After one day of play, the Pac-12 is already out of this thing. Don’t expect any upsets today, but there is a surprising shootout that does not involve the vintage air raid programs meeting in Norman. Scroll down to see who will move on to the second round!
Today’s Games
Game 1: No. 16 West Virginia (8-3) @ No. 1 Alabama (13-0)
Nick Saban takes on his home state school in what I expected to be a lopsided matchup, considering West Virginia beat hardly anyone good. Instead, it was surprisingly competitive.
No. 1 seed Alabama Crimson Tide (13-0; AP/BCS/Coaches #1): SEC Champion
(auto-bid)
Notable Wins (CFP Rankings): #19 Texas A&M, #23 Missouri, @ #11 LSU, #18 Mississippi State, vs. #5 Georgia
Losses: none
Head Coach: Nick Saban (12th season)
Offensive Style: Pro spread
Quarterback: Tua Tagovailoa
Running Backs: Damien Harris and Najee Harris
Wide Receivers: Jerry Jeudy and DeVonta Smith
Tight End: Irv Smith Jr.
No. 16 West Virginia Mountaineers (8-3; AP/BCS #15; Coaches #16): at-large bid
Notable Wins (CFP Rankings): Baylor (7-6), @ #15 Texas, TCU (7-6)
Losses: @ #24 Iowa State, @Oklahoma State, #4 Oklahoma
Head Coach: Dana Holgorsen (8th season)
Offensive Style: Spread
Quarterback: Will Grier
Running Backs: Kennedy McKoy and Martell Pettaway
Wide Receivers: David Sills V and Gary Jennings Jr.
Tight End: Trevon Wesco
Final Score: Alabama 35, West Virginia 31
Bryant-Denny Stadium - Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Saturday, Dec. 15, 2018 - 2:30 PM CST / 3:30 PM EST
Precipitation: 0.01 in
Temperature: 49
Wind: SW 8 MPH
Player of the Game: Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Tua Tagovailoa shook off a sluggish start and delivered a vintage fourth-quarter rally, leading No. 1 Alabama to a dramatic 35-31 comeback victory Saturday over No. 15 West Virginia in the first round of the 2018 College Football Playoff.
In a game filled with offensive fireworks, it was Alabama’s defense and Tagovailoa’s poise in the final frame that proved decisive. The Crimson Tide (14-0) trailed 31-16 late in the third quarter after Mountaineers running back Kennedy McKoy scored his third touchdown of the afternoon, capping a breakout performance.
But the Tide responded with 19 unanswered points, seizing control in the closing minutes.
Tagovailoa, named Player of the Game, completed 24 of 32 passes for 396 yards and two touchdowns, orchestrating three scoring drives in the fourth quarter alone.
He found Jerry Jeudy, who led all Alabama receivers with 101 yards, on a 26-yard strike late in the second quarter to keep the game within reach. Tagovailoa’s only blemish came on a second-quarter interception, but he otherwise torched the Mountaineers’ secondary with big plays to Jaylen Waddle, Irv Smith Jr. and Henry Ruggs III.
West Virginia’s Will Grier was nearly flawless, throwing for 428 yards and a 64-yard touchdown to Kwincy Hall. The Mountaineers (8-4) appeared in control midway through the third, riding McKoy’s bruising 97-yard, three-touchdown effort.
But Alabama’s defense stiffened and a missed blocking assignment stalled a late Mountaineer drive, opening the door for the Crimson Tide’s final surge.
Joseph Bulovas connected on three short field goals to aid Alabama’s comeback, including a 21-yarder with 1:48 left to seal the win.
Alabama advances to the CFP quarterfinals, where it will host the winner of the UCF-Washington matchup. West Virginia, despite outgaining Alabama in total yards and winning the time of possession battle, heads home after a heartbreaker at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
Game 2: No. 9 Washington (10-3) @ No. 8 UCF (12-0)
This is a very interesting matchup of Josh Heupel, who was just starting his head coaching journey, and Chris Petersen as he was nearing the end of his. I was surprised at the margin.
