The College Football Playoff first round is underway, featuring the No. 6 Penn State Nittany Lions facing off against the No. 11 seed SMU Mustangs at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania. This matchup is highly anticipated.

The Mustangs (11-2) are eager to prove their worth in the College Football Playoff. Quarterback Kevin Jennings, a sophomore, has had an impressive season, completing 66% of his passes for 3,050 yards and 22 touchdowns, along with just eight interceptions. He has support from Brashard Smith, a strong running back who has amassed 1,270 rushing yards and 14 rushing touchdowns, as well as 35 receptions for 303 yards and four TDs through the air.

Similarly, the Nittany Lions have been in the playoff conversation all year, also finishing with an 11-2 record. They boast Tyler Warren, the best tight end in the country and a John Mackey Award recipient, who has recorded 1,062 yards on 22 receptions and six touchdowns this season. Quarterback Drew Allar is in charge of the Penn State offense, throwing for 2,894 yards and 21 touchdowns, and rushing for an additional 279 yards and six TDs.

The winner of today’s matchup will advance to Arizona to challenge the No. 3 Boise State Broncos in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals, set to take place at the Fiesta Bowl on New Year’s Eve.

Stay with us for live updates so you can catch every moment of this first-round action.

Score Update: Penn State 7, SMU 0 – Pick-6 for the Nittany Lions

Kevin Jennings’s poorly timed pass was intercepted by Dominic DeLuca, who ran it back 21 yards for the score.

Nittany Lions Stopped on Downs Again

Penn State is struggling to gain momentum. After an incomplete pass from Allar to Riley Thompson, the SMU Mustangs take over following a 33-yard punt. There’s no score with six minutes remaining in the quarter.

SMU Tries Something New but Falls Short

In a surprising play, Kevin Jennings kept the ball instead of handing it off and made a dash to the right. He nearly converted near the one-yard line, but Matthew Hibner was halted short, leading to a turnover on downs for the Mustangs.

Penn State Punts

Drew Allar, feeling the defensive pressure, couldn’t advance the ball during the initial possession, forcing Penn State to punt. SMU will start their next drive at their own 32-yard line with 13:20 left in the first half.

CFP Game Time: SMU vs. Penn State

The first-round College Football Playoff game between the SMU Mustangs and Penn State Nittany Lions kicks off at 12 p.m. ET at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania.

Where to Watch SMU vs. Penn State

This College Football Playoff game will be broadcast live on TNT and available for streaming on Max.

It’s also streamable via Sling.

Experience College Football Playoff games on TNT with Sling

Betting Odds for SMU vs. Penn State

The Penn State Nittany Lions are favored to win against the SMU Mustangs in this College Football Playoff first-round matchup according to BetMGM’s betting lines this morning.

• Spread: Penn State (-8.5)
• Moneyline: Penn State (-350); SMU (+260)
• Over/under: 52.5

Expert Bowl Game Predictions

Here are the expert predictions from YSL News Sports for all college football bowl games.

First Round Predictions: Penn State vs. SMU

YSL News: Penn State over SMU

Paul Myerberg states: “Don’t underestimate the Mustangs, who possess offensive strength capable of challenging Penn State in Happy Valley. They need to accelerate the game into a high-scoring affair with Kevin Jennings highlighting his dual-threat skills. However, this is complicated by the fierce defense of the Nittany Lions. Drew Allar must perform well for Penn State, yet they can afford some mistakes due to their strong running game featuring Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen.”

ESPN: Penn State holds a 67% winning probability

The Matchup Predictor from ESPN suggests the Penn State Nittany Lions have a 67.2% chance of defeating the SMU Mustangs in this opening playoff round.

College Football Network: Penn State 34, SMU 24

James Fragoza notes that both teams are evenly matched in various statistics, but Penn State has slight advantages, including fewer penalty yards per game (45 vs. 79), a better turnover margin (+5 vs. 0), and longer time of possession (30:40 vs. 28:26). The only hesitation in backing Penn State is Franklin’s history of faltering under pressure, though this may become a factor later in the postseason.

Where to Find College GameDay for the CFP

“College GameDay” is continuing its coverage into the postseason, exciting fans with extra content. They aired a live show on Friday, Dec. 20, before the Indiana vs. Notre Dame game at 3:30 p.m. ET.

The team will also be covering the CFP matchups on Saturday from Columbus, Ohio, starting at 9 a.m. ET, leading to the game between No. 9 seed Tennessee and No. 8 seed Ohio State at 8 p.m. ET.

