The first round of the College Football Playoffs kicks off

Stuffed by the Buckeyes’ defense, the Volunteers are forced to punt after a three-and-out opening drive – much to the delight of the Ohio State faithful in the crowd at Ohio Stadium.

Following Tennessee’s punt, the Buckeyes get the ball back at their own 32.

It’s a physical game – ESPN’s cameras just showed a massive crack in Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava’s helmet after he tried to scramble for the first down.

Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith catches a touchdown pass ahead of Tennessee's Rickey Gibson III during the first quarter.

Despite a near-nightmare of a start for Ohio State, the Buckeyes strike first with a 37-yard touchdown pass from Will Howard to true freshman star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith.

The Buckeyes used a timeout less than a minute into the game and seemed to have been stopped on third down but were bailed out by a facemask penalty on a Tennessee defender. The penalty led to the touchdown. Both teams have emphasized getting out to a hot start, but it was an imperative for the Buckeyes whose home stadium has been invaded by tens of thousands of Volunteer fans.

Ohio State leads 7-0 early in the first quarter and just stopped the Volunteers on their first possession, forcing a punt.

Underway in Columbus, Ohio! The Volunteers kicked off to Ohio State, and the Buckeyes have the ball first.

Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian was full of praise for Clemson following their 38-24 win.

“They made it hard on us,” Sarkisian said. “Cade (Klubnik) had a heck of a game.”

Sarkisian, who is in his fourth season at the helm, secured his first-ever College Football Playoff victory in his career.

He called the playoffs “amazing for college football.”

“I watched those other games last night, earlier today and for us to have this environment today, I think this is amazing for college football,” Sarkisian added.

His quarterback Quinn Ewers continued the praise but this time to his teammates, while also calling the win an “unbelievable feeling.”

“Just so proud of this team and how we come to work every single week,” Ewers said. “We dealt with some adversity in the SEC Championship game and I think we came out here and showed everybody we earned the right to be here and deserved to be here.”

Nico Iamaleava of the Tennessee Volunteers looks on during the second half against the Vanderbilt Commodores in Nashville, Tennessee, on November 30.

Led by a historic season from running back Dylan Sampson – who was named the SEC Offensive Player of the Year and broke the program record for rushing yards – Tennessee finished with a 10-2 record and will make its first CFP appearance.

The Volunteers did tend to be slowed down by opponents within the extremely competitive SEC, averaging 25 points per game against these teams while scoring a whopping 61.8 points per game against non-conference teams.

They are expected to be competitive in the playoff and their efforts in the regular season have set up a blockbuster first round clash with Ohio State. The (unlucky?) reward for the winner? A battle against No. 1 Oregon.

City: Knoxville, Tennessee

Mascot: Smokey the dog (live bluetick coonhound)

Claimed national championships in history: Six

Last national championship: 1998

Head coach: Josh Heupel

Star players: RB Dylan Sampson, DE James Pearce

Fun fact: The care of Tennessee’s mascot Smokey is entrusted to one of the school’s fraternities.

The Ohio State Buckeyes take the field prior to a game against the Michigan Wolverines in Columbus, Ohio, on November 30.

The Buckeyes entered the 2024 season with high expectations and a loaded roster. Their high-powered offense has been on show throughout the year, scoring at least 45 points on four separate occasions.

Ohio State finished the season 10-2, with the first loss being a narrow 32-31 defeat against No. 1 Oregon. Fans still have a sour taste in their mouths over the regular season finale however, where the Buckeyes were upset 13-10 by bitter rival Michigan. A Wolverines player attempted to plant a Michigan banner at midfield in Ohio Stadium, which led to pushing and shoving and eventually punches being thrown by members of both teams.

City: Columbus, Ohio

Mascot: Brutus Buckeye

Claimed national championships in history: Eight

Last national championship: 2014

Head coach: Ryan Day

Star players: WR Jeremiah Smith, S Caleb Downs

Fun fact: Buckeye trees – also known as horse chestnuts – are planted in Buckeye Grove at the southwest corner of the stadium in honor of each Ohio State All-American player.

In what could be the most closely fought matchup of the weekend, the numbers suggest that Ohio State vs Tennessee could be a nail-biter.

Both teams come into the CFP first round with a 10-2 overall record built on free-scoring offenses and rugged defenses to match.

The No. 8 seeded Ohio State Buckeyes average an impressive 35.5 points per game but are outdone by the No. 9 seeded Tennessee Volunteers’ 37.3 average.

While that would suggest a high-scoring affair at Ohio Stadium, both defenses will be keen to prove otherwise.

The Volunteers only allow 13.9 points against on the year and the Buckeyes are even more resilient with just 10.9 points against per game.

The biggest difference between the two teams comes in their run game. While Ohio State splits its workload between Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson, the Volunteers’ Dylan Sampson is the go-to in Tennessee.

Sampson ranked tied-fourth in rushing touchdowns for the year, 22, and has 1485 yards on the season. In comparison, Ohio State’s Judkins has 805 yards with Henderson sitting on 751.

The run game could be the deciding factor in who advances through the first round of the playoffs.

Tennessee and Ohio State fans fill Ohio Stadium on Saturday night.

Less than 30 minutes til kickoff in Columbus, and there is an astonishing amount of Tennessee fans in Ohio Stadium.

A Buckeye fan I just spoke with who has been coming to Ohio State games for the last 40 years says this is the most visiting fans he has ever seen.

The fan added, “It’s because people are mad about the Michigan loss.”

It truly looks like it is 30-40% Volunteer fans here at the stadium. Maybe many of the Buckeyes fans are taking their seat late. It is 25 degrees after all.

Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian celebrates with running back Quintrevion Wisner beating Clemson.

The Texas Longhorns are heading back to Atlanta. This time, a spot in the College Football Playoff semifinals will be on the line.

Texas took care of business against Clemson in the first round of the College Football Playoff in Austin on Saturday, winning at home 38-24.

Texas, the No. 5 seed, will take on the No. 4 seed Arizona State Sun Devils, winners of the Big 12 Conference.

Back on December 7, the Longhorns – in their first year in the Southeastern Conference – fell to Georgia in the SEC title game in overtime. That game was at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta – and that’s where the Longhorns will return for the Peach Bowl on New Year’s Day. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET.

