Ok, Ok, Ok... I think that's the phrase - the Playoffs are here.
All game time are listed in EST. The lines were locked on 12/17 and may have moved the article's publication.
StaffDNA Cure Bowl (Orlando): Ohio (10-3) -3 vs. Jacksonville St (9-4)- Friday 12:00 on ESPN
The line is moving in Ohio's favor- why? I don't see where they've had a single player enter the portal yet. 11 Jacksonville State players are currently in the portal. Some of the player may play in the Bowl - but two have already signed with Power 4 schools.
Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl (Tampa): Tulane (9-4) +14 vs. Florida (7-5)- 3:30 on ESPN2
Tulane's starting QB has already signed with Duke out of the portal. Two other Green Wave defensive lineman are signed with P4 programs. Thus far, Billy Napier appears to have righted the ship in Gainesville. The Gators closed strong winning their last three games, two over ranked opponents at the time (LSU and Ole Miss). The Gators have also taken a minimal hit in the portal thus far. This looks like mismatch on paper.
#10 Indiana (11-1) +7 @ #7 Notre Dame (11-1)- 8:00 on ABC
Alabama, Ole Miss and South Carolina fans want to see Indiana blown out on Friday night. Such is the case when you can play the 67th ranked schedule in the country, lose decisively to one ranked opponent you play and make the playoff simply because you have only the one one-sided loss. Seriously, no bitterness to Indiana- they can't help their players and coaches can't help that their scheduled sucked. Neither team will have played a game in three weeks, look for some rust early.
Expect the Irish to wear down the Hoosiers in the second half and win this one comfortably.
#11 SMU (11-2) +8.5 @ #6 Penn State (11-2)- Saturday 12:00 on TNT
Pretty much everything said about Indiana applies to SMU. The Mustang's schedule was ranked 64th. They also lost to the two ranked opponents they played. At least SMU only by three points in each game - a road game at BYU in September and a de facto road game in Charlotte against Clemson. Saturday's high is 27 degrees in State College, PA. This line is too low. Penn State big.
Interestingly, the NFL usually avoids placing games that compete with heavy college slates. Houston plays at Kansas City at 1:00 on NBC. The NFL doesn't lose ratings battles.
Ferris State (13-1) vs. Valdosta State (13-0) (McKinney, Texas)- 2:00 on ESPN2
Your DII National Championship: Valdosta State has four DII National Championships with their last coming in 2018 over Ferris State. FSU (best FSU in college football this season), has two championships, winning in both 2021 and 2022. The 21' win came over Valdosta State, (in a big way 58-17). Ferris State won their first round playoff game 78-17. For those wondering FSU is located in Big Rapids, Michigan. Their head coach is Tony Annese with sports a 132-21 record in 13 seasons. Valdosta is lead by Tremaine Jackson who is looking for his first national championship in his third season at the helm.
#12 Clemson (10-3) +11.5 @ #5 Texas (11-2)- 4:00 on TNT
Life is good in the ACC- never understood why any Clemson fan would want to leave. Clemson and Texas have never met in football- I might pull an old black and white set out of the grandparents storage shed to avoid all that orange in the stands.
Texas has not looked dominant on offense since they rolled Florida in early November. After that win, the Horns beat Arkansas by 10, UK by 17 and A&M by 10 before losing to Georgia in the SEC Championship. Defensively the Horns are one of the best in the country. Clemson's offense has struggled with quality defenses.
#9 Tennessee (10-2) +7 @ #8 Ohio State (10-2)- 8:00 on ABC
Apparently Tennessee fans are expecting to descend on Columbus in droves. Some Vols fan even was able to edit Google Maps to rename Ohio Stadium to Neyland North. Via The Columbus Dispatch, SeatGeek said it's sold 42 percent of tickets to Tennessee residents. StubHub has also sold more seats to Tennessee residents (37 percent) than Ohioans (34 percent). They'll need all the coonskin clothing they have as temperatures are going to be in the 20s at kickoff and dropping throughout the night.
Myrtle Beach Bowl: Coastal Carolina (6-6) +9 vs. UTSA (6-6)- Monday 11:00am on ESPN
The last football game on 2024 in the Palmetto State. Coastal platooned their QB position and both guys are now in the portal. Coastal is starting a freshman with no career snaps. UTSA's roster is mostly intact.
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl (Boise): Northern Illinois (7-5) -3 vs. Fresno St (6-6)- 2:30 on ESPN
Fresno State had an interim coach for the 24' season. He is coaching the bowl but he will be without three starters on offense and five on defense from the portal or opt outs. Northern Illinois has seen four starters commit to P4 schools since the end of the season including their starting QB, safety, defensive tackle and defensive end. This one is true coin flip.
