If the semifinals unfold the way Las Vegas sees it happening, Ohio State and Notre Dame will play for the College Football Playoff national title.
No. 7 seed Notre Dame was installed as a 1.5-point favorite over No. 6 seed Penn State at various major sportsbooks on Thursday night, shortly after the Fighting Irish took down No. 2 seed Georgia 23-10 in their quarterfinal game at the Sugar Bowl.
No. 8 seed Ohio State, which trounced top-seeded Oregon 41-21 on New Year’s Day, is a slightly bigger favorite against No. 5 Texas in the other semifinal. The Buckeyes were 4.5-point favorites at DraftKings on Wednesday night and that grew to a six-point spread by Thursday, while it stood at 5.5 points at Fanduel Sportsbook and elsewhere.
This is the first season of the 12-team playoff, and the top four seeds all lost their quarterfinal games at neutral sites after receiving first-round byes. Penn State defeated Boise State, the top Group of Five champion, 31-14. Texas outlasted Big 12 champion Arizona State 39-31 in double overtime.
Fanduel also lists Ohio State as the +110 favorite to win the national championship, a significant edge over Notre Dame at +340.
The Buckeyes (12-2) had lost to Oregon by one point in the regular season and turned the tables in the Rose Bowl on Wednesday, storming out to a 34-0 lead shortly before halftime. Will Howard finished the game with 319 passing yards and three touchdowns, with Jeremiah Smith going for seven catches, 187 yards and two TDs.