This game initially had the makings of a blowout, with Texas leading by as many as 21. Clemson, however, would fight to make it a one-score game early in the fourth quarter at 31-24, but ultimately could get no closer.

Midway through the fourth quarter, the Texas defense stuffed Clemson on a goal-line stand. With just over a minute to go, Clemson tried to keep its season alive with a late drive, but Texas’ defense came up with the stop, leading the Longhorns to kneel to end the contest.

Texas running back Jaydon Blue runs the ball during the third quarter.

The Texas ground game played a big part in this win, with team total of 292 yards. Jaydon Blue rushed for 146 yards and two touchdowns – including a 77-yard touchdown run – to go with 31 receiving yards. Quintrevion Wisner had 110 yards and two scores.

Quinn Ewers was 17-of-24 passing for 202 yards and threw for one touchdown. He had one interception.

Under head coach Kenny Dillingham, Arizona State is having a surprising year, having been picked to finish last in the Big 12 before the season.

Now, the Sun Devils, who received a first-round bye for being rewarded the No. 4 seed, are waiting for the Longhorns, who were seen as a national-title contender to start the season.

Following a Texas turnover on downs, Clemson had one more chance at an unlikely comeback to keep their College Football Playoff chances alive.

The drive started off well for the Tigers offense, with Cade Klubnik completing a 27-yard pass to Jake Briningstool for a quick first down.

However, things faltered after that with Clemson turning it over on downs to seal the game for Texas 38-24. A big hit as the receiver bobbled the ball put an exclamation mark on the game.

It’s all kneel downs from here.

Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik looks to pass during the first half against Texas.

Cade Klubnik has done something no other quarterback has done against the vaunted Texas defense all season.

The junior has thrown for over 300 yards, becoming the first quarterback to do that against the Longhorns this year.

Klubnik currently has 305 yards, three touchdowns and an interceptions as his team trails 38-24 with the clock ticking down in the fourth quarter.

Texas’ defense came up huge midway through the fourth quarter, stuffing Clemson on fourth-and-goal and halting the Tigers’ 73-yard drive.

The Longhorns maintain a 38-24 lead.

Texas has the ball and just spent its first timeout of the half with 5:13 to go. Clemson has two timeouts left.

The Longhorns continue to run down the clock as there’s now under four minutes left in the game.

Just as Clemson thought they had all the momentum, Texas quickly regained it.

Longhorns running back Jaydon Blue broke off an electric 77-yard touchdown run to make it a two-score game.

Texas leads 38-24 as Clemson now gets the ball back with 10:48 remaining in the game.

Clemson wide receiver T.J. Moore celebrates with teammates after catching a seven-yard touchdown pass during the second half.

Maybe this won’t be a blowout after all.

Things aren’t over yet in Austin. After being down by as many as 21 points, Clemson is back in business and within striking distance of Texas.

After a 10-play drive, the Tigers are within a touchdown now, after Cade Klubnik found T.J. Moore for a seven-yard touchdown pass.

It’s now 31-24.

The Tennessee Volunteers take the field for warm ups without shirts in sub-freezing temperatures ahead of their game against Ohio State.

We are about an hour and 10 minutes from kickoff in Columbus and Tennessee’s players are making a statement about the cold.

As the Volunteers ran out for warmups, multiple players came out shirtless even as the temperature hovered in the mid-20s. It echoed similar moves – to varying extents of success – by Notre Dame players and Southern Methodist players earlier in the CFP’s first round.

It’s going to be an interesting night in Columbus, where scores of Tennessee fans have made the trip north for the night’s final game. Kick off is at 8 p.m. ET between Tennessee and Ohio State.

Following a Clemson score to make it a 31-17 game, Texas failed to respond – and the Tigers have an opening.

The Longhorns decided to go for it on fourth down at the Clemson 36-yard-line but wide receiver Matthew Golden couldn’t bring in Quinn Ewers’ pass that was slightly behind him.

The Tigers get the ball back, looking to claw their way back into the game with a quarter remaining in Austin, Texas. It’s 31-17 after three quarters.

Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik throws a pass during the second half.

Clemson is still down big – but still fighting.

After the two teams traded punts, Clemson found the end zone.

The Tigers have made this a 31-17 game after a four-play drive, highlighted by Cade Klubnik hitting Jake Briningstool with a 28-yard pass – with Briningstool extending his body to make the grab – and then Klubnik finding Jarvis Green in the air for the 25-yard touchdown.

A solid and fast drive for the Tigers. A quarter and change left in this game.

After an injury scare late in the first half, running back Quintrevion Wisner is back on the field for the Longhorns.

His impact came quickly, as he had 30 yards on five carries as the Longhorns’ had another commanding drive down the field to extend the lead.

Texas kicker Bert Auburn kicks a 22-yard field goal in the second half against Clemson.

After 14 plays and 71 yards, a Bert Auburn 22-yard field goal gives Texas a 31-10 lead. There is 8:10 left in the third quarter.

Another College Football Playoff blowout is in the works – this time in Austin.

Both head coaches were interviewed as the teams left the field for halftime.

Texas’ Steve Sarkisian was asked about how the Longhorns’ offense clicked during the first half.

“We got balance, and that’s something we needed to strive to have in this game. The running game got going early, and then we found some explosives in the pass game,” Sarkisian said on TNT’s broadcast.

Clemson’s Dabo Swinney was asked about what adjustments the Tigers needed to make in the second half.

“We got to get in there and talk about it. I mean, we can’t stop them right now, so we got to find a way. Good job getting a couple of turnovers, but we’re just feast or famine on defense, and that ain’t a good thing,” Swinney said.

An inflatable Michigan "M" appears at a Tennessee tailgate outside Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio, on Saturday.

Michigan may not be in the College Football Playoff this year, but fans of the Wolverines still love sticking it to their rival Ohio State.

Someone paid for a plane to tow around a sign that read “Extend Ryan Day #GoBlue.”

Wolverines fans are loving that much of the talk this week has centered around the stability of Day’s job. The Buckeyes’ head coach is now 1-4 against Michigan.

A plane flies a banner reading "Extend Ryan Day #GoBlue" in Columbus, Ohio.

