Tenth-seeded Miami became the first double-digit seed to reach the semifinals in the 12-team era, continuing its strength in the field by defeating defending national champion Ohio State 24–14 on New Year’s Eve. They will face the winner of Thursday night’s Allstate Sugar Bowl – No. 3 Georgia vs. No. 6 Ole Miss – in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 8.7:30 ET, ESPN,
Fifth-seeded Oregon’s strong defense defeated No. 4 Texas Tech, with freshman Brandon Finney intercepting two passes and recovering a fumble to help the Ducks reach the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on January 9.7:30 ET, ESPNThey will face No. 1 Indiana, which continued its storybook season and first Rose Bowl appearance since 1968 by dispatching the game’s other blueblood, No. 9 Alabama.
Here’s a closer look at the semi-final matches.
When: January 9, 7:30 pm ET. TV: espn
What we learned in the quarterfinals: Any remaining doubt about Indiana’s ability to contend for and win its first national title vanished in the rarified air surrounding the Rose Bowl. The Hoosiers surrounded Alabama from every aspect, running a balanced attack and pressing defense to stem the tide at the line of scrimmage. Indiana’s 10th-ranked run game doesn’t get enough attention, but Roman Hemby Promoted a ground game that kept the offense out of difficult situations. Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza Excelled from the second quarter on and led several long touchdown drives. devan boykin And others led a defense that proved again why it is among the best and most consistent units in the country.
X Factor: wide receiver Charlie Baker, eliza surratt And Omar Cooper Jr.Indiana’s headliners are wideouts, but Baker has been strong late in the regular season and especially in his two chances in the postseason, Baker, who had his first two 100-yard receiving performances in consecutive games against Penn State and Wisconsin, led Indiana with 126 receiving yards against then-No, 1 ranked Indiana, Ohio State finished first in Big Ten Championship Game wins, He had a 21-yard scamper and also added a 30-yard catch for Indiana’s first touchdown against Alabama,
They can reach the title match if…: The Hoosiers continue to control the line of scrimmage, achieve run-pass balance and limit big plays dante moore and numerous Oregon playwrights. Consider that Indiana beat Oregon by 10 points at Autzen Stadium despite Mendoza throwing a pick-six early in the fourth quarter. The game was actually not that close, as Oregon did not score an offensive touchdown for the final 50:15. Indiana will need to put pressure on Moore, who threw two interceptions in the first game but is capable of making any throw on the field. Indiana can’t possibly afford another big mistake like Mendoza’s pick-six, so playing clean and avoiding difficult down-and-distance will be key. , adam ritenberg
What we learned in the quarterfinals: Oregon may also play some bad defense. Coach Dan Lanning challenged that group after saying it fell short of its standard in a 51-34 win over James Madison in the first round last week, when the Ducks gave up 500 yards of offense. It was a completely different story in the quarterfinals against one of the most explosive offenses in the country. Oregon forced four turnovers, had four sacks, seven tackles for loss, and the Ducks recorded their first bowl shutout since World War I. Brandon Finney Jr.While had two interceptions and a fumble recovery in the win Mataio Uiagaleli And teatum tuioti A formidable running duo formed off the edge.
X Factor: We’ll focus on defense here and note how well Tuioti has played for the Oregon defense in the second half of the season. Tuioti, the team’s third-leading tackler, has seven sacks in the last six games and has particularly made his presence felt against the Red Raiders. He said that during practice before the Texas Tech game, the coaches emphasized creating turnovers to keep the Red Raiders off the field. Oregon had scored only 17 points in 13 games before Thursday.
They can reach the title match if…: Oregon can find its rhythm on offense. There’s no doubt that the Oregon offense didn’t play its best game, but part of that was because the Texas Tech defense created problems for the Ducks – completely shutting down the run game and taking them out of their trademark rhythm. Dan Lanning also did this eight times on fourth down and converted only four opportunities. It’s one thing to be aggressive when you feel you have control of the game, it’s another thing if it looks like the game could swing on a fourth-down call. If Oregon can get on offense – and stay out of some of those fourth-down situations – and the defense can stay aggressive, they’ll give themselves a great chance to reach the title game. , andrea adelson
