Ohio State is expected to prevail over No. 1 Oregon in the CFP quarterfinals

Oddsmakers installed the eighth-seeded Buckeyes as favorites to defeat the Ducks in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals, despite the fact that one of Ohio State’s two losses this season occurred against No. 1 Oregon.

Following their 42-17 victory over No. 9 Tennessee on Saturday night, the Buckeyes were installed as 1.0-point and 1.5-point favorites, respectively, at DraftKings and BetRivers, to defeat Oregon on New Year’s Day.

In one of the most memorable contests of the 2024 regular season, the teams encountered each other earlier this season. On October 12, the Buckeyes suffered a dramatic 32-31 loss at Autzen Stadium. The probability of a rematch in the Big Ten title game was high until Ohio State was defeated at home by unranked Michigan to conclude the regular season.

It is evident that the oddsmakers are assigning a greater significance to the convincing victory over Tennessee in the final game of the opening round of the CFP on Saturday.

The Ducks will enter the quarterfinal match with a perfect 13-0 record, but it has been nearly a month since they defeated Penn State in the Big Ten title game.

Numerous individuals contend that the CFP committee essentially rewarded the Nittany Lions in spite of their loss. Penn State opened its season with a 38-10 victory over No. 11 SMU on Saturday, while Oregon is confronted with a potential CFP gauntlet that includes Ohio State, No. 5 Texas, and No. 2 Georgia.

The following team is Boise State, which is seeded third but is a member of the Mountain West Conference. At both sportsbooks, Penn State launched as a 10.5-point favorite. Among the quarterfinal matchups, only Texas, which is facing No. 4 Arizona State, is a more significant favorite at 13.5 points.

On New Year’s Day, the final CFP game will be played between Georgia and No. 7, Notre Dame. DraftKings installed the Bulldogs as 1.5-point favorites, while BetRivers installed Georgia as a 3.0-point favorite.

In order to secure a national championship, one of the remaining teams must accumulate three consecutive victories. Texas, Penn State, Notre Dame, and Ohio State will need to win four postseason games, despite the fact that they all won their first-round matchups easily.

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP ODDS*

Texas (+340)

Ohio State (+380)

Oregon (+400)

Penn State (+475)

Georgia (+550)

Notre Dame (+550)

Boise State (+7000)

Arizona State (+7000)

*DraftKings