I’ve been talking to some fans who think Day is coaching for his job tonight.

One fan told me, ”I’m feeling that Ryan’s got to win today, and from there it’s day by day. I think he’ll be all right, but he better win today.”

Another fan said, “It would be really helpful if he won today because he, you know, there’s just a lot of pent-up frustration. Quite frankly, we better get off to a good start or else the crowd might get a little surly.”

Texas tight end Gunnar Helm catches a pass for a touchdown in the second quarter.

About that Clemson momentum shift? Perhaps not.

Following the R.J. Mickens interception of Quinn Ewers, Clemson did follow up with points, a 32-yard field goal from Nolan Hauser to make it 21-10 with 1:33 left in the half.

But Texas had plenty of time to score again, with Ewers leading the Longhorns on a seven-play, 65-yard drive and throwing a 19-yard touchdown pass to Gunnar Helm with 28 seconds to go.

That said, this game in Austin has been the most dramatic of the three playoff games so far. Of the three, it’s the only one that’s had a lead change.

Texas might have some injury trouble – and Clemson might be back in business.

Following a screen pass, Quintrevion Wisner and Cam Williams both got tied up, and both went down to the turf.

Wisner limped off, while Williams was helped off by Texas staff.

Then Texas’ situation got worse, as a Quinn Ewers pass was picked off by Clemson’s R.J. Mickens.

Clemson is in the midst of a drive to try to cut the Longhorns’ lead. It’s currently at the two-minute timeout in Austin.

The Longhorns appeared to be on the verge of busting this game wide open, with Colin Simmons snagging the interception off Tigers quarterback Cade Klubnik.

The joy from Longhorns’ fans would be short-lived, however, as Texas promptly went three-and-out, turning the ball over on downs.

Adam Randall is a wide receiver, but against Texas, he’s taking on the role of running back to help the Clemson offense.

He’s making his impact on the ground, erupting for a 41-yard gain on Clemson’s last drive.

Perhaps a new position is in Randall’s future?

Clemson, however, ultimately was forced to punt, and Texas does not appear to be slowing down.

The Texas run game has been fearsome in its own right. The latest: Quintrevion Wisner just rushed into the endzone with a 16-yard touchdown. Longhorns extend their lead to 21-7.

As a team, Texas has 122 rushing yards so far. Wisner has 80 of those, coming on 10 carries.

The Texas Longhorns offense lines up against the Clemson Tigers defense.

Clemson’s defense has no answers for Texas’ run game right now and the Longhorns have stormed to a 14-7 lead without breaking a sweat.

In a 65-yard drive, Texas rushed the ball from one side of the field to the other with the Tigers defense only able to watch as Quintrevion Wisner, Ryan Wingo and Jaydon Blue rushed past them.

Eventually, Blue rushed home with the most electric run of the five-play drive.

The junior got to the outside and twinkle-toed his way down the sideline for a 38-yard touchdown to give Texas its first lead of the game.

Clemson will need to find answers, and quickly, if they are to stop Texas from running away with this game.

Bevo, the famed real-life Texas longhorn, is back and in attendance for Clemson vs. Texas.

A popular member of the Longhorns’ contingent, Bevo was not able to attend the Southeastern Conference championship in Atlanta on December 7, where Texas lost to Georgia.

The reason: There just wasn’t enough room at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The current mascot Bevo, known as Bevo XV, weighs 1,700 pounds, according to the Associated Press.

“When we received the request for Bevo to be on the sideline in Mercedes-Benz Stadium, our staff looked at several alternatives including the sideline location,” SEC spokesman Chuck Dunlap said ahead of the SEC title game. “The reality is there is limited sideline space at the stadium. We can’t jeopardize the safety of Bevo or the game participants.

“With the narrow sidelines, location of multiple sets for television and camera carts, there is not enough space. While we want to honor tradition across the conference, the space limitation is a reality.”

Back at home in Austin, there are no such concerns this time around, and Bevo is in the house for his team’s first-round playoff game.

How’s that for a response? Texas fell to an early 7-0 deficit but that didn’t deter Longhorn Nation from coming out firing.

Led by quarterback Quinn Ewers, Texas marched 75 yards down the field on their first drive of the game and quickly found itself deep in Clemson territory.

Despite being sacked on the drive, Ewers demonstrated his accurate passing and went 5-5 on his passing attempts during the 12-play drive.

In a drive that demonstrated much of Texas’ strong offensive arsenal, there was even an appearance from backup quarterback Arch Manning. A sign of things to come?

After then going for it on fourth-and-short and succeeding, Texas was instantly rewarded when Quintrevion Wisner powered through with a three-yard TD run into the endzone on the very next play. The score is now 7-7.

Game on.

Clemson's Cade Klubnik throws the ball.

Clemson takes the early lead in Austin.

Quarterback Cade Klubnik led the Tigers on a 12-play, 75-yard drive that took almost seven minutes, culminating with a 22-yard touchdown pass to Antonio Williams.

Klubnik was 6-for-7 passing for 60 yards and rushed for six yards on Clemson’s opening drive.

It was a rough day for SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings. The sophomore threw three interceptions in the first half with two misplaced passes turning into Penn State touchdowns.

But Mustangs head coach Rhett Lashlee had one message for his quarterback: head up.

“One game, four bad passes today, doesn’t define him,” Lashlee told reporters after his team’s 38-10 loss.

“Everyone’s seen what he’s capable of and I think now, just like anyone else in life, he knows we’re going to the offseason and there’s room to improve.”

There won’t be many tougher atmospheres for Jennings to play in than a boisterous Beaver Stadium and Lashlee said he will improve as a result of his performance.

“If you’re going to be a special player, you got to be able to do a lot of special things and value the ball and nobody cares about that more than him. I have no doubt he’ll be better for it next year.”

The weather for this afternoon’s first-round College Football Playoff game is quite different in Austin, Texas, compared to the first two games that have taken place.

Unlike the frigid temperatures experienced in Indiana and in Pennsylvania for Indiana-Notre Dame and SMU-Penn State, it registered 62 degrees Fahrenheit at kickoff at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.

Play is underway between Clemson and Texas with the Tigers driving down the field.

Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney holds the ACC championship trophy after defeating the SMU Mustangs in Charlotte, North Carolina, on December 7.

Clemson has the most losses of any team in the playoff this year, having gone 11-3 over the course of the season. However, a win over SMU in the ACC Championship game was enough to sneak in as the 12th seed.

This accomplishment is thanks in no small part to head coach Dabo Swinney, who is in his 17th season at the helm. He is the program’s all-time winningest coach and led the team to two national titles in 2016 and 2018. The Tigers made the CFP under Swinney for six straight years between 2015 and 2020. A huge test against Texas and its dominant defense awaits.

City: Clemson, South Carolina

Mascot: The Tiger

Claimed national championships in history: Three

Last national championship: 2018

Head coach: Dabo Swinney

Star players: QB Cade Klubnik, DE TJ Parker

Fun fact: In a Clemson tradition, players enter the stadium by running down a grassy slope known as The Hill. It is referred to as “the most exciting 25 seconds in college football.”

Texas flags are seen during a game against the Georgia Bulldogs in Atlanta, Georgia, on December 7.

Texas arrives off the back of a heartbreaking overtime loss to Georgia in the SEC title game, but the team has come a long way since going down 30-15 to the Bulldogs earlier in the season.

Head coach Steve Sarkisian led the team to an 11-2 record and has built a potent offense behind starting QB Quinn Ewers and backup Arch Manning, the nephew of legendary NFL quarterbacks Peyton and Eli.

City: Austin, Texas

Mascot: Bevo (live Texas longhorn steer)

Claimed national championships in history: Four

Last national championship: 2005

Head coach: Steve Sarkisian

Star players: OT Kelvin Banks Jr., DB Jahdae Barron

Fun fact: The first live longhorn steer was introduced as a mascot in 1916.

A view of the scoreboard at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium prior to the playoff first round game between the Clemson Tigers and Texas Longhorns on December 21, in Austin, Texas.

Texas comes into the game against Clemson with a slightly better record. The Longhorns head to the postseason 11-2 compared to the Tigers’ 10-3 season.

Much of the Longhorns’ success throughout the year has been built on a stubborn defense. Texas only allows 12.5 points against per game compared to Clemson’s 23.3.

The defensive numbers would suggest a difficult day for Clemson, but they will be boosted by their impressive offense. The Tigers score 35.5 points per game, a slight improvement on their opponents who average 33.6.

If Clemson are to find any fluidity on offense, quarterback Cade Klubnik will be key. The junior ranks third in the country for passing touchdowns, 33, and will need to exploit any gaps that may appear in Texas’ tough defense.

But Longhorn nation can boast a supremely talented quarterback room of their own. Quinn Ewers and Arch Manning have combined for 34 passing touchdowns on the year and the element of surprise with two talented quarterbacks could prove to be a factor in today’s matchup.

Penn State's Head coach James Franklin reacts during the game.

Penn State’s defense laid down a marker in Saturday’s big win against SMU and the teams left in the College Football Playoff would have certainly taken note.

In just the first half alone, the Nittany Lions intercepted three passes and took two of them to the endzone.

Penn State head coach James Franklin credited his defense with one of the best halves of football he has seen.

“I thought our defense played lights out, obviously, when you are able to create three turnovers and two for touchdowns,” Franklin told the TNT Sports broadcast after the game.

“It took us a little time to get going on offense but as good of a first half of defensive football as I’ve seen.”

Franklin said his team is taking it one game at a time and now has another opportunity to play playoff football.

“A lot of college programs talking about it is a four-game season, we didn’t approach it that way. It’s a 65-play season on average, on offense, defense and 20 on special teams. Depending on how we handle those plays, we’ll get another opportunity, and we got another opportunity.”

And it’s all over in Happy Valley – Penn State is moving on to the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff where they’ll play Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl.

The final score: Penn State 38, Southern Methodist University 10.

Ultimately, this game was much more even than the scoreboard reflects. A handful of plays – two interceptions returned for touchdowns, a poorly thrown ball on fourth down near the Penn State goal line, an interception deep in Nittany Lion territory, some bad penalties and sacks – ultimately cost SMU a chance at keeping this game competitive.

Statistically, the Mustangs hung with the Nittany Lions. They just couldn’t stop themselves from making massive mistakes in key moments.

SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings will not want to watch this game back any time soon. The sophomore looked rattled in the raucous atmosphere at Beaver Stadium, as 106,031 fans created a din of noise that led to three false start penalties from the Mustangs – all of them coming when SMU had driven down inside the Penn State 10-yard line.

His three interceptions, including the two for touchdowns, will get the headlines but there were a number of poorly thrown balls that could have been picked. The Penn State pass rush often flushed him from the pocket, leading him to use his feet to try and create plays that constantly felt like they were falling apart.

He’ll take some solace from the garbage time touchdown to Roderick Daniels, Jr. that gave the Mustangs their only TD of the game.

Jennings’ struggles did not happen in a vacuum. The Nittany Lions’ defense lived up to its billing as the sixth-best in the nation and will be a force to be reckoned with the rest of the way in the College Football Playoff. Linebacker Dominic DeLuca surely deserves a game ball for his two interceptions, the first of which opened the scoring and got the stands rocking at Beaver Stadium early.

The PSU offense didn’t exactly have its best day and if SMU hadn’t had such crucial turnovers, then much more focus would be put on quarterback Drew Allar’s early struggles.

The game-breaking plays by the defense allowed the Penn State offense to find its footing and a balanced offensive attack gave the Nittany Lions an opportunity to put the Mustangs away in the second quarter. Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton led the rushing attack, with 70 yards and two touchdowns and 90 yards and one touchdown respectively, and Allar did enough through the air to put the Nittany Lions well clear of any notion of a comeback attempt.

In a drive resembling the game so far for SMU, it looked like another messy visit to the field for the offense.

Incomplete passes and penalties cost the Mustangs yards but a roughing the passer penalty call on third down resurrected the drive.

Kevin Jennings managed to string some passes together and SMU worked its way down the field, getting the offense within striking distance.

The SMU quarterback threw for the endzone and found Roderick Daniels Jr. for a 28-yard touchdown.

While it will ultimately prove too little, too late, this drive will at least give the Mustangs something to leave Beaver Stadium with – despite the muted celebrations on the field.

