To paraphrase NSYNC, it was ‘bye bye bye’ for 75 percent of the top four ranked teams in the College Football Playoff quarter-finals.

All had had the luxury (or possible curse) of a first round bye for their troubles in the regular season and, with the exception of top seed Indiana, fell to lesser-ranked — but not necessarily worse — institutions as the CFP moved to neutral venues for its second round over the New Year.

Whilst the fact that only one team blessed with a bye has actually won their matchup since the Playoff was expanded last year raises fresh questions about the competition’s structure, it also made for some exciting football — which we round up below:

 

Miami 24 @ 14 Ohio State
Cotton Bowl
Just sayin’ that perhaps the Hurricanes do deserve their Playoff berth.

You knew it wasn’t going to be the Buckeyes’ day when Miami’s Keionte Scott snatched Julian Sayin’s pass out of the air and ran it back for a 72-yard touchdown. The moment summed up the reigning champions’ first playoff appearance since defeating Notre Dame — the team controversially denied a postseason berth in order to accommodate the Hurricanes — last February, and led to a swift exit.

“I was full of emotions — that was a pretty cool moment,” Scott said, reflecting on his decisive play. “Just having fun. That’s what this team relies on, man, just going out there, playing free and having fun.”

Scott certainly was having fun when he realised he was en route to pay dirt.

“I shot my shot, and the ball went in my hands,” he explained. “I think I took a little moment to peek at the [Ohio State] sideline and look at everybody and let them know what was going on.”

Miami, who did not appear in a conference title game but were awarded a postseason berth by the Playoff Committee, have now eradicated any semblance of doubt by becoming formidable road warriors, posting consecutive wins as the away team after seeing off Texas A&M in round one. Hurricanes coach Mario Cristobal was full of praise for how his team has stepped up at the crucial moments.

“Our players kept responding,” Cristobal said. “Our players kept coming with their counterpunch. The touchdown drive at the end, and then to finish it off with an interception, those are great counterpunches. Those are just really left hooks to the body and to the head. Those are great, great counterpunches by our team.”

Quarterback Carson Beck found himself on the ropes at the end of last season when he was effectively replaced for Georgia’s playoff by Gunner Stockton, but has found a second wind in Miami and bounced back for a double knockout.

“He said he was going to run somebody over,” RB Mark Fletcher Jr said of Beck’s determination — a comment confirmed by Cristobal.

“Shoot, I’ve never been on this stage before,” Beck said. “I’ve obviously played at Georgia and played in big games, but I’ve never had the opportunity to be a starting quarterback in the playoffs. I’ve been able to be a part of national championship teams and championship teams, but I’ve never had this opportunity. So I’m taking it in one moment at a time, one play at a time, and just giving everything that I have for this football team.”

Beck turned in one of his strongest performances of the year, including 13 consecutive completions to set a new Cotton Bowl record. He was also full of praise for the Ohio State defense that he had just picked apart, sharing that, “they’re probably the most talented defense I’ve ever faced’.

“Just player to player, that’s one hell of a team, and I’m really proud of our guys to be able to pull it out against a team like that,” the QB continued.

It was running back Fletcher who took home MVP honours, however, with 90 yards and a touchdown on the day.

“I’ve been here since the start,” Fletcher said when reflecting on Cristobal’s preparation for the game. “I just trusted his plan, trusted the vision. He told me that we’ll get this programme back to national championship status, and we just continue to keep on going one game at a time.”

“That’s their DNA, but that’s the way we’ve been working hard to wire our team,” Cristobal said when asked to assess his team’s chances as a title contender. “Probably the most important [thing to remember is] we have a long way to go, but we are getting better in really good chunks and really good increments.

“It is 100 per cent not about me. I’m part of their team, I’m a part of that family. It is my obligation as a former Miami Hurricane player, and for all the things that Miami did for my brother and I, to do my best to try to provide these guys with even better opportunities so they can fulfil all the great things they are destined for.”

Before the game, it seemed that Ohio State were destined for another run at a national title. However, the extra week off after faltering against Indiana in the Big 10 title game and dropping to the second seed apparently did them no favours.

Buckeyes coach Ryan Day felt he had his team ready for the contest, stating, “we worked really hard during the last three weeks leading up to this game’.

“We wanted to come out of the gates and win the first quarter, win the first half, be ready to go,” Day noted. “I think the guys bought into it but, at the end of the day, we didn’t get it done.”

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Oregon 23 @ 0 Texas Tech
Orange Bowl
Ducks shutout Red Raiders with defensive masterclass.

