• Loading stock data...
Wednesday, July 9, 2025

College Football Playoff Shock: Top 4 Seeds All Lose in Quarterfinals

The College Football Playoff is onto the semifinals after the expanded era’s first quarterfinal matchups and the debut of home Playoff games.

Amber Searls-Imagn Images

The first College Football Playoff quarterfinals wrapped up Thursday as Notre Dame defeated Georgia 23–10 following the Sugar Bowl’s one-day postponement due to the deadly attack in New Orleans. 

Despite the delay, plenty of Georgia and Notre Dame fans packed the Caesars Superdome to create a lively atmosphere for the 4 p.m. ET kickoff. However, the announced attendance was 57,267—more than 11,000 short of the 68,400 tickets sold. 

Notre Dame’s victory means that in the first 12-team CFP, the top four seeds were swept after earning first-round byes by winning their respective conference champions. However, due largely to the CFP’s unique structure, each of the lower seeds in the quarterfinals was the betting favorite by kickoff of each game. Georgia was without starting quarterback Carson Beck, who was injured in the SEC championship game.

While Oregon and Georgia were the top two teams in the final CFP rankings, Boise State and Arizona State also earned bye weeks despite being ranked No. 9 and No. 12, respectively. Ultimately, the time off didn’t prove to be enough of an advantage for any of them.

The quarterfinals—played across traditional New Year’s Six bowl games—came after the CFP’s first round saw Texas, Ohio State, Penn State, and Notre Dame each beat their underdog visitors by double digits in front of rowdy home crowds during the debut of on-campus Playoff games.

Now the CFP semifinals are set:

  • Orange Bowl, Jan. 9: (7) Notre Dame vs. (6) Penn State
  • Cotton Bowl, Jan 10: (8) Ohio State vs. (5) Texas

The winners of those games will square off in the CFP national championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Jan. 20. Ohio State, the lowest seed remaining, is the betting favorite to win the national championship with +110 odds, according to FanDuel.

Big Ten Is Still King

After the Big Ten topped all other conferences with four CFP bids, two Big Ten squads—Ohio State and Penn State—have reached the semifinals. That has earned the Big Ten $28 million in bonuses from the CFP’s revenue distribution system.

Texas has secured at least $14 million for the SEC, and Notre Dame—an independent—has earned at least $14 million for itself. 

There is another $12 million up for grabs, as each school that reaches the national championship earns $6 million for its conference, or in Notre Dame’s case, for the university.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Chelsea

Chelsea Club World Cup Run Banks at Least $100M for Mark Walter..

The Blues will likely take home between $100 million and $120 million.
TSU Hockey at Bridgestone

Tennessee State’s HBCU Hockey Ambitions Delayed at Least a Year

The school will not launch the first-of-its-kind program as intended.
Paige Bueckers
exclusive

Women’s March Madness Expansion Wouldn’t Yield More ESPN Money

ESPN is not required to pay extra if women’s March Madness expands.
exclusive

Bipartisan Effort Mounts to Repeal Gambling Tax Hike in Trump Bill

The president signed the bill into law last week.

Featured Today

American Celebs Want to Be Sports Owners. Soccer Is Where They Start

As U.S. team prices climb, investors set their sights abroad.
July 5, 2025

Baseball’s Celebrity Row: Behind MLB’s First-Pitch Ritual

Often planned, sometimes spontaneous, the ritual throw is baseball’s celebrity row.
July 4, 2025

3,000 Hot Dogs, $20K in Prizes: Behind the Nathan’s Eating Contest

Nathan’s serves up thousands of hot dogs and $20,000 in prize money.
July 3, 2025

Geoffrey Esper Can’t Catch a Break at Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest

“Hot dogs is not one of my favorite competitions of the year.”
Louis, Missouri, UNITED STATES; Penn State Nittany Lions forward Nicholas DeGraves (17) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against the Boston University Terriers during the third period of the Frozen Four college ice hockey national semifinals at Enterprise Center

Gavin McKenna’s Penn State Commitment Cements College Hockey Supremacy

Gavin McKenna’s Penn State decision signals hockey’s rising stars now prefer college.
Nov 30, 2024; Lubbock, Texas, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders running back Tahj Brooks (28) runs the ball against West Virginia Mountaineers defensive back Anthony Wilson Jr. (12) in the second half at Jones AT&T Stadium and Cody Campbell Field.
July 7, 2025

Felix Ojo’s Agent Says Texas Tech Offered $5.1M At Start of Rev-Share..

Texas Tech secured Ojo with a seven-figure NIL commitment.
A helmt is seen during the Texas Tech football team's spring game, Saturday, April 19, 2025, at Jones AT&T Stadium.
July 7, 2025

CFB’s Revenue-Sharing Era Muddles Future of NIL, Adds PE Questions

Athletic departments can pay college athletes a combined $20.5 million this year.
Sponsored

Game On: Portfolio Players Stories, Brought to You by E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

Dealmaker Jeffrey Kaplan maps the evolution of sports as an asset class
July 6, 2025

Revenue-Sharing Chaos Begins as Texas Tech Secures Five-Star OT

The Red Raiders spent more than $10 million in the winter transfer portal.
July 3, 2025

Everything You Need to Know About EA’s Return to College Basketball Video..

There hasn’t been a college basketball game in more than 15 years.
Ohio State
July 1, 2025

Collectives Funnel $20 Million to College Athletes on Last Day Before Revenue..

Collectives frontloaded payments just before the revenue sharing era begins July 1.
July 1, 2025

Big Ten Commish Still Pushes for 4 Auto CFP Bids in 16-Team..

The conference wants four guaranteed spots in the Playoff.