Bowl Games 2024-25: Odds, Predictions, Schedule for College Football Playoff Bracket

The first edition of the 12-team College Football Playoff kicks off on Friday and Saturday with a new wrinkle to the postseason format.

Each of the four first-round games will be played on campus sites. That has affected the point spreads for all of the contests.

The Ohio State Buckeyes, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Penn State Nittany Lions and Texas Longhorns are all favored by more than a touchdown.

Ohio State and Notre Dame have the smallest spreads in their favor. Ohio State's number will be questioned more since the Buckeyes are coming off an embarrassing loss to the Michigan Wolverines.

Notre Dame has looked like one of the best teams in the country since Week 3 and it might steamroll an Indiana Hoosiers team that struggled with its toughest test of the season against Ohio State.

College Football Playoff Schedule and Odds

Todd Kirkland/Getty Images

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - DECEMBER 7: Arch Manning #16 of the Texas Longhorns warms up prior to the game against the Georgia Bulldogs in the 2024 SEC Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 7, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Friday, December 20

No. 10 Indiana at No. 7 Notre Dame (-7.5) (8 p.m. ET, ABC)

Saturday, December 21

No. 11 SMU at No. 6 Penn State (-8.5) (Noon ET, TNT)

No. 12 Clemson at No. 5 Texas (-12) (4 p.m. ET, TNT)

No. 9 Tennessee at No. 8 Ohio State (-7.5) (8 p.m. ET, ABC)

No. 9 Tennessee at No. 8 Ohio State (-7.5)

Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

COLUMBUS, OH - NOVEMBER 30: Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (2) makes a reception while defended by Michigan Wolverines defensive back Makari Paige (7) during a college football game on November 30, 2024 at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Ohio State is the most fascinating team to watch in the first round.

No one knows how the Buckeyes are going to respond to their poor performance against Michigan that cost them a shot at the Big Ten championship.

Ohio State looked strong in its three top-10 matchups in Big Ten play. It came away with wins over Penn State and Indiana and lost by one to the Oregon Ducks, but no one cares about those games because of how poor the Michigan game was for the Buckeyes on home soil.

Ryan Day's side can flip the public's opinion on it with a solid showing against Tennessee, and while it may be hard to back the Buckeyes, it could end up as the right move.

Ohio State has the best defense in the FBS. The Buckeyes allowed the fewest yards and points per game. Tennessee is fourth in both categories, but it allowed 40 yards more per contest.

The Buckeyes are capable of slowing down the Tennessee offense, so that they need Will Howard to only make one or two big plays on offense.

Howard has two tremendous targets to throw to in Jeremiah Smith and Emeka Egbuka. They could be the big-play difference-makers to get Ohio State into the quarterfinals.

While Tennessee does have a fighting chance with its defense, the Vols haven't traveled well this season. They are 2-2 on the road and they struggled at points in both victories.

No. 10 Indiana at No. 7 Notre Dame (-7.5)

Ric Tapia/Getty Images

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 30: Jadarian Price #24 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish runs with the ball during the second half against USC Trojans at United Airlines Field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on November 30, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images)

Two factors are going in favor of betting Notre Dame on the spread.

The first is Notre Dame's remarkable run since Week 3 in which it held eight opponents to 14 points or less and produced nine double-digit margins of victory.

The other component to backing Notre Dame is Indiana's poor performance in Columbus against Ohio State.

Indiana started well and then ended up losing 38-15 in its one big chance to prove it belongs with the top teams in the country.

Notre Dame has a comparable defense to Ohio State and its offense is running much smoother than the Buckeyes right now.

The Hoosiers might not stand much of a chance in South Bend if they are once again outmatched by one of the top teams in the country.

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