Oregon coach Dan Lanning was not happy with the way his defense performed in their first-round matchup, after allowing JMU 34 points, and the narrative coming out of that game was that a similar performance would not stand against an offensive powerhouse such as Texas Tech.

The Red Raiders entered the Orange Bowl ranked second nationally in points per game (42.5) and fifth in yards per game (480.3) — but got nowhere near those figures as the Ducks defense turned the narrative on its head.

“Last week, a lot of people talked about our defense,” Lanning said. “Well, they showed up today.”

And show up they did, forcing four turnovers, as well as three stops on fourth down and four three-and-outs. But, most importantly, zero points allowed. Lanning explained how he motivated his players to up their game, stating, ‘they’ve earned this opportunity, and I told them go get their pound of flesh today. They did that.”

Freshman DB Brandon Finney Jr. took his payment in the form of three takeaways that included two interceptions and a forced fumble.

“I believe we have the best defense in the country,” Finney said.

After their Orange Bowl shutout, he might be right. With players such as Matayo Uiagalelei, who also forced a fumble that resulted in an Oregon touchdown, this could be a defensive unit that could drive its team to the title game.

Texas Tech’s defense is not to be sniffed at but, whilst not looking like the well-oiled machine they have been for most of the season and giving up an interception of their own, a respectable-but-not-spectacular 234 yards from Dante Moore, was enough to make Oregon feel comfortable throughout, with two rushing scores from Jordon Davison and three field goals from Atticus Sappington.

Tech QB Behren Morton — who was visibly upset after his final college game, having struggled throughout, with just 137 yards and two INTs — explaining after the shutout that, ‘we had a great game plan, but just didn’t execute base plays’.

The majority of the crowd at Hard Rock Stadium were supporting the Red Raiders and faced a disappointing trip back to Lubbock after an exceptional regular season that was capped with a conference title. Coach Joey McGuire was apologetic.

“Texas Tech fans, I’m sorry that we let you down,” he said. “I hope you’ve enjoyed every second of this year. Man, this was such a special team and I’m so proud of them. Hats off to Dan Lanning. Hats off to the Oregon Ducks. Just an incredible football team … and I told Dan after the game I hope he wins the whole damn thing.”

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Alabama 3 @ 38 Indiana
Rose Bowl
Tide washed away by Hoosiers’ first ever Playoff win.

Whereas seeing Alabama in such games has become commonplace, this was a new feeling for Indiana fans, watching in adulation as their school won the historic Rose Bowl and a first ever playoff game.

“I’m usually watching Alabama in these moments, and they dominate people,” Hoosiers receiver Omar Cooper Jr said, marvelling at the sensation. “The fact that we were able to come here and be the team that beat ‘Bama, it was a dream come true.”

Not only did Indiana beat ‘Bama, they handed the Crimson Tide its biggest ever postseason defeat. Indiana coach Curt Cignetti, who worked under Nick Saban as an assistant, had said he wanted to channel his inner Saban, stating that Indiana’s aim was ‘breaking their will’.

“It takes a while,” Cignetti said. “It doesn’t happen in the first quarter, second quarter. It happens in the second half at some point. Hopefully, we were able to achieve that goal.”

The Hoosiers certainly achieved that goal, breaking Alabama’s will and also their quarterback’s ribs, with Ty Simpson having to leave the contest shortly after half time following a brutal hit. As a result, Simpson was only able to record 67 yards before being relieved by backup Austin Mack, who himself only managed to add a meagre 103.

“It felt like I had a good thing going on the drive when I got hit, and it kind of changed the momentum for sure,” Simpson reflected after the game. “The competitor in me wanted to make sure I got the first down. When I got more than the first down, then I should have been smart and just got down.”

Talking of his starting QB, Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer explained, ‘we treated him there at half-time and he gave it a series, but I know he feels like he let down the team — and there’s no way that that’s the case’.

“Ty went out there and tried to battle, and that’s who he is,” DeBoer continued. “I’m never going to let that be a thing where he [thinks he] let us down in any way.”

After stalling on their first drive, Indiana were unstoppable on offense from thereon in. Fernando Mendoza looked every bit the reigning Hesiman winner with three touchdown passes. He only threw for 192 yards, but that was all he needed to do as Kaelon Black and Roman Hemby ran riot through Alabama’s defense for 99 and 89 yards respectively and a touchdown apiece. When the game was comfortably out of reach, Mendoza’s brother Alberto was inserted into the game to give him the opportunity to take some snaps in the Rose Bowl.

Indiana somehow managed not to succumb to the malaise that afflicted the other teams with a first round bye, as defensive tackles coach Pat Kuntz explained.

