Playoff Notes: Top Seeds Busted, SEC's Woes, Skattebo Romps; Ohio State Soars; Irish Eyes Are Smiling

So the College Football Playoff semi-finals are set, and we have two terrific matchups: Ohio State vs. Texas and Notre Dame vs. Penn State.

Before we look ahead to this weekend's games, some observations about the CFP results to date:

• No conference champions have survived.

  
  

• Despite the commissioners' best efforts to reward their champions and position them for playoff success, all five (including the ACC's Clemson in the first round) have been ousted. 

  
  

• Four conference champs, seeded No. 1-4, went down in the quarter-finals--Oregon (Big Ten), Georgia (SEC), Boise State (Mt. West) and Arizona State (Big 12). They were all awarded first round byes, so they hadn't played in over three weeks.

  
  

• From the way they came out of the chute, it's clear the long layoff hurt. They all looked sluggish, having lost whatever sharpness and momentum they carried into the post-season.

  
  

• Collectively, the four top seeds scored a total of 3 first quarter points and were down 78-21 at halftime.

  
  

• As we've noted previously, the top four seeds should go to the top-ranked teams, rather than the top four conference champs, and the top four seeds should host a home game. If seeds No. 5 through 8 get a home game on their campuses, it's inconsistent--and a disadvantage--for the top four seeds not to get one as well.

  
  

• And so the semi-final field includes all four teams that hosted first round games--the SEC runner-up (Texas), the Big Ten runner-up (Penn State), the Big Ten's fourth-place finisher (Ohio State) and an independent (Notre Dame).

  
  

• The SEC had a very bad week. To wit:

  
  

• Conference champ Georgia was outclassed by Notre Dame.

  
  

• Texas, a two touchdown favorite, survived Arizona State in double overtime, only because of a missed targeting call in the final minute of regulation that would've set up ASU for a game-winning field goal. The Longhorns also needed a fourth-and-13 conversion to survive the first overtime.

  
  

• ASU deserved to win. The Sun Devils had more first downs (29-17), more total yards (510-375), ran 37 more plays (97-60) and controlled the ball for 38 minutes to Texas' 22.

  
  

• As my friend, happy Notre Dame alum Rod Strickland said, "we're one missed targeting call away from an SEC-less Final Four."

  
  

• The only SEC team still alive is Texas, a newbie who just joined the league this season.

  
  

• SEC cheerleaders like the insufferable Paul Finebaum, who cried crocodile tears when Alabama and South Carolina were left out of the playoff field, had to eat some crow after Bama's loss to 16-point underdog Michigan, a team playing without a half-dozen of its best players, in the Reliaquest Bowl, and South Carolina's loss to nine-point underdog Illinois in the Citrus Bowl.

  
  

• Cam Skattebo (below) is for real. His performance against Texas was simply sensational. He personally accounted for 284 yards, rushing for 143 and two touchdowns, passing for a 42 yard score, and gaining another 99 on pass receptions.

  
  

• No. 1 Oregon collapsed in the Rose Bowl. Ohio State stormed to a 31-0 lead with four touchdowns of over 40 yards, two by the incomparable freshman Jeremiah Smith and the game was over well before halftime.

  
  

• Ohio State had a clear talent advantage, but the Ducks had beaten the Buckeyes earlier in the year and many of us figured OSU coach Ryan Day would find a way to lose the game.

  
  

• Instead, the Buckeyes had a brilliant game plan. Offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, who 10 years ago led Oregon to the national championship game (against Ohio State, ironically) completely confused Oregon defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi. Lupoi is a great recruiter but a not-so-great coach. Remember the Ducks also gave up 37 points to Penn State in the Big Ten title game

  
  

• The Ducks ran for minus 23 yards rushing and allowed the Buckeyes to gain 181 on the ground. You can't win if you can't run and can't stop the other team from running wild.

  
  

• The OSU defensive line overwhelmed Oregon's offensive front, sacking Gabriel eight times and blocking or tipping several of his passes.

  
  

• Notre Dame hadn't won a major bowl or playoff game in 31 years, but Marcus Freeman has changed the culture in South Bend and beefed up the offensive and defensive lines. We got this one right, correctly predicting Irish QB Riley Leonard and the Irish defense would make enough big plays to pull off the upset.

  
  

On to this week's semi-final games (times Pacific):

Orange Bowl

Penn State vs. Notre Dame

Thursday, Jan. 9, 4:30 p.m.

Penn State has been impressive, albeit against perhaps the two weakest teams in the field, SMU and Boise State. Notre Dame shut down Georgia's running game (62 yards) and stuffed quarterback Gunner Stockton when it mattered most. But the Irish gained only 244 yards total offense, scoring their two touchdowns after recovering a fumble on the Georgia 13 and on a 98-yard kickoff return. They'll have to do more against a tough Penn State defense. I think they'll do just enough to win. Notre Dame 17, Penn State 13.

Cotton Bowl

Texas vs. Ohio State

Friday, Jan. 10, 4:30 p.m.

Ohio State is the class of the field, with spectacular receivers, two excellent running backs, a solid QB, stout fronts and the nation's best defense. Texas is lucky to be in the game after a second-half collapse against ASU. Quarterback Quinn Ewers will need a spectacular game for the Longhorns to have a chance. I don't think he can get them there. Ohio State 31, Texas 20.