Penn State now leads 38-10 with time running out in the fourth quarter.

Drew Allar has done enough today and it’s time for the collegiate debut of true freshman Ethan Grunkemeyer at quarterback.

After the Mustangs punt the ball away, Grunkemeyer comes in for his first game action this season and promptly throws an interception on a tipped pass that was well behind the intended receiver.

The Mustangs have the ball back in Penn State territory but – judging by the steady stream of fans heading for the exits – there’s not much hope for drama in this one.

Penn State's Kaytron Allen celebrates after running the ball for a touchdown.

Yet again, Penn State capitalizes on a mistake from SMU.

After Mustangs quarterback Kevin Jennings took a bad sack that led to a field goal attempt that came up just a bit short, the Nittany Lions took the ball back and marched right down the field for another touchdown scored in the traditional Penn State way – a short run right up the middle.

It was Kaytron Allen scoring his second rushing touchdown of the day, seemingly putting the game away and sending scores of the white-clad Penn State faithful heading for the exits to celebrate elsewhere on this cold day.

The scoreboard says this game is incredibly lopsided, but the stats tell a different story so far.

The Mustangs have held the ball for almost the same amount of time as the Nittany Lions and have a comparable number of yards. If not for a few backbreaking plays, this would be a very different contest.

SMU is once again moving the ball, getting into Penn State territory after picking up a fourth-down conversation and a defensive holding penalty on a Nittany Lion defensive back.

A long pass from Kevin Jennings to Jordan Hudson puts the Mustangs at Penn State’s 15-yard line, and some fancy footwork allows the Mustangs quarterback to connect with Brashard Smith to get down to the Nittany Lion two-yard line. But yet another false start moves SMU back five yards.

On third-and-goal from the Penn State seven, Jennings makes another killer mistake. This time it’s holding onto the ball too long in the face of the Nittany Lion pass rush – from defensive end Abdul Carter, who was named the Big Ten defensive player of the year earlier this month – taking an 18-yard loss on a sack that gives kicker Collin Rogers a lot of work to do on a field goal attempt.

Rogers’ 42-yard attempt comes up short and another promising Mustang drive comes up short. Truly this has to be so frustrating for the SMU coaching staff as their offense continues to drive down the field but can’t make the critical play.

After passing on a field goal on a fourth-and-long in the first half, Penn State kicker Ryan Barker must have been wondering if his name would ever get called.

But after SMU got on the board with a field goal, the Nittany Lions answered back with one of their own.

In the blustery conditions at Beaver Stadium, Barker lined up and nailed a 40-yard field goal to restore Penn State’s lead to 28.

Penn State now leads 31-3.

Desperate times call for desperate measures.

After scoring their first points of the game, the Mustangs tried an onside kick to try and get the ball back quickly after getting their first points in the game. The attempt ultimately failed as Penn State – despite being caught off guard – recovered the kick and gave their offense great field position.

The Nittany Lions, up 28-3, now have the ball in SMU territory and are driving again.

SMU's Kevin Jennings scrambles with the ball.

The game is back underway in Happy Valley as Penn State kicks off to start the second half.

SMU return man Brashard Smith brings the ball out 41 yards to near midfield. The Mustangs get a break when the Nittany Lions are flagged for grabbing the facemask, tacking on 15 yards to a 20-yard completion on third-and-long to put them deep in Penn State territory.

The Mustangs work the ball to the Penn State five-yard line. The last time SMU was this far into Penn State territory, quarterback Kevin Jennings threw a momentum-killing interception.

A false-start penalty moves the Mustangs back to the 10 and the crowd is again roaring. On third-and-goal from the six-yard line, SMU’s offensive line again struggles with the noise for another false-start penalty, making it third-and-goal from the 11.

Jennings is flushed from the pocket by Penn State’s pass rush and tries to make a play but can’t find an open receiver, just throwing it out of the end zone.

SMU gets on the board with a field goal to make the score 28-3 early in the third.

The Ole Miss Rebels were one of the teams on the cusp of the playoffs who narrowly missed out after not being selected by the committee.

After Penn State dominated the first half against SMU, Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin made his feelings known.

“Way to keep us on the edge of our seats Committee …. Riveting,” Kiffin posted to X, formerly known as Twitter.

This comes just a day after Kiffin posted a similar comment about Notre Dame’s win over Indiana.

“Really exciting competitive game,” Kiffin said. “Great job!!”

Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe runs for a touchdown during a game against Auburn in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on November 30.

While it’s the most wonderful time of the year for the 12 teams selected to feature in this season’s climax, for those who have been snubbed from the new playoff system, it came as an unwelcome, early lump of coal.

As always, at this time of year, the selection process is met with expected controversy. Who were the biggest teams to miss out this time around and how will they be spending their holiday season after being omitted by the committee? Let’s take a look:

Alabama Crimson Tide: For many, the biggest exclusion from the playoffs is ‘Bama who finished the season with a 9-3 record and is the only team ranked inside the top 12 of the CFP selection committee’s final rankings to have not made it to the playoffs. Alabama will instead have to settle for playing in the ReliaQuest Bowl and face last year’s champion, the Michigan Wolverines, in Tampa, Florida.

Miami Hurricanes: Another team on the cusp of the CFP was Miami which finished with a 10-2 record on the season but ended up No. 13 in the final CFP rankings. While the Hurricanes missed out on the playoffs, they do have the small silver lining of playing in the now iconic Pop-Tarts Bowl. The Hurricanes will take on the Iowa State Cyclones for the chance to get their hands on the brand-new Pop-Tarts Bowl trophy, which features a fully-functioning toaster to prepare the winners’ post-game treats.

South Carolina Gamecocks: The Gamecocks finished with a 9-3 record on the season and caught fire with a six-game win streak to end their 2024 campaign, but didn’t make the playoffs, much to the dismay of local mayor Daniel Rickenmann and head coach Shane Beamer. After not reaching the postseason, the Gamecocks will instead be featuring in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl against the Illinois Fighting Illini on New Year’s Eve.

No Heisman winner: Travis Hunter won’t feature in this year’s CFP after his Colorado Buffaloes failed to make the postseason tournament. But the two-way star’s season for the history books still has one more game left as Colorado will take on the BYU Cougars in the Alamo Bowl.

