College Football Playoff: New Format, Similar First Round Results

Lopsided first round scores are nothing new for the CFP.

Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

History was made this weekend as a new era in college football dawned: The 12-team playoff. What promised to be an electrifying weekend turned into four lopsided affairs, with the home team easily coming out on top in each matchup.

Let's turn the clocks back a decade: It's New Year's Day 2015—the BCS is out, the sparkling new College Football Playoff is in. The defending national champion Seminoles are taking on Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota and the Ducks in Pasadena. The final score? Oregon 59, Florida State 20.

The result of that first-ever CFP matchup was a precursor of things to come. During the 10 seasons the 4-team format existed, 60% of "first round" matchups were decided by more than 14 points. Notable lopsided results include:

1. Alabama 38, Michigan State 0 (2015-16)

2. Clemson 31, Ohio State 0 (2016-17)

3. Clemson 30, Notre Dame 3 (2018-19)

4. LSU 63, Oklahoma 28 (2019-20)

5. Ohio State 49, Clemson 28 (2020-21)

In fact, during the first eight years of the 4-team format, 75% of first-round matchups (12 out of 16) were decided by more than two touchdowns. The moral of the story: we are used to seeing lopsided affairs in the CFP, and it appears the new format may not be any different.

Now, this weekend wasn't all bad. One thing we can all agree on is that first-round games taking place on-campus absolutely rocks. College football is meant to be played in South Bend, Happy Valley, Austin, and Columbus. While the games may not have, the home environments certainly delivered.

And there's more good news: there is a lot of football left to be played! The quarterfinal matchups are poised to bring fireworks, highlighted by Oregon vs Ohio State in the Rose Bowl and Notre Dame vs Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. Do not fret football fans—it's about to get fun.