Orange Bowl (Miami Gardens, FL)
No. 5 Oregon Geese (12-1) vs. No. 4 Texas Tech Purple Raiders (12-1) • Thursday, 12 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Oregon tackles vs. Texas Tech edge-rushers | Oregon quarterback Dante Moore has been protected effectively this season, however tackles Alex Harkey and Isaiah World will face their hardest take a look at this season, going in opposition to first-team All-Massive 12 defensive ends David Bailey and Romello Peak. Bailey ranks first amongst remaining CFP defensive gamers in complete pressures (77) and sacks (14), per PFF, whereas Peak ranks third in pressures (58) and first in win fee (23 p.c).
Harkey, a 6-foot-6 senior switch, performed the earlier two seasons at Texas State and has allowed solely 16 pressures this season, whereas mammoth 6-8 senior World — a three-year starter at Nevada earlier than transferring to Oregon — has allowed 11 complete pressures.
Rose Bowl (Pasadena, CA)
No. 9 Alabama Crimson Tide (11-3) vs. No. 1 Indiana Hoosiers (13-0) • Thursday, 4 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Alabama red-zone offense vs. Indiana red-zone protection| Per CFBStats, the Tide have scored touchdowns on 72.88 p.c of their red-zone possessions, the Eleventh-highest fee in FBS, whereas the Hoosiers protection has been the stingiest in faculty soccer inside its 20-yard line, permitting touchdowns on a paltry 27.27 p.c of opponent red-zone journeys.
Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson has 19 touchdowns and no interceptions on 63 red-zone go makes an attempt. Solely Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza and Duke’s Darian Mensah have extra touchdowns with out an interception in these conditions this season. Indiana security Louis Moore has six interceptions, and the ball hawk should be accounted for on throwing downs near the tip zone.
The Tide’s inefficient speeding assault will make issues more difficult for them, making it essential that Alabama hits on massive performs. It won’t be capable to constantly churn out lengthy possessions, however it might strike massive on house run balls. Indiana has allowed seven performs of a minimum of 50 yards, probably the most amongst remaining CFP groups.
Sugar Bowl (New Orleans, LA)
No. 6 Ole Miss Rebels (12-1) vs. No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs (12-1) • Thursday, 8 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Georgia speeding assault vs. Ole Miss defensive entrance | The lone rematch within the quarterfinals, Ole Miss should do higher at stopping the run to keep away from a second loss to the Bulldogs. In an October regular-season sport, Georgia gained 221 speeding yards on 49 carries. Regardless of trailing by two scores within the second half, it leaned on the run sport after halftime, when it had 30 carries to 12 go makes an attempt (in comparison with an excellent 19-19 cut up in the course of the first two quarters).
If Georgia controls the clock with a ground-and-pound offensive technique, Ole Miss will not have a lot margin for error when it possesses the ball. The Rebels can assist their offense with a stronger effort on the line of scrimmage.