No. 8 seed UCF Knights (12-0; AP #11; BCS #7; Coaches #12): AAC Champ (G5 auto-bid)
Notable Wins (CFP Rankings): Pittsburgh (7-7), @Memphis (8-6), Temple (8-5), #24 Cincinnati, @South Florida (7-6), Memphis (8-6)
Losses: none
Head Coach: Josh Heupel (1st season)
Offensive Style: Spread
Quarterback: Quadry Jones
Running Backs: Greg McCrae and Adrian Killins
Wide Receivers: Otis Anderson and Gabriel Davis
Tight End: Michael Colubiale
No. 9 seed Washington Huskies (10-3; AP/Coaches #13; BCS #9): Pac-12 Champion (auto-bid)
Notable Wins (CFP Rankings): @ #17 Utah, Arizona State (7-6), BYU (7-6), Stanford (9-4), @ #13 Washington State, vs. #17 Utah
Losses: vs. Auburn, @Oregon, @California
Head Coach: Chris Petersen (5th season)
Offensive Style: Spread
Quarterback: Jake Browning
Running Backs: Myles Gaskin and Salvon Ahmed
Wide Receivers: Ty Jones and Aaron Fuller
Tight End: Hunter Bryant
Final Score: UCF 44, Washington 24
Spectrum Stadium - Orlando, Florida
Friday, Dec. 14, 2018 - 6 PM EST
Precipitation: None
Temperature: 76
Wind: SE 7 MPH
Player of the Game: Washington QB Jake Browning
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — No. 11 UCF extended its historic unbeaten streak in dominant fashion, riding a relentless offensive performance to a 44-24 win Friday night over No. 13 Washington in a 2018 College Football Playoff first-round matchup at Spectrum Stadium.
The Knights (13-0), who piled up 583 yards of total offense, got scoring contributions from seven different players and never trailed after the opening drive. Running back Greg McCrae found the end zone twice on the ground, while backup quarterback Quadry Jones provided a late spark, tossing for 188 yards and a touchdown on 9-of-10 passing.
Washington (10-4), despite 370 passing yards and three touchdowns from senior quarterback Jake Browning, struggled to keep pace.
Browning was picked off three times, twice by UCF’s Shawn Burgess-Becker, and the Huskies mustered just 58 yards rushing on 33 carries.
After a back-and-forth first quarter that saw four touchdowns, UCF pulled away late in the first half. A touchdown pass from Jones to tight end Michael Colubiale and a Matthew Wright field goal just before halftime pushed the Knights’ lead to 27-17.
Browning answered with a touchdown pass to Ty Jones early in the third quarter, but McCrae’s second rushing score quickly quelled Washington’s momentum.
From there, UCF controlled the pace, adding 10 fourth-quarter points and holding the Huskies scoreless in the final frame.
UCF wideout Marlon Williams led all receivers with 89 yards, while six different Knights caught passes of 20 yards or more.
The Knights also recorded three sacks and forced three turnovers.
With the win, UCF advances to the CFP quarterfinals to take on No. 1 Alabama. The Knights’ explosive showing reinforced their status as more than just a Group of Five success story — they looked every bit the part of a contender on college football’s biggest stage.
Game 3: No. 12 Penn State (9-3) @ No. 5 Georgia (11-2)
Two of the more staid, defense-heavy brands deliver unto us a wild-ass shootout — go figure!
No. 5 seed Georgia Bulldogs (11-2; AP #7; BCS #5; Coaches #8): at-large bid
Notable Wins (CFP Rankings): @USC, Middle Tennessee (8-6), @ #23 Missouri, vs. #10 Florida, @ #14 Kentucky, Auburn (8-5), Georgia Tech (7-6)
Losses: @ #11 LSU, vs. #1 Alabama
Head Coach: Kirby Smart (3rd season)
Offensive Style: Pro-style
Quarterback: Jake Fromm
Running Backs: D’Andre Swift and Elijah Holyfield
Wide Receivers: Jeremiah Holloman and Terry Godwin
Tight End: Isaac Nauta
No. 12 seed Penn State Nittany Lions (9-3; AP/Coaches #17; BCS #12): at-large bid
Notable Wins (CFP Rankings): Appalachian State (11-2), @Pittsburgh (7-7), Iowa (9-4), Wisconsin (8-5)
Losses: #6 Ohio State, Michigan State, @ #7 Michigan
Head Coach: James Franklin (5th season)
Offensive Style: Spread
Quarterback: Sean Clifford
Running Backs: Miles Sanders and Mark Allen
Wide Receivers: DeAndre Thompkins and KJ Hamler
Tight End: Pat Freiermuth
Final Score: Georgia 62, Penn State 59
Sanford Stadium - Athens, Georgia
Saturday, Dec. 15, 2018 - 12 PM EST
Precipitation: none
Temperature: 52
Wind: SSW 10 MPH
Player of the Game: Georgia RB D’Andre Swift
ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — In a wild College Football Playoff first-round shootout that lived up to its billing, No. 7 Georgia edged No. 17 Penn State 62-59 on Saturday in Athens behind a monster performance from D’Andre Swift, who rushed for 190 yards and five touchdowns — including the game-winner with just 20 seconds remaining.
