Ohio State or Tennessee? Will the favorites win? Our 1st-round College Football Playoff picks

The 2024 College Football Playoff has finally here, and this weekend, four first-round games will take place on college campuses.



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It begins on Friday night when No. 10 Indiana hosts No. 7 Notre Dame. On Saturday, No. 5 Texas will play No. 12 Clemson, No. 8 Ohio State will host No. 9 Tennessee, and 11th-seeded SMU will travel to No. 6 Penn State.

The CFP quarterfinals, which will take place at bowl venues around the nation on December 31 and January 1, will be attended by all four winners. In the Rose Bowl, the winner of Ohio State vs. Tennessee will play No. 1 Oregon; in the Peach Bowl, Texas vs. Clemson will play No. 4 Arizona State; in the Fiesta Bowl, Penn State vs. SMU will play No. 3 Boise State; and in the Sugar Bowl, Notre Dame vs. Indiana will play No. 2.

Check out The Oregonian/OregonLive’s college football coverage team’s score predictions and odds for the four first-round playoff games.

This is the 2024–25 College Football Playoff bracket.The Associated Press

No. 10 Indiana (11-1) at No. 7 Notre Dame (11-1)

Details of the game:Notre Dame Stadium in Notre Dame, Indiana, Friday at 5 p.m. PT

ABC/ESPN and Watch ESPN are the TV channels and live streams.

Most recent line: “Notre Dame by seven”

Over/under: 50.5

Forecasts

Ryan Clarke: Indiana 17, Notre Dame 27

James Crepea: Indiana 21, Notre Dame 35

Nick Daschel: Indiana 23, Notre Dame 30

Aaron Fentress: Indiana 23, Notre Dame 29

Joe Freeman: Indiana 21, Notre Dame 30,

Sean Meagher: Indiana 35, Notre Dame 38

Joel Odom:Notre Dame 34, Indiana 24

Bill Oram:Notre Dame 31, Indiana 17

FINAL: Indiana 17, Notre Dame 27,

No. 11 SMU (11-2) at No. 6 Penn State (11-2)

Details of the game:9 a.m. PT Saturday at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania

TV network and live broadcast: TNT and Max

Most recent line: Penn State by nine

Over/under: 52.5

Forecasts

Ryan Clarke: SMU 10, Penn State 31

James Crepea:Penn State 28, SMU 21

Nick Daschel: SMU 24, Penn State 34

Aaron Fentress:Penn State 33, SMU 22

Joe Freeman:Penn State 28, SMU 17

Sean Meagher:Penn State 35, SMU 21

Joel Odom:Penn State 41, SMU 27

Bill Oram:Penn State 35, SMU 33

FINAL:Penn State 38, SMU 10

No. 12 Clemson (10-3) at No. 5 Texas (11-2)

Details of the game:1 p.m. PT Saturday at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin

TV network and live broadcast: TNT and Max

Latest line:Texas by 12

Over/under: 50.5

Forecasts

Ryan Clarke:Texas 23, Clemson 20

James Crepea:Texas 35, Clemson 24

Nick Daschel:Texas 27, Clemson 17

Aaron Fentress:Texas 39, Clemson 24

Joe Freeman:Texas 35, Clemson 20

Sean Meagher:Texas 24, Clemson 17

Joel Odom:Texas 35, Clemson 30

Bill Oram:Texas 55, Clemson 10

No. 9 Tennessee (10-2) at No. 8 Ohio State (10-2)

Game details:5 p.m. PT Saturday at Ohio Stadium in Columbus

TV channel and live stream:ABC/ESPN andWatch ESPN

Latest line:Ohio State by 7

Over/under:46.5

Predictions

Ryan Clarke:Tennessee 34, Ohio State 28

James Crepea:Ohio State 35, Tennessee 28

Nick Daschel:Ohio State 35, Tennessee 31

Aaron Fentress:Ohio State 31, Tennessee 23

Joe Freeman:Ohio State 28, Tennessee 24

Sean Meagher:Tennessee 33, Ohio State 31

Joel Odom:Ohio State 27, Tennessee 20

Bill Oram:Tennessee 24, Ohio State 14

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