The first-round of the College Football Playoff is over and we're now heading to the quarterfinals.
While the atmospheres were intense and unforgettable, much of what we saw in the first-round won't be remembered by college football fans around the nation. The home teams, for the most part, dominated and that could be because of their talent, but it also could be because of the enormous advantage they had playing in the friendly confines of their own stadium.
Here's a look at our power rankings for the first-round games, as well as a look towards the quarterfinals.
Power Ranking the first-round of the College Football Playoff
1. Clemson at Texas
Though Texas took a comfortable 28-10 lead into halftime, Clemson didn't go away quietly. The Tigers at least made this one interesting late in the contest. Clemson actually had two chances from the Texas one-yard line to make it a one-score game with plenty of time remaining in the fourth quarter.
Texas just made the plays it needed to make — especially with its running game against Clemson's defense — and came away with a victory.
2. Tennessee at Ohio State
You don't hear the SEC homers talking up the Tennessee-Ohio State game. Ohio State dominated this one, essentially from start-to-finish. There weren't near the amount of offensive explosions as Clemson-Texas, but the Buckeyes jumped out to a 21-0 lead and never looked back. Though Tennessee showed a little life in the second quarter, that was short-lived.
3. SMU at Penn State
SMU may have lost this one 38-10, but what really made this one entertaining was the electric crowd in Happy Valley and the defensive firepower of the Nittany Lions. Penn State capitalized on two pick-sixes — and another intereception — by SMU QB Kevin Jennings.
4. Indiana at Notre Dame
Outside of Jermiyah Love's 98-yard touchdown run, this one didn't have much offensive explosion. Indiana was held in check for basically all of the day, and Notre Dame just methodically put them away, 27-17.
Power Ranking the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff
1. Notre Dame vs. Georgia
Notre Dame and Georgia have only played three times in the history of their respective programs. Now, they'll play each other with a spot in the College Football Playoff semifinals on the line. Georgia will most likely be without Carson Beck, but this is going to be a hard-hitting heavyweight fight.
2. Ohio State vs. Oregon
Ohio State now gets its rematch with Oregon and it seems the Buckeyes have new life. This game could easily be No. 1 in our Power Rankings, and for good reason. Dillon Gabriel versus that Ohio State defense will be interesting. It will also be fun to see if Ohio State can keep its offensive momentum going after the Tennessee win.
3. Texas vs. Arizona State
Arizona State has a great rushing attack, but they'll now face the best defense they've faced all season in Texas. The Longhorns had some offensive explosion in the running game against Clemson and it will be interesting to see how these two matchup. There's a reason, however, that Texas is a heavy favorite coming into the game.
4. Penn State vs. Boise State
Boise State's rushing attack with Ashton Jeanty might be enough to compete with Penn State, but something tells us this one could get ugly. The Nittany Lions have a more than capable offense to score points, and Boise State doesn't have enough firepower, at least in our early estimation.