College Football Playoffs 2018: Full TV Schedule and Odds for Semifinals
The early-signing period rerouted headlines for about a week, but the College Football Playoff is ready to consume the sport's focus.
Clemson will take on Notre Dame in the Cotton Bowl. Alabama will challenge Oklahoma in a battle between Heisman Trophy runner-up and Heisman winner at the Orange Bowl. The victors will square off for the national championship of the 2018 season.
Less than one week stands between the college football world and the national semifinals. We've shared all the basic information you need to know about the Top Four showdowns.
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Note: Odds via OddsShark.
Cotton Bowl: No. 3 Notre Dame (12-0) vs. No. 2 Clemson (13-0)
Date: Saturday, Dec. 29
Time: 4 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Odds: Clemson -13
Notre Dame's run to this point was surprising, mostly because the Fighting Irish were thoroughly unimpressive after beating Michigan. That season-opening victory was great, but they clipped Ball State and survived Vanderbilt's last-second drive.
Once the offense turned to backup quarterback Ian Book, though, it became a nationally respected threat.
The unit recorded 30-plus points in six of his eight starts to complement a feisty defense. The Irish have only surrendered more than 23 points once and rank No. 8 in yards allowed per snap. That strength will be critical opposite Clemson, which also has a couple vulnerabilities in the secondary that Book can attack.
But if Notre Dame doesn't play a near-perfect game, it's difficult to envision this matchup not being lopsided in Clemson's favor.
Led by the country's most efficient defense, Clemson has ripped off eight straight wins of 20-plus points. The Tigers rank second in tackles for loss and third in sacks.
Additionally, quarterback Trevor Lawrence has tossed only four interceptions in 266 attempts as a starter while accounting for 16 touchdowns. The true freshman has provided a dynamic passing threat to an offense that excels on the ground anyway.
Travis Etienne has amassed 1,463 yards and 21 scores, highlighting a rushing attack with a nation's-best 6.75 yards per carry.
Notre Dame being here isn't a fluke. It's also a heavy underdog for a legitimate reason; Clemson is special.
Orange Bowl: No. 4 Oklahoma (12-1) vs. No. 1 Alabama (13-0)
Date: Saturday, Dec. 29
Time: 8 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Odds: Alabama -14
Two pivotal questions will shape the Orange Bowl:
- Will Tua Tagovailoa be healthy?
- Can Oklahoma's defense hold up?
Tagovailoa etched his name into history when he piloted a comeback in last season's national title game. The southpaw entered after halftime against Georgia and threw the game-winning touchdown in overtime to give Alabama its fifth title in nine years.
This season, he replaced Jalen Hurts on a full-time basis and looked like the Heisman Trophy winner until the SEC Championship Game. Tagovailoa struggled while Alabama trailed, and an ankle injury sent him to the sideline—setting up Hurts' heroics.
But there's no doubt which quarterback should be under center for the Crimson Tide if Tagovailoa is healthy.
While the sophomore says he'll "probably be 100 percent," per Michael Casagrande of AL.com, any drop in offensive efficiency would be a problem for Alabama. Oklahoma boasts the nation's most efficient unit in both scoring and yardage, so there should be a bunch of scoring regardless of Tagovailoa's health.
However, the Tide should be favored either way because Oklahoma hardly plays any defense.
In addition to allowing 6.03 yards per snap—102nd in the Football Bowl Subdivision—the Sooners rank dead last with an 85.1 red-zone touchdown rate allowed. That's the worst mark by a power-conference team in the past decade.
Heisman winner Kyler Murray propelled the team all season despite that ugly defense, but none of Oklahoma's previous opponents had a defense anywhere near the caliber of Alabama.
The Sooners need to continue their offensive excellence while getting rare red-zone stops to spring the upset. Otherwise, the Tide are headed to a fourth straight national title appearance.
Stats from NCAA.com, cfbstats.com or B/R research. Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow Bleacher Report CFB Writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR.
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