Welcome to the first annual postseason with 12 teams in. Not just four or two (thank f***ing God). It’s the beginning of the weeks of endurance, mental strength, and the will to fight for every score, down, yard, and a hairline inch. There’s so much on the line and every team will be mightily tested to see who goes the furthest while winning the war of attrition. For any college football fans unaware (unless you’re Georgia), the war of attrition will be involved. FCS teams know that no FBS team in the postseason were built for a deep postseason run like this. Here we are in the first round where we’ll find out who’s the MOST deserving to advance to the quarterfinals.

FRIDAY

#10 INDIANA AT #7 NOTRE DAME

5PM PT/8PM ET [ABC/ESPN]

This is a dream matchup for the state of Indiana in the first annual 12-Team playoff. Notre Dame was expected to be there, but no one expected the Hoosiers to be a postseason thought unless it was basketball. This is a great moment for Indiana fans that hungered for this, and the state that was craving this for over a century and finally can reap the benefits. Which is about $1000 plus per ticket of benefits. Yikes!

Two Indiana teams arrive with a respectable defense that allows under 15 points per game. Offensively, the ball starts and ends with Riley Leonard while Indiana has several offensive players beyond Kurtis Rourke impacting the game. This is likely a close matchup because both teams had the easiest path to the playoffs. Indiana has major upset on their mind whether coach Curt Cignetti wants to admit it or not, but Notre Dame’s defense could bring them back to reality.

MY PICK: NOTRE DAME

SATURDAY

#11 SMU AT #6 PENN STATE

9AM PT/12PM ET [TNT/MAX]

ACC newcomer SMU came up short of their first ACC title while Penn State lost to Big Ten newcomer Oregon that won their first Big Ten title. Now they clash in an unlikely situation, which is actually good because it’s assumed to be the easiest road to the semifinals…maybe further. However, we’re about to find out who’s the contender and the pretender.

Penn State’s so happy to be out of the Big Ten East division for good. It opened the door wide open for their playoff path, but it still doesn’t come without flaws though. The offense must step up now if they want to make a deep run. Drew Allar must be the guy everyone looks to or the team must increase Nic Singleton and Kaytron Allen’s carrying output to hopefully tire out the defense. SMU has nothing to lose. If anyone watched them this season, they throw everything out there every game no matter who their opponent is. Plenty goes through rising star QB Kevin Jennings. Penn State could win this, but their defense might get exposed by SMU’s offense while SMU’s defense puts Drew Allar and company on life support in the fourth quarter.

MY PICK: SMU

#12 CLEMSON AT #5 TEXAS

1PM PT/4PM ET [TNT/MAX]

The Battle of Orange Teams clash in the most intriguing matchup we’ll ever see. Dabo Swinney’s non-portal squad made the unlikeliest of appearances thanks to Miami’s blunder against Syracuse and Adam Randall’s huge kick return to set Clemson up for ACC title victory. Meanwhile, Texas ran through the SEC with ease but failed to cage the Dawgs that seemingly owns the conference now after Nick Saban’s retirement. Both have plenty to prove and we’re about to find out who survives and advances.

Surprising to all, both are meeting for the first time in the postseason. However, Steve Sarkisian and Dabo clashed before when Sark was an offensive staff member for Bama when they faced Clemson in the National Championship, so history is there. Expect a bloodbath between Texas’s offense and Clemson’s defense as both sides are the strength of the team. Clemson could make this matchup interesting, but it’s very hard to trust Cade Klubnik when he hasn’t been consistent since becoming the starter last season. Texas’ defense will expect to bring pressure and complicate his performance all game long.

MY PICK: TEXAS

#9 TENNESSEE AT #8 OHIO STATE

5PM PT/8PM ET [ABC/ESPN]

A marquee matchup in The Shoe??? Yes, please! However, does this make Ohio State fans excited or worried??? Guess we’ll see, but they have an advantage in primetime and the world’s getting a glimpse of who Ohio State really is in postseason play. Tennessee has a chance to prove they belong. Their defense is the undeniable strength this season and will be one of the best of the 12 teams to run the table for a National Championship.

We all know who Tennessee is and what they’re capable of. They have a defense, and the offense goes through Nico Iamaleava and Dylan Sampson. However, this primetime game’s all about Ohio State. Jim Knowles’ defense is a virtual monster allowing a nation’s best 10.4 points per game. No matter what, they’ll play their butts off to keep them in. Unlike them, the offense has more questions than their paid NIL offensive players combined. If Will Howard can just be smart and consistent, the offense finds a way to grind out Tennessee’s defense and control time of possession, they can win this game. Ohio State should’ve had time to process the Michigan loss and should put everything together to play their best football against Tennessee at home.

MY PICK: OHIO STATE