After the first two rounds of the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff delivered a handful of snoozers, the semifinals came through with a pair of bangers. Both Notre Dame's 27-24 win over Penn State in the Orange Bowl and Ohio State's 28-14 victory over Texas in the Cotton Bowl were dramatic and tightly contested games that came down to the wire.
This time of year, it's about surviving and advancing and not necessarily style points. Such was the case for Ohio State, which hit the skids offensively for a sizable chunk of its Cotton Bowl victory over Texas. Ultimately, the Buckeyes didn't resemble the offensive juggernaut that torched Tennessee and Oregon in the first two rounds, but they played well enough to win.
However, we're not adjusting our rubric just because the stakes are getting higher. Before we turn our attention to the College Football Playoff National Championship showdown between the Buckeyes and Notre Dame, here are the grades for each CFP semifinal participant.
Ohio State
Result: 28-14 win over (5) Texas
Ohio State began the Cotton Bowl looking like it might produce another A+ performance similar to the ones it enjoyed in wins over Tennessee and Oregon to begin the College Football Playoff. But it turned out Texas had some teeth, and the Buckeyes had to withstand some self-inflicted issues on their way to a tense semifinal win. Penalties were arguably the biggest issue. A personal foul on senior running back TreVeyon Henderson zapped the life from a promising first-quarter drive, and the Buckeyes were flagged nine times for 75 yards. Ultimately, the defense was elite, and the offense produced enough in critical situations to send the Buckeyes marching on. Grade: B+
Texas
Result: 28-14 loss to (8) Ohio State
Considering how lethal Ohio State was offensively during the first two rounds, Texas deserves immense credit for limiting the Buckeyes to under 400 yards and just three offensive touchdowns. But Texas sputtered offensively throughout the first half and then squandered the momentum of its first touchdown by surrendering a 75-yard touchdown on a halfback dump-off. That crippling play, and an inability to execute near the goal line late in the fourth quarter will haunt the Longhorns. Texas also struggled to run the ball and didn't get great play from its offensive line. Given how well the defense played, the offensive performance was disappointing Grade: C+
Penn State
Result: 27-24 loss to (7) Notre Dame
Penn State ran the football better than Notre Dame, won the turnover battle 2-1, owned time of possession by roughly 10 minutes and still found a way to lose. It was just the latest befuddling loss against a premier opponent for coach James Franklin, who is now 1-18 vs. top-five teams. The culprit was a predictable one for the Nittany Lions, who didn't complete a single pass to a wide receiver. Given how much they struggled at the position all season, it was no surprise. In the absence of competency on the perimeