As the College Football Playoff narrows down to eight teams, the level of competition should be intense after four disappointing first-round contests. The quarter-finals provide interesting contests and different players having an opportunity to play an important role.
That some players are ready to make a difference in their quarter-final is clear; Others, less. All are involved in the central subplot of their respective matchups.
Fiesta Bowl: Boise State vs. Penn State
QB Maddux Madsen, Boise State
While Ashton Jeanty’s historic rushing performance is the obvious cornerstone of Boise State’s push into the playoff, the stability Maddux Madsen has provided at quarterback has played a key role in the Broncos’ 11-game winning streak.
The defense focusing more on slowing down Jeanty each week forced Madsen to keep the opposition honest. He responded with 22 touchdown passes against only three interceptions and five rushing scores.
Penn State’s defense is the deepest and most talented Boise State will see since visiting No. 1 overall seed Oregon in week two. The Nittany Lions’ strong run defense, which has limited opponents to just 3.1 yards per carry, should be a lot of focus on those stats for Jeanty.
Madsen’s response early, perhaps forcing Penn State’s defenders out of the box, would decide Boise State’s fate in the quarterfinals.
DT Zane Durant, Penn State
Penn State’s defensive line causes headaches for opposing offenses all around, especially Abdul Carter’s amazing ability to get into the backfieldA significant part of freeing up the rush comes on the interior, where Zane Durant creates a lot of problems for blockers.
The combination of tackle size, speed off the line and strength creates mismatches that contribute to the Nittany Lions’ stingy rushing yards. However, Durant’s contributions were hardly limited to blocking attention, as he added a healthy 10 tackles for loss for Penn State’s total of 102 as a team.
With Durant in the middle, Boise State may have difficulty setting Jeanty on the floor, forcing the Broncos’ offense to work outside the hash.
Peach Bowl: Arizona State vs. Texas
RB Cam Scataboo, Arizona State
December 7, 2024; Arlington, TX, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils teammate Cam Scatebo (4) retains the WWE Big 12 Championship belt after the Sun Devils defeated the Iowa State Cyclones and won the 2024 Big 12 Championship at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagen Images Just 75 yards away from surpassing Arizona State running back Eno Benjamin as Arizona State’s single-season rushing record holder, Sun Devils running back Cam Sketebo made history ahead of him in the Peach Bowl. More importantly for the team’s goals, Skatobo carries the burden of an offensive attack chasing an unlikely national championship, supported by his other star offensive player.
Loss of wide receiver Jordan Tyson The Sun Devils suffered a significant setback in the regular season finale, with Tyson having 1,101 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns as a key part of Arizona State’s air attack.
Not having Tyson in the lineup didn’t slow down the Sun Devils in the Big 12 Championship Game against Iowa State, thanks to Skatabo’s 170 rushing yards on just 16 carries and two receptions for 38 yards. With Tyson sidelined, Skatabo is Arizona State’s leading receiver in yardage for the season, so his dual role in the run and pass game only increases his importance to the offense.
LB Colin Simmons, Texas
Freshman Collin Simmons has been impressive since his Longhorns debut and continues to get even better as he heads into the 2024 campaign. The lightning-fast, hard-hitting linebacker enters the playoffs with four sacks in three of Texas’ final four games, including the SEC Championship matchup with Georgia.
Simmons also committed his third error of the season against the Bulldogs.
After playing some of his best games in the Longhorns’ biggest spots, leading the way in key late-season wins over Arkansas and Texas A&M, Simmons is expected to step up to the team’s biggest spot again.
The Longhorns defense will have to set the tone early against Arizona State’s prolific offense and seal any hopes of turning the Peach Bowl into a track meet for the Sun Devils.
Rose Bowl Game: Ohio State vs. Oregon
LB Cody Simon, Ohio State
Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard (18) and linebacker Cody Simon (0) walk off the field during the second half of an NCAA football game against the Michigan Wolverines at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. Michigan finished with 13 wins. -10. Photo USA TODAY Sports Images. In a meeting of college football’s two highest-scoring teams, Ohio State offensive coordinator Chip Kelly’s role was front and center, the granddaddy of ’em all promising to bring the defensive playmakers to the forefront.
The engine driving the nation’s best scoring defense, Cody Simon leads Ohio State to the best of four quarterfinals. Labeling the Rose Bowl Game with such a designation is not presumptuous, given that the same two teams played to a one-score margin when they met in October.
In that game, which Oregon won 32–31 at home, the performance of Ducks running back Jordan James was key.
Simon, the key to the Buckeyes’ rush defense, should play a key role in stopping Ohio State’s James, and the linebacker also sets the tone for putting pressure on Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel.
Age Mataio Uiagalelei, Oregon
With a team-high 10.5 sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss, it’s hard to say Oregon wouldn’t be in the position it is without the presence of Mataio Uiagalelei on the Ducks defense.
However, in one game in particular, Oregon’s chances of advancing to the Rose Bowl Game as the No. 1 overall seed in the playoffs are high: his heads-up interception of a deflected pass at the line helped the Ducks lose 16–13 at Wisconsin. Gambhir sealed the victory. 16 November.
That game was part of an excellent seven-game streak for Uiagalelei in which he recorded seven of his sacks, one of which came in a win over Ohio State. That his quietest individual effort coincided with Oregon allowing a season-high 37 points in an eight-point win over Penn State in the Big Ten championship game is probably no coincidence.
Sugar Bowl: Georgia vs. Notre Dame
QB Gunner Stockton, Georgia
December 7, 2024; Atlanta, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Carson Beck (15) is injured while playing against the Texas Longhorns during the first half of the 2024 SEC Championship Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images Carson Beck’s elbow injury in the SEC Championship Game put Georgia’s quarterback position in uncertainty ahead of the playoffs. As of this week, there is no uncertainty: Beck has had surgery that will prevent him from playing the remainder of the season.
The remainder of the campaign is three games or less, depending on how reserve quarterback Gunner Stockton performs against an excellent Notre Dame defense early on.
Stockton completed 12 of 16 passes against Texas but managed only 71 yards and was intercepted.
Turnovers are key against a Fighting Irish secondary that has been particularly efficient all season at generating takeaways.
Stockton doesn’t need to be spectacular for Georgia to advance to the Sugar Bowl, but the Bulldogs will need him to be better than the SEC Championship Game.
DL Howard Cross III, Notre Dame
Due to numerous injuries to Notre Dame’s defensive line, the return of Howard Cross III could not have come at a more opportune time before the Fighting Irish’s first-round win over Indiana. Notre Dame is headed to New Orleans with Riley Mills, Jason Oni and Boubacar Traore all out with injuries, leaving Cross to handle a young front against a physical Georgia line.
Cross recorded 5.5 tackles for loss with four sacks before missing the final three games of the regular season.
Cross bounced back with ease against Indiana, but the Irish will need the veteran to take on the pressure in the Sugar Bowl to defeat the largely untested Bulldog quarterback.