The Bulldogs (12-2) jumped out early and rode a 31-point second quarter to a 45-28 halftime lead, sparked by a pair of long touchdown runs from Swift, who added a 72-yard dash just before the break. Jake Fromm threw for 285 yards and two scores, while adding another on the ground, and Rodrigo Blankenship booted two field goals, including a 47-yarder to close the half and a clutch 35-yarder in the final seconds.
But Penn State (9-4) refused to fold. Freshman quarterback Sean Clifford threw three first-half touchdown passes, including a 69-yard strike to Pat Freiermuth, before Trace McSorley led a second-half comeback. McSorley rushed for a touchdown and threw another to Daniel George, and a pick-six late in the third quarter tied the game at 45. Miles Sanders carried the load with 167 yards and two scores on the ground, including a 64-yarder in the second quarter and a 34-yard game-tying touchdown with less than two minutes to play.
Both teams eclipsed 500 total yards in a game that featured 18 scoring plays and five lead changes. Georgia finished with 253 rushing yards to the Nittany Lions’ 223, and both Penn State quarterbacks contributed through the air — Clifford was a perfect 8 for 8 with 184 yards, while McSorley finished 13 of 25 for 168. However, the Bulldogs were more efficient on third down and held a slight edge in first downs and total plays.
Swift’s late score and Blankenship’s reliable leg proved to be the difference as Georgia survived a furious second-half rally to advance to the College Football Playoff quarterfinals.
Game 4: No. 13 Washington State (10-2) @ No. 4 Oklahoma (12-1)
Oh, my gosh, how much fun would a first-round playoff game between Mike Leach and Lincoln Riley have been?! It’s like the college football version of Obi-Wan vs. Anakin in “Revenge of the Sith.” Grab your fat little girlfriends and come light up the scoreboard!
No. 4 seed Oklahoma Sooners (12-1; AP/BCS/Coaches #4): Big 12 Champion (auto-bid)
Notable Wins (CFP Rankings): @ #24 Iowa State, Army (11-2), Baylor (7-6), @TCU (7-6), Oklahoma State (7-6), @ #16 West Virginia, vs. #15 Texas
Loss: vs. #15 Texas
Head Coach: Lincoln Riley (2nd season)
Offensive Style: Air raid
Quarterback: Kyler Murray
Running Backs: Kennedy Brooks and Trey Sermon
Wide Receivers: Marquise Brown and CeeDee Lamb
Tight End: Grant Calcaterra
No. 13 seed Washington State Cougars (10-2; AP/Coaches #10; BCS #13): at-large bid
Notable Wins (CFP Rankings): #17 Utah, Oregon (9-4), @Stanford (9-4), California (7-6)
Losses: @USC, #9 Washington
Head Coach: Mike Leach (7th season)
Offensive Style: Pro spread
Quarterback: Gardner Minshew
Running Backs: Clay Markoff and Max Borghi
Wide Receivers: Davontavean Martin and Dezmon Patmon
Final Score: Oklahoma 45, Washington State 17
Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium - Norman, Oklahoma
Saturday, Dec. 15, 2018 - 6 PM CST / 7 PM EST
Precipitation: None
Temperature: 52
Wind: S 6 MPH
Player of the Game: Oklahoma QB Kyler Murray
NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Kyler Murray accounted for five total touchdowns Saturday night as No. 4 Oklahoma overwhelmed No. 10 Washington State 45-17 in the opening round of the 2022 College Football Playoff at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.