You can read more about what these teams are doing here.

SMU's Brashard Smith (No.1) runs the ball against a stout Penn State defense.

The Beaver Stadium crowd roars its approval as Penn State leaves the field with this game seemingly already well in hand.

Two touchdowns on the ground and two interceptions returned for scores – the first time Penn State has done so since 1998 – give the Nittany Lions a four-touchdown lead at the break. SMU is starting to look overmatched against their hosts, but have had success moving the ball at times.

Ultimately, the game all comes down to SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings’ struggles.

First, it was the decision to throw for a touchdown instead of running for a first down on a fourth-and-short play on the opening drive. A poorly thrown ball fell to the turf and gave the ball to the Nittany Lions.

After that, it was three interceptions on three of the next five drives – including a killer third pick at the Penn State seven-yard line when it seemed like the Mustangs could finally get on the scoreboard.

That interception led to Penn State’s third TD, and it’s been hard to see a way back for the Mustangs since. That SMU locker room can’t be a very happy place right now.

The story of the first half doesn’t make for a good read for SMU fans. Mustangs quarterback Kevin Jennings has been unable to protect the ball during the opening 30 minutes of the game.

Jennings has thrown not one, but two pick-sixes, as well as one interception, that have all proved costly.

Throughout the first half, the SMU quarterback could be seen holding his helmet attempting to hear calls better which in turn seemed to make the Penn State home crowd even louder.

In the build-up to the game, Mustangs head coach Rhett Lashlee acknowledged the intense atmosphere his team would be walking into and detailed how they attempted to familiarize themselves with the noise of Beaver Stadium.

“Yeah, I mean, we’ll do the best we can, you know, we went indoors and cranked up the noise for half of practice for the offense and you do the best you can,” Lashlee said.

“We’ve not been in this environment … I mean, even the championship game a week ago is helpful but there’s really nothing you can do to prepare for it.

“You just got to get there, you’ve got to adjust to it and go compete. So, we’re doing all the normal things you do to try to prepare, but obviously it’s a huge home field advantage and that’s why they earned the right to be at home.”

It looks like the Mustangs have certainly failed to adjust so far.

Penn State's Drew Allar hands the ball to Kaytron Allen during the game.

After stopping SMU on fourth down with a crushing sack of quarterback Kevin Jennings, Penn State is looking to put the proverbial dagger in the Mustangs before halftime.

The Nittany Lions take over on the SMU 38-yard line and move swiftly into the red zone. At the two-minute stoppage, Penn State faces a third-and-seven from the Mustangs’ 20-yard line.

PSU quarterback Drew Allar drops back in the shotgun after the stoppage and scrambles, eventually deciding to tuck and run the ball. He gets around the edge and is forced out of bounds at the SMU nine-yard line, good for a first down.

Nicholas Singleton brings the ball to the one-foot line on the next play, taking a handoff and charging through the middle of the Mustang defense. A play later, he takes it the rest of the way and puts the Nittany Lions up by four touchdowns with a little more than a minute remaining before halftime.

The PSU defense started the scoring but now the Nittany Lions’ offense is kicking into gear, it has been a painful day for Mustangs fans so far. The turnovers from Jennings have simply sucked all the air out of the SMU sideline and they are getting run off the turf here.

We finally have our first touchdown from an offense, and it’s gone the way of Penn State.

After going up 14-0 thanks to two pick-sixes, the Nittany Lions worked their way down the field and Kaytron Allen found the endzone to cap off a nine-play, 75-yard drive.

The junior darted 25 yards to the endzone to give Penn State a three-score lead and to give the Mustangs a mountain to climb as the game approaches the half.

SMU will surely need to find a way to score before the break to give the team some semblance of hope heading into halftime.

Kevin Jennings is having one of his worst games at one of the worst times.

The sophomore quarterback is 6-12 for 54 yards so far today and has three absolutely killer interceptions – two of which were returned for touchdowns.

Jennings’ poor throws have been the story of the game thus far, starting from the moment he missed an open Matthew Hibner in the end zone on a fourth-and-one play on SMU’s opening drive of the game. Jennings was on a designed-scramble on the play and appeared to have enough space in front of him to get the first down, but instead elected to go for the score.

From that point on, the SMU quarterback has looked out of sorts. Every time he appears to be settling into a rhythm, the Nittany Lions’ defense comes up with another massive turnover to blunt the Mustangs’ momentum.

On the other side of the ball, Penn State’s Drew Allar has not exactly been good but he’s avoided the kind of backbreaking plays that would take his team out of the game. All of the scoring in the game has so far come from the Penn State defense – Allar would like to get some points on the board here before halftime.

Penn State is driving deep into SMU territory now with about five minutes to go in the second quarter.

Things are just not going Kevin Jennings’ way today.

Penn State decides to go for it on fourth-and-one from their own 19-yard line and SMU stops quarterback Drew Allar on the keeper short of the line to gain. It appears to be a major break for SMU as they have a chance to get points on the board.

The Mustangs get the ball in the red zone and drive to the Nittany Lions’ six-yard line. But suddenly SMU’s luck runs out: Jennings tries to pass to his left, but there’s Dominic DeLuca again to deflect the pass up in the air and come down with the ball!

It’s DeLuca’s second interception of the game, the third thrown by Jennings, and it’s an absolute crusher for the Mustangs.

There’s nowhere to hide after throwing a pick-six and Kevin Jennings had to jump straight back into the action after throwing his second interception of the day.

Taking care of the football was clearly the priority for SMU on this drive as they attempted two rushes early on but for no real gain.

With a third-and-long next up, Jennings was forced to throw the ball and his accuracy was off once more. After dancing around the pocket, Jennings released a pass but failed to find his target.

SMU will need its quarterback to bounce back and bounce back quickly if they are to get back in this game.

SMU's Kevin Jennings scrambles with the ball during the first quarter against the Penn State Nittany Lions on December 21.

It’s a big drive for SMU after stopping Penn State on fourth down.

Quarterback Kevin Jennings is trying to get back into a rhythm here with the crowd noise rising to a deafening level.

After a holding penalty, Jennings completes two passes to get the Mustangs a first down as the first quarter ends.