“It was a fine balance of staying sharp and staying fresh,” he said. “The advantage of not playing that extra game should be an ounce of recovery. You should have a little bit more freshness to you. Sometimes, there can be a lapse in your focus, and you always think, ‘Is this going to be rusty?’, but our big thing was play fast, play physical.”

Speaking to ESPN, offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan explained the importance of the momentum Indiana built throughout the game.

“We always take pride in being really good at the end of the second quarter, and the start of the third,” the former NFL head coach explained. “Us scoring that touchdown at the end of the second quarter was huge.”

That score was the first of four straight touchdown drives but, despite the uncharacteristically lopsided defeat, Deboer felt that ‘Bama is not that far off being a true contender again.

“It may not feel like it when you’re in this moment right now and what happened today, but I can tell you it’s a fine line between being here and being at the top,” he reasoned. “We got to put the work in, you got to believe, you got to be consistent, you got to have discipline and we’ll get back to work and start all over again.

“We’ll go back to starting over from scratch, putting the people around you — the right people — and committing to something, a common goal together, and the actions following it.”

Deboer was also complimentary of his opponent and how hard it was to keep pace with their offense.

“They led with a trigger man, made the throws, third-down conversions, just kept them on the football field,” he noted. “They continued to wear us down at the end with the run game. They just execute at a high level, and everyone feeds off each other on both sides of the ball. It’s not just one thing. You’ve got to tip your hat to Coach Cignetti and what he’s done. Obviously, they’re all aligned.”

***

Ole Miss 39 @ 34 Georgia
Sugar Bowl
Rebels prove Kiffin wrong with historic upset win over Bulldogs.

Caesar’s Superdome erupted as Lucas Carneiro’s 47-yard kick flew through the uprights and essentially sealed Ole Miss’s biggest win in school history — but the crowd was made to wait for the result by the longest second in college football history.

You’d be forgiven for expecting a team who’s head coach left for another job immediately before the Playoff would be a bit rocky, but the Rebels have banded together tighter than ever, determined to prove to the man that left that he made the wrong decision.

Pete Golding, who replaced the now reviled Lane Kiffin as head coach, has been cool and confident in his leadership through two postseason wins, and appreciative of the coaches who have been torn between loyalties, including offensive coordinator Charlie Weiss, who will be joining Kiffin’s staff at LSU but has continued to coach the Rebs through their Playoff run.

“A lot of guys have been going through a lot of things, but they’ve been here for the kids the whole time,” Golding said. “And this is a special group of kids.

“To be around these dudes on a daily basis, I don’t want it to end. It’s definitely special. I know everybody else was doubting us this season, but the goal this season, why Trinidad [Chambliss] came, was to compete for a championship. That’s something we’re going to do around here on a consistent basis.”

“A lot of people did doubt us before the season, and they still doubted us when our coach left,” QB Chambliss echoed. “We just want to play ball and have fun, and I think that’s showing right now.”

It certainly showed in Chambliss’ play, as he constantly eluded defenders and extended plays on his way to 362 yards and two touchdowns. Chambliss’ 40-yard strike to De’Zhaun Stribling put Ole Miss in range for Carneiro’s winning effort, comfortable for a kicker who had previously been successful from 55 and 56 yards, twice breaking Sugar Bowl records. Running back Kewan Lacy, meanwhile, strengthened his reputation by running for 98 yards and two touchdowns.

“The guys, it’s such a mature group,” Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter said of his student athletes. “The leadership in the locker room has shown on the field. They’ve never flinched. They just keep going. This wasn’t a perfect game, but they kept going and found a way to win.”

It’s usually Georgia that finds a way to win but, despite being ahead for a large portion of the game, they uncharacteristically came up short after having bested Ole Miss in the regular season.

“We had a great game plan, but just didn’t execute base plays,” coach Kirby Smart said, echoing those on the end of similar results in the other quarter-finals. “They made more plays than we did, and I’ve got to be honest, that’s part of football. They made more [plays] and out-executed us, out-coached us, out-played us. It was an incredible college football game. It’s what the CFP was built for, to have battles like that. And that was basically every conference game we had this year.”

Although Smart had accepted defeat and even moved to shake Golding’s hand at the apparent end of the game, the officials insisted that one second remained to be played, clearing the players — and the trophy presentation stage — from the pitch… before then deciding that the final final play needed an official review, prolonging Georgia’s suffering unnecessarily.

***

College Football Playoff Semi-Finals:

Fiesta Bowl
State Farm Stadium, Glendale
Miami vs Ole Miss
January 9th 2026

Peach Bowl
Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
Oregon vs Indiana
January 10th 2026