Murray, the Heisman-winning quarterback, torched the Cougars with 396 passing yards and four touchdowns through the air, adding a 13-yard scoring run late in the third quarter that helped to cap a near-flawless offensive night for the Sooners.
Oklahoma (13-1) racked up 580 total yards and 33 first downs while averaging 4.3 yards per carry and converting 50 percent of its third-down attempts.
The Sooners wasted no time jumping out front, with Austin Seibert’s 29-yard field goal and a 24-yard touchdown from Murray to Mykel Jones giving the Sooners a 10-0 lead after one quarter. Then the second quarter turned into an onslaught.
Murray added three more touchdown passes before halftime, including a 66-yard strike to Reggie Turner, as the Sooners built a commanding 31-14 lead despite two second-quarter scores from Gardner Minshew and the Cougars.
Washington State (10-3) showed signs of life behind Minshew’s 310-yard effort and a pair of touchdown throws to Travell Harris and Kyle Sweet.
But the Cougars couldn’t keep pace with Oklahoma’s firepower, and they were undone by three interceptions and a 2-of-12 third-down conversion rate.
Murray’s rushing score in the third pushed the lead to 24 and Trey Sermon’s 3-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter punctuated a dominant showing for Oklahoma.
Sermon finished with 69 yards on the ground, while CeeDee Lamb and Marquise Brown combined for 162 receiving yards.
Miguel Edwards had two interceptions to lead the Sooners’ defense, which limited Washington State to just three points after halftime.
With the win, Oklahoma advances to the College Football Playoff quarterfinals, where it will face No. 5 Georgia. Washington State, meanwhile, sees its dream season come to a close on the wrong end of a high-speed track meet in Norman.
Tomorrow’s Games
To make these posts more fun and interactive, please vote for who you think would win each matchup! I can’t promise to take the votes into account because of the simulation process I use, but it will be interesting to see and discuss the results, plus they may serve as a sort of a tiebreaker if I end up needing one.
BracketCat’s Protest Playoff Archives
2024: Kickoff | Selection Sunday | Sweet 16 (1) | Sweet 16 (2) | Elite 8 | Final 4 | NC | Data
2023: Selection Sunday | Sweet 16 (1) | Sweet 16 (2) | Elite 8 | Final 4 | NC | Data
2022: Selection Sunday | Sweet 16 (1) | Sweet 16 (2) | Elite 8 | Final 4 | NC | Data
2021: Selection Sunday | Sweet 16 (1) | Sweet 16 (2) | Elite 8 | Final 4 | NC | Data
2020: Selection Sunday | Sweet 16 (1) | Sweet 16 (2) | Elite 8 | Final 4 | NC | Data
2019: Selection Sunday | Sweet 16 (1) | Sweet 16 (2) | Elite 8 | Final 4 | NC | Data
2018: Selection Sunday
2008: Selection Sunday | Sweet 16 (1) | Sweet 16 (2) | Elite 8 | Final 4 | Orange
2007: Selection Sunday | Sweet 16 (1) | Sweet 16 (2) | Elite 8 | Final 4 | Sugar | Data
2006: Selection Sunday | Sweet 16 (1) | Sweet 16 (2) | Elite 8 | Final 4 | Fiesta | Data
2005: Selection Sunday | Sweet 16 (1) | Sweet 16 (2) | Elite 8 | Final 4 | Rose | Data
2004: Selection Sunday | Sweet 16 (1) | Sweet 16 (2) | Elite 8 | Final 4 | Orange | Data
2003: Selection Sunday | Sweet 16 (1) | Sweet 16 (2) | Elite 8 | Final 4 | Sugar | Data
2002: Selection Sunday | Sweet 16 (1) | Sweet 16 (2) | Elite 8 | Final 4 | Fiesta | Data
2001: Selection Sunday | Sweet 16 (1) | Sweet 16 (2) | Elite 8 | Final 4 | Rose | Data
2000: Selection Sunday | Sweet 16 (1) | Sweet 16 (2) | Elite 8 | Final 4 | Orange | Data | Encore
1999: Selection Sunday | Sweet 16 (1) | Sweet 16 (2) | Elite 8 | Final 4 | Sugar | Data | Encore
1998: Selection Sunday | Sweet 16 (1) | Sweet 16 (2) | Elite 8 | Final 4 | Fiesta | Data | Encore
