CFP, the College Football Playoff round 3, is set with Ohio State, Texas, Penn State, and Norte Dame victories. Ohio State will play Texas in Arlington, Texas, on January 10 in the Cotton Bowl. Notre Dame will play Penn State in the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida, on January 9. Ohio State should defeat Texas, and Notre Dame should defeat Penn State in the semifinals.
Then Ohio State and Notre Dame should square off for the College Football National Championship, with Ohio State prevailing. This article previews the CFP third-round games by revisiting what happened in the second-round games. One can learn a lot by reviewing what happened in the past.
CFP Round 3 Preview of Ohio State and Texas
In the third round of the College Football Playoff (CFP), Ohio State will take on Texas, and both will be victorious in the second round of the CFP. One can tell a lot about how these teams will fare against each other by how they played in the second round of the CFP. Ohio State jumped out to a 34-0 lead over the previously undefeated Oregon Ducks team en route to a 41-21 victory.
Ohio State looked exceptional in this CFP Round 2 victory and looked good in their first-round win over Tennessee. Meanwhile, Texas also prevailed but needed double overtime to beat upstart Arizona State. Arizona State was picked to finish last in the conference and had a great season. There is nothing to be sad about with this loss. Arizona State gave Texas all it could handle in the CFP Round 2 thriller.
Arizona State running back Cam Scatsaboo was a revelation. Texas is perhaps the only team remaining in the CFP that is as talented as Ohio State, but it will not matter. 6 ½ points favor Ohio State and should win and cover. Ohio State may win by 14 or 21 points. It is a down year for the Southeastern Conference. The game will occur on Friday, January 10, at 7:30 pm and be televised on ESPN.
CFP Round 3 Preview of Notre Dame and Penn State
The second-round performance of Notre Dame and Penn State in the CFP, also tells a great deal about what will happen in the third round of the college football playoff. Both Notre Dame and Penn State looked good in second-round victories, but Notre Dame looked exceptional. Against an arguably more talented University of Georgia football team, Notre Dame used its 11th-ranked ground game to good effect. The Notre Dame Defense was suffocating in a 23-10 win. Penn State also looked good in their second-round victory over Boise State. That CFP round 2 win was thorough.
The road gets much tougher for the Nittany Lions as they face a quality opponent in Notre Dame. Notre Dame will likely jump out to a small lead in this game. Notre Dame Fighting Irish defeated Georgia Bulldogs 23-10 In the Sugar Bowl and then used their suffocating ground game to run out the clock. Seeing how the great Notre Dame Defense fares against do-everything Penn State tight end Tyler Warren should be interesting. The CFP round 3 game between Notre Dame and Penn State will occur on January 9 at 7:30 pm.
Conclusion
Ohio State seems to be on a mission to avenge its loss against Michigan, and it should win two more games and the College Football National Championship over Notre Dame. Apart from the trophy and the name recognition that goes with winning a National Championship, Ohio State should receive a boost in recruiting and transfers. In that way, winning perpetuates winning.