The opening of Guns ‘n Roses’ “Welcome to the Jungle” plays as the second quarter begins and a clearly amped up the Penn State defense who stuff a run on first down. But on the ensuing play, the Nittany Lions don’t wrap up Roderick Daniels Jr. and he breaks loose down the sideline for a 20-yard play to put the ball on the Penn State half of the field.

Jennings seems to be settling in a bit after his rocky start as the Mustangs call a few easy throws to get him in a better rhythm. A big play by Penn State’s Cam Miller drops the Mustangs back six yards on a pass into the left flat.

It’s third and long and Jennings has to call timeout after again appearing to struggle to hear the communication from his coaches in his in-helmet headset. The crowd roars in celebration – they notice each and every time Jennings goes to the earholes of his helmet to try and block them out.

The timeout ends and the crowd comes to its feet, the din is deafening.

Jennings takes the snap and eludes the pass rush, eventually finding a moment to throw – but once again it’s off target and directly into the hands of Penn State’s Tony Rojas!

Rojas winds his way through the Mustangs and finds nothing but open field in front of him, strutting with glee as he crosses the goal line to put the Nittany Lions up by two touchdowns – both of them on pick-sixes!

The weather is clearly impacting this game. Rather than attempt a field goal into a blustery wind, Penn State opted to go for it on fourth-and-13

While the play proved to be unsuccessful, it clearly illustrates that whoever can master these conditions could have the upper hand in today’s matchup.

Will we continue to see the team’s going for it on fourth down or will the kickers have their say as the game reaches crunch time?

Kevin Jennings of the Southern Methodist Mustangs during the playoff first round game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium on December 21, in State College, Pennsylvania.

Southern Methodist University quarterback Kevin Jennings knew he was walking into a tough environment here in Happy Valley. With about 10 minutes gone in the first quarter, it’s clear now how tough it is.

Jennings appears to be struggling to hear play calls coming into his headset – at one point signaling to the bench that he couldn’t hear, which only caused the home fans to roar louder – and appears slightly rattled.

So far, Jennings’ performance is marked by two inaccurate throws that cost the Mustangs dearly. The first ended a strong first drive when he decided to try to throw for a touchdown rather than run for first down on a fourth-and-1 play from deep inside Penn State territory. The second was a poorly thrown ball that ended up in the hands of Penn State’s Dominic DeLuca, who returned it for a touchdown.

The press box here literally shook when the linebacker brought the ball over the goal line and the atmosphere is only getting more intense as SMU failed to move the ball on its ensuing drive.

The Nittany Lions are driving now deep into SMU territory and looking to go up two scores.

Penn State's Dominic DeLuca intercepts a pass and returns it for a touchdown.

After throwing a costly interception that Penn State’s Dominic DeLuca took all the way for a touchdown, SMU’s Kevin Jennings could be feeling the pressure.

The quarterback continued to look shaky and could not lead the Mustangs down the field on the team’s third drive of the day.

After being stopped by the stubborn Penn State defense, SMU came up scoreless again and kicked yet another punt, turning possession back to the Nittany Lions.

SMU gets the ball on their own 20 and Beaver Stadium roars to life. The Mustangs are in their silent count as they try to fight off the crowd noise.

QB Kevin Jennings drops back to pass on second down and floats the ball directly into the hands of Penn State linebacker Dominic DeLuca!

Jennings threw behind his receiver and into the waiting arms of DeLuca. It’s another tough throw for Jennings, who is going to need to play well for the Mustangs to compete with the powerful Nittany Lions defense.

DeLuca isn’t touched as he runs 23 yards to the house and gets the Nittany Lions on the board first. The extra point is good and it’s 7-0 here in Happy Valley in favor of the home team.

Penn State’s Tyler Warren is key for the Nittany Lions’ offense and the star tight end kicked off Penn State’s drive with a six-yard rush.

And while this kickstarted the longest drive of Penn State’s game so far, the end result was the same as its previous efforts.

Penn State couldn’t make the most of its field position and had to settle for another punt downfield after Drew Allar couldn’t connect with Harrison Wallace III on third down.

SMU's Kevin Jennings looks to throw the ball against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium on December 21, in State College, Pennsylvania.

SMU decides to keep their offense on the field after the timeout and is going for it on fourth-and-1.

Quarterback Kevin Jennings takes the ball on a naked bootleg to the right side of the field and looks like he has enough space in front of him to get the yardage needed for the first down. But suddenly he decides to pass and has tight end Matthew Hibner open in the end zone – but Hibner can’t come up with the ball.

Beaver Stadium explodes as the ball falls to the turf and it’s Penn State’s ball, first down for the Nittany Lions.

The Mustangs stop the Nittany Lions’ opening drive on third down as a Drew Allar pass falls incomplete.

Penn State punts the ball away and the wind is clearly going to be an issue today – the ball hangs up in the air and ends up at the SMU 32.

The Mustangs are moving fast to start this drive in the no-huddle offense, quickly picking up a couple of first downs before a deep pass from quarterback Kevin Jennings to Key’Shawn Smith goes incomplete – but pass interference is called on Penn State, giving SMU a first down at Penn State’s 29.

The Mustangs fail to pick up a first down on the first three plays of the following series and decide to go for it on fourth and short. SMU’s coaches call timeout before the ball can be snapped and we await the first big play of this contest.

Safe to say SMU is not exactly walking into a friendly environment.

The Mustangs just ran onto the field to huge boos from the Penn State crowd, shortly after the Nittany Lions entered to their iconic pump-up song, “Kernkraft 400” by Zombie Nation.

It’s a sea of white here at Beaver Stadium, aside from a strip of blue and red in one corner of the end zone and the SMU band relegated to a corner of the upper deck that feels like it’s in another time zone.

The teams are coming out for kick off – Penn State back to receive – and the fans are going nuts. Penn State is known for one of the loudest environments in the country and is living up to that reputation so far.

PSU’s Nicholas Singleton returns the ball to the Penn State 30-yard line and we are underway.

Notre Dame secured a decisive victory over Indiana, defeating the Hoosiers 27-17 in the opening game of the newly expanded 12-team College Football Playoff on Friday night in South Bend, Indiana.

