The revamped College Football Playoff kicked off with four matches this weekend, totaling 77 points across all games. It wasn’t exactly a weekend for unforgettable moments.

Notre Dame kicked off the 12-team tournament with a 27-17 victory over Indiana on Friday night. Saturday featured two more lopsided contests: Penn State dominated SMU 38-10 with an impressive defensive effort, and Texas outperformed Clemson, winning 38-24 despite letting Clemson close the gap in the fourth quarter.

In the final game of the night, Ohio State raced to a 21-0 lead against Tennessee, seeming poised to end the contest early. However, an interception in the end zone gave Tennessee a glimmer of hope, allowing them to close the gap to 21-10 by halftime. Ohio State quickly regained control, scoring again in the third quarter to finish the game with a commanding 41-17 victory.

The playoffs advance to the quarterfinals scheduled for New Year’s Eve and Day. Notre Dame will compete against Georgia in the Sugar Bowl, Penn State will face Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl, and Texas will challenge Arizona State in the Peach Bowl. In a highly anticipated Rose Bowl rematch, Ohio State goes up against Oregon.

The College Football Playoff selection committee has drawn criticism for including SMU as the final at-large team over three SEC contenders, and that scrutiny is expected to intensify now after SMU and Indiana’s heavy losses.

This new 12-team format bears similarity to the previous four-team format, especially regarding the common occurrence of blowouts in the semifinals, which sparked ongoing debates about teams’ playoff eligibility. The important distinction now is that there are still three weeks of games to be played before determining the national champion.

In summary, Ohio State, Texas, SMU, and the committee emerge as the main figures in this first round’s winners and losers:

Winners

Ohio State

Ohio State’s impressive performance against Tennessee outshone any other double-digit victory in the opening round. Coming off a tough loss to Michigan, the Buckeyes’ resurgence demonstrates their potential as strong national championship contenders, even after not competing for the Big Ten title. Quarterback Will Howard delivered an outstanding performance with 24 completions on 29 attempts, amassing 311 yards and two touchdowns while making the most of his key receivers, Jeremiah Smith (103 yards) and Emeka Egbuka (81 yards). Although OSU’s defense occasionally struggled to contain Nico Iamaleava, they were fortunate that Tennessee star running back Dylan Sampson suffered a hamstring injury, restricting him to just two carries. Ultimately, Ohio State outgained Tennessee by over 200 yards.

Ryan Day

Day continues to establish himself as one of the nation’s elite coaches, particularly when not facing Michigan. Unburdened by that rivalry, Ohio State appeared relaxed and energized to play at home against a strong SEC opponent. While suggestions that Day could have lost his job if the Buckeyes had lost were unfounded, a defeat would have created worries about his position heading into the next season. Following Ohio State’s dominant display against Tennessee, Day now possesses a team that might very well advance to the national championship.

Texas

Texas faced an early setback with Clemson scoring on the game’s opening drive and almost lost a 21-point lead in the fourth quarter. Even more surprising was Cade Klubnik finding his groove to throw for 336 yards and three touchdowns, despite the fact Texas possessed the strongest pass defense in the FBS during the regular season. Nevertheless, the defense dominated at the line of scrimmage, limiting the Tigers to only 76 yards on 24 carries, while their offense rushed for 292 yards and four touchdowns at an impressive rate of 6.1 yards per carry.

Penn State

Penn State’s impressive 38-10 victory was decided by halftime, largely due to a pair of defensive touchdowns that established a commanding 28-0 lead. The standout feature of their win was the relentless pressure they applied on SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings, who was forced into three interceptions and managed only 5.4 yards per throw. The Nittany Lions will face a tougher challenge next as they prepare to encounter Boise State’s Heisman Trophy finalist Ashton Jeanty in the Fiesta Bowl.

Notre Dame

Notre Dame’s strong defense stifled Indiana in a 27-17 victory, although the score appeared closer due to two late, inconsequential touchdowns by the Hoosiers. Reflecting the Fighting Irish’s own struggles offensively in matches against Michigan and Ohio State, Indiana managed only 278 yards on 61 plays, averaging a mere 2.3 yards per carry. If Notre Dame maintains this level of defensive performance, they could prove to be strong competitors against Georgia in the Sugar Bowl, aiming for a spot in the playoff semifinals.

Losers

Selection Committee for Playoffs

The committee may have believed they faced their biggest challenge when they chose SMU over teams like Alabama, Mississippi, and South Carolina. However, the early rounds have turned into a nightmare for them, as multiple double-digit losses are likely to overshadow the new playoff format. This situation has reignited the debate about prioritizing the ACC’s second-place team over any selection from the SEC.

SMU and Indiana

By securing a spot in the playoffs before the conference championship games, Indiana managed to sidestep the controversies that the Mustangs faced. However, their heavy loss to Notre Dame has reignited discussions on why an SEC team wasn’t included as a fourth option. Things look particularly bleak for the Hoosiers, as the dominating performance by Notre Dame overshadows what should have been a celebration of their best regular season ever. The Mustangs are expected to face severe criticism for not posing a real threat to the Nittany Lions, making them the biggest losers of the opening round.

Tennessee

Despite being knocked out early, Tennessee’s reputation continues to grow. Looking to the future, the upcoming offseason is vital for Iamaleava, who must progress as a passer to enhance the team’s offensive balance. The most disappointing aspect of their last game was the sluggish start and the failure to seize momentum after a strong finish in the second quarter, as Ohio State clearly showed up more prepared.