The 12-team NCAA football playoff is finally here and the debut is only days away after finalizing the field on Sunday. As such, football fans are already looking forward to the best part of the playoff new format which starts with first-round matches.
From South Bend to Happy Valley, DKR in Austin, and the Horseshoe in Columbus, fans of blue bloods, first-timers, and stalwarts will visit some of the best venues to enjoy four compelling games. The eight teams competing in the first-round fixtures will need four wins to secure the ultimate prize in the sport. Here is a preview of the first-round matchups in 2024.
Notre Dame vs Indiana Hoosiers
The Indiana Hoosiers are set to travel to Notre Dame for their opening first-round fixture in the College football playoff on Friday 20th December 2024. Both sides dominated the competition this season and have won 11 games each so far. Notre Dame outscored their opponents 478-163, while the Hoosiers outscored their foes 520-176.
Notre Dame recorded a close matchup since defeating Louisville 31-24 on 28th September at home. Their home-field advantage will be a major factor as they face the Irish and taking an early lead would make it more challenging for Indiana, who recorded at least 40 points in eight out of 12 fixtures this season. As such, NCAA tips and advices from football experts on SportyTrader recommend picking Notre Dame on the money line.
Penn State Nittany Lions vs SMU Mustangs
After their Big Ten championship fixture, Penn State manager James Franklin joked about hosting their playoff match in snow. Regardless of the expected weather, the home-field advantage at the Beaver Stadium will be a huge advantage over SMU after rolling through their ACC regular season campaign without playing in a hostile environment.
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SMU will need to avoid the mistakes they made during their ACC championship match, putting themselves in the hole early due to penalties and turnovers. The Mustangs are among the most opportunistic college teams in the country, but their defeat by Clemson saw them finish -2 in turnovers. That said, football experts predict this fixture will end with a 30-17 score line in favor of the Penn State Nittany.
Texas Longhorns vs Clemson Tigers
The Longhorns are set to reach the CFP quarterfinals if they rely on their ground game and run over the Clemson Tigers. Texas ran 251 yards during their 31-14 victory over Kentucky and 243 yards during their 17-7 triumph at Texas A&M. However, they only recorded 31 yards in 28 attempts during their loss against Georgia in Atlanta.
Looking at how Georgia has crashed Texas twice this season, the Clemson Tigers will need to record their best defensive performance to have any shot of winning this fixture. That means recording a better run and ensuring they keep the pressure high above the Longhorns. However, for the Tigers to achieve the consistency required to win this game on their offense, they will need running back Phil Mafah to play at his best after suffering from a shoulder injury last month.