Playing against each other for the first time since 1991, Friday night’s game kicked off after the South Bend area received around two inches of snow earlier in the day, setting up for a chilly affair.

The game started on a chaotic note, with both teams throwing interceptions on their opening drives. However, the No. 7 seed Fighting Irish quickly regained their footing, taking control with a record-setting play early in the first quarter.

Pinned at their own two-yard line, sophomore running back Jeremiyah Love ignited the crowd at Notre Dame Stadium with an electric 98-yard touchdown run. Taking the handoff in the end zone, Love broke through the left side and sprinted past the secondary, giving Notre Dame a 7-0 lead and setting the tone early.

The spectacular run was the longest in College Football Playoff history and tied the record for the longest overall run in the school’s storied history.

Notre Dame’s dominance continued throughout the game and the school will now advance to play No. 2 seed Georgia Bulldogs in the Sugar Bowl on January 1, 2025, in New Orleans, Louisiana.

You can read the full match report here.

Penn State's Blue Band takes the field at Beaver Stadium before kick off against SMU on December 21.

The Blue Band is marching on the Beaver Stadium turf and 107,000 people are filtering in to watch Penn State take on Southern Methodist University in today’s first game.

Kick off is expected at about 12:10 p.m. ET and it is absolutely frigid here. Spare a thought for the band members and dancers in their uniforms in the mid-20-degree temperatures down on the field.

Penn State is rocking a uniform not typically seen on college football weekends.

The Nittany Lions are known for their no-nonsense, no-frills look, with no logos on helmets and no names on the back of the jerseys. Today, the team has come onto the field donning the team’s “Generations of Greatness” uniforms that feature – gasp – numbers on the sides of their helmets.

In warm-ups, star tight end Tyler Warren stretched in the different-than-usual look - with No. 44 emblazoned on his helmet.

According to the university, these threads first debuted back in 2017.

Penn State head coach James Franklin watches quarterback Drew Allar throw against Oregon during a game in Indianapolis on December 7.

The weekend that college football fans have long dreamed of – and spent countless hours arguing about – is finally here.

Three storyline-rich games in the College Football Playoff kick off on Saturday when six-seed Penn State hosts 11-seed Southern Methodist University (noon ET on TNT), five-seed Texas hosts 12-seed Clemson (4 p.m. ET on TNT) and eight-seed Ohio State hosts nine-seed Tennessee (8 p.m. ET on ESPN).

Here are four things to watch:

•Read more about what to watch from the first round.

It’s appropriate weather for the first day of winter here in University Park, Pennsylvania.

It’s in the mid-20s Fahrenheit — the wind chill is making it feel like 14 — and there’s a dusting of snow all across the Appalachian Mountains that surround the campus.

But the Penn State faithful are not deterred.

The area around Beaver Stadium has been filled with tailgaters all morning, braving the frigid temperatures to partake in the usual festivities — grills are hot, beers are cold, TVs are hooked up and footballs are being tossed through the air.

About 107,000 people are expected to fill Beaver Stadium and fans started to trickle into the snow-speckled stadium a little more than 90 minutes before kick off. It’s expected to be one of the famous “White Out” games in Happy Valley, but there’s a smattering of dark winter jackets — understandably.

To this point, no fans have been seen attempting the same stunt that at least three Southern Methodist University players pulled during warm-ups: Going shirtless in the freezing cold.

This season, both teams have the same 11-2 record, though Penn State’s came while playing in the stronger Big Ten conference. SMU’s offense has scored 38.5 points per game, a slightly better return than Penn State’s offense, which averaged 33.6 points per game.

But Penn State’s defense, which has conceded just 16.4 points per game, might prove to be a tough obstacle for SMU. The Mustangs’ defense has conceded 20.9 points per game.

Keep an eye out too for Penn State’s Tyler Warren who set conference single-season records for the most receptions and most receiving yards by a tight end.

The last time the two teams played each other was back in 1978 when Penn State defeated SMU 26-21. Before that, the only other meeting between the two teams came way back in 1948 when they settled for a 13-13 tie in the Cotton Bowl.

SMU Mustangs quarterback Kevin Jennings is seen in a game against the Clemson Tigers in Charlotte North Carolina, on December 7.

Southern Methodist University made its debut as an Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) member this season, after spending 11 years in the American Athletic Conference (AAC). The Mustangs immediately looked at home, going 8-0 against conference opponents and reaching the ACC Championship game, where they were narrowly defeated 34-31 by Clemson.

SMU’s 11-2 record in a new environment is impressive, but its true strength will be put to the test in its first CFP appearance against Penn State. None of the team’s 11 wins came against a squad that ended the season ranked in the Top 25.

City: University Park (Dallas), Texas

Mascot: Peruna (live Shetland pony)

Claimed national championships in history: Three

Last national championship: 1982

Head coach: Rhett Lashlee

Star players: QB Kevin Jennings, RB Brashard Smith

Fun fact: The school’s marching band is known as the “Best Dressed Band in the Land” and has over 29 different uniform combinations.

Drew Allar of the Penn State Nittany Lions throws a pass in the second quarter against the Oregon Ducks in Indianapolis, Indiana, on December 7.

Penn State comes into the College Football Playoffs with an 11-2 record and a Big Ten Championship game appearance after losing 45-37 to Oregon, the No. 1 ranked team in the country.

The Nittany Lions’ offense has been spread relatively evenly throughout the team, with five players scoring more than four rushing touchdowns and four players boasting more than three receiving touchdowns. The No. 6 seed has a favorable draw, too, as Boise State awaits in the second round.

City: State College, Pennsylvania

Mascot: Nittany Lion

Claimed national championships in history: Two

Last national championship: 1986

Head coach: James Franklin

Star players: DE Abdul Carter, TE Tyler Warren, QB Drew Allar

Fun fact: The inspiration for the mascot was a taxidermy lion displayed at the Chicago World’s Columbian Exposition in 1893.

SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings throws during a game against Pittsburgh in Dallas on November 2.

College football fans around the country are preparing to settle into their seats – most of them at home, some of them in on-campus stadiums for the first time – for the opening round of College Football Playoff games this weekend.

Here are four players to watch in this weekend’s opening round:

•Read more on each player

Here are the three games on Saturday and where to watch them: