Second-round College Football Playoff matchups begin December 31st

The GIST: After a weekend full of blowouts in the first round of the newly expanded 12-team College Football Playoff (CFP), the upcoming quarter-finals (featuring the top four teams who automatically received byes) should be more exciting.

• These bowl games have familiar names, but they mean even more this year. Here’s what to expect when the fun kicks off next week, airing on ESPN.

🎉 Fiesta Bowl: No. 6 Penn State vs. No. 3 Boise State — December 31st at 7:30 p.m. ET: This game features a few of the country’s best running backs (RB): Boise State junior and Heisman Trophy finalist Ashton Jeanty, and Penn State’s explosive duo, juniors Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen, who helped the Nittany Lions to a first-round rout of No. 11 SMU. Who will run away with this one?

🍑 Peach Bowl: No. 5 Texas vs. No. 4 Arizona State — January 1st at 1 p.m. ET: This one is a classic matchup of offense vs. defense. Arizona State All-American RB Cam Skattebo is just 75 yards shy of breaking the program’s single-season rushing record, while Texas’ defense ranks eighth in the country in yards allowed per carry (3.1) – clamps that were on full display in their Saturday victory over No. 12 Clemson.

🌹 Rose Bowl: No. 8 Ohio State vs. No. 1 Oregon — January 1st at 5 p.m. ET: These teams met back on October 12th, where Oregon narrowly won 32–31. But the Buckeyes offense looks rematch ready after throttling No. 9 Tennessee 42–17 on Saturday. Can they dethrone the undefeated Ducks?

🍭 Sugar Bowl: No. 7 Notre Dame vs. No. 2 Georgia — January 1st at 8:45 p.m. ET: Notre Dame is red-hot, posting 11 straight wins, including topping Indiana to open the CFP on Friday. Meanwhile, Georgia, aiming for its third national title in four years, will need to overcome the loss of senior quarterback Carson Beck, who’s out with an injury.