Historical Records: SMU vs. Penn State

This upcoming game marks the third time that the SMU Mustangs will face off against the Penn State Nittany Lions. Their last matchup was in 1978, where the Nittany Lions secured a 26-21 victory. The teams first met in the 1947 Cotton Bowl in Dallas, where they ended in a 13-13 tie.

College Football Playoff Bracket: CFP Schedule

The initial round of the College Football Playoff kicked off with one game on Friday, December 19, and will wrap up with three games on December 20.

All times listed are in Eastern Time

FRIDAY, DEC. 20

• Game 1: No. 7 Notre Dame 27, No. 10 Indiana 17

SATURDAY, DEC. 21

• Game 2: No. 6 Penn State vs. No. 11 SMU, noon (TNT)
• Game 3: No. 5 Texas vs. No. 12 Clemson, 4 p.m. (TNT)
• Game 4: No. 8 Ohio State vs. No. 9 Tennessee, 8 p.m. (ABC/ESPN)

CFP Quarterfinals Schedule

The four quarterfinal matchups are set to take place on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, featuring one game on December 31 and three games on January 1. All matchups will be broadcast on ESPN.

All times listed are in Eastern Time

TUESDAY, DEC. 31

• Fiesta Bowl: No. 3 Boise State vs. the winner of Penn State/SMU, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN)

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 1

• Peach Bowl: No. 4 Arizona State vs. the winner of Texas/Clemson, 1 p.m. (ESPN)
• Rose Bowl: No. 1 Oregon vs. the winner of Ohio State/Tennessee, 5 p.m. (ESPN)
• Sugar Bowl: No. 2 Georgia vs. Notre Dame, 8:45 p.m. (ESPN)

CFP Semifinals Schedule

The semifinal games are scheduled for January 9 and January 10, both airing on ESPN.

All times listed are in Eastern Time

THURSDAY, JAN. 9

• Orange Bowl: Fiesta Bowl winner vs. Sugar Bowl winner, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN)

FRIDAY, JAN. 10

• Cotton Bowl: Peach Bowl winner vs. Rose Bowl winner, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN)

CFP National Championship Game Schedule

MONDAY, JAN. 20

• Game: Orange Bowl winner vs. Cotton Bowl winner
• Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
• Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
• TV: ESPN

CFP Rankings

1. Oregon (Big Ten champion, No. 1 seed)*
2. Georgia (SEC champion, No. 2 seed)*
3. Texas (No. 5 seed)
4. Penn State (No. 6 seed)
5. Notre Dame (No. 7 seed)
6. Ohio State (No. 8 seed)
7. Tennessee (No. 9 seed)
8. Indiana (No. 10 seed)
9. Boise State (MWC champion, No. 3 seed)*
10. SMU (No. 11 seed)
11. Alabama
12. Arizona State (Big 12 champion, No. 4 seed)*
13. Miami
14. Mississippi
15. South Carolina
16. Clemson (ACC champion, No. 12 seed)**

* indicates a first-round bye; ** indicates an automatic bye

How Many Teams Will Participate in the College Football Playoff 2024?

For the 2024-25 season, 12 teams will qualify for the College Football Playoff. The top five conference champions will receive automatic bids, with the top four also getting first-round byes. The remaining seven highest-ranked teams will round out the 12-team roster.

Changes in Bowl Season: How Should College Football’s Postseason Evolve?

This is a timely moment to consider potential changes. In 2026, when existing agreements end, the College Football Playoff is expected to expand to 14 teams, which will likely affect the current bowl structure that includes 35 games not tied to the playoff.

It’s essential to understand that, despite its challenges, bowl season is intricately connected to ESPN’s December programming. ESPN runs 17 of these bowl games and has partnerships with nearly all other bowl events. Changing this setup may be difficult, especially since these games generate far more viewership during the holidays than regular-season NBA, college basketball, or NHL games that could potentially fill their spots. — Dan Wolken

Top College Football Quarterbacks in the Transfer Portal

This year, half of the teams in the College Football Playoff are utilizing a quarterback who transferred from another school, including both teams facing off in Friday night’s playoff opener between Indiana and Notre Dame. Last year’s transfer class featured notable players like Indiana’s Kurtis Rourke, Notre Dame’s Riley Leonard, Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel, Ohio State’s Will Howard, and Miami’s Cam Ward, with Gabriel and Ward being Heisman Trophy finalists.

The top quarterbacks available in this year’s transfer cycle may not boast the same level of star recognition, but they could still significantly impact the 2025 season. Click here for our analysis and overview of the leading quarterbacks in the transfer market, including those who have already agreed to terms with new programs. — Paul Myerberg