
Riley Leonard – Over 49.5 Total Rushing Yards
Kaytron Allen – Over 58.5 Total Rushing Yards
Ohio State @ Texas
Jeremiah Smith – Over 84.5 Total Receiving Yards
Will Howard – Over 242.5 Total Passing Yards
Quinn Ewers – Over 236.5 Total Passing Yards
- A Multi Match Bet Builder with these selections pays at approximately 15/1 with Paddy Power. CLICK OR TAP HERE TO ADD TO YOUR BETSLIP.
Notre Dame @ Penn State
Friday, Jan 10th, 12:30am
TV: Sky Sports NFL
Riley Leonard – Over 49.5 Total Rushing Yards
As we’ll touch on in a bit the later game feels a bit easier to call, this one feels as if it could go in any direction. The key question will be what will Notre Dame do with quarterback Riley Leonard, who went 15-24 for just 90 yards and one touchdown against Georgia, rushing for a further 80.
Leonard did what he had to do to get the win but will they let him throw more in this one? It’s hard to say so for that reason we’re going to go with him to hit his rushing yards over, which is set for 47.5 yards, a little over half what he got against the Bulldogs.
Kaytron Allen – Over 58.5 Total Rushing Yards
On the other side of the ball Drew Allar and his receiving corps are a difficult lot to peg. They did produce against Boise State but not in the kind of way where you would feel comfortable backing them.
Where we DO feel comfortable is with Kaytron Allen, part of a two-headed monster along with Nick Singleton. Allen’s over/under is a couple of yards lower than Singleton and coming off a big game we’re backing him to go big again in this one.
Ohio State @ Texas
Saturday, Jan 11th, 12:30am
TV: Sky Sports NFL
Jeremiah Smith – Over 84.5 Total Receiving Yards
Will Howard – Over 242.5 Total Passing Yards
Here’s why we’re worried for Texas in this one, the Texas defense allowed Arizona State to score 31 points. To be clear, Arizona State are a good team and Kenny Dillingham is one of the brightest young offensive minds in the country. But they are not Ohio State. They are not an Ohio State team that just dropped 41 points and blew the doors off the best team in the country, Dillingham’s old stomping ground Oregon.
What was particularly impressive about the way OSU beat Oregon is the speed they started the game with, they had three touchdowns on the board before most fans had even sat down. They will look to go big and go early again to put Texas under pressure so we feel very comfortable backing Will Howard (who threw for 76.5 yards more than his over/under for this game against Oregon) and Jeremiah Smith (who hauled in 102.5 yards more than his over/under for this one against the Ducks).
Quinn Ewers – Over 236.5 Total Passing Yards
If OSU does come out the gates swinging that will obviously heap the pressure back on Texas and Steve Sarkisian. If that happens? You better believe Sark will swing right back and let Quinn Ewers uncork it. Ewers threw for 322 yards and three touchdowns in a stellar performance as he led Texas to the win against ASU, that’s 85.5 yards over his over/under right now. This game has all the hallmarks of a high-scoring classic and the quarterbacks will be at the centre of that stage.
College Football Playoff Multi-Match Bet Builder
Notre Dame @ Penn State
Riley Leonard – Over 49.5 Total Rushing Yards
Kaytron Allen – Over 58.5 Total Rushing Yards
Ohio State @ Texas
Jeremiah Smith – Over 84.5 Total Receiving Yards
Will Howard – Over 242.5 Total Passing Yards
Quinn Ewers – Over 236.5 Total Passing Yards
- A Multi Match Bet Builder with these selections pays at approximately 15/1 with Paddy Power. CLICK OR TAP HERE TO ADD TO YOUR BETSLIP.
*All odds and lines quoted are accurate at time of publication but are subject to change
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