Lions, Longhorns, and Buckeyes

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart during the 2025 Allstate Sugar Bowl head coach press conference day at the Sheraton New Orleans Hotel in New Orleans, LA on Tuesday, Dec.31, 2024. (Conor Dillon/UGAAA)

The semifinal round of the inaugural College Football Playoff is nearly set after a slate of matchups over the New Year's holiday winnowed the field (see bracket) to three teams, with a final game scheduled today.

No. 6 Penn State topped No. 3 Boise State Tuesday night, holding star running back Ashton Jeanty to three-and-a-half yards per carry and no touchdowns. Yesterday, No. 8 Ohio State avenged a midseason loss against top-seeded Oregon, beating the Ducks 41-21. The Buckeyes will face No. 5 Texas (Jan. 10, 7:30 pm ET, ESPN), who beat No. 4 Arizona State 39-31 in double overtime in the closest game of the inaugural playoff season. 

The Sugar Bowl, featuring Notre Dame and Georgia and played in downtown New Orleans, was postponed following the New Year's Eve attack described above. The teams will play this afternoon at 4 pm ET (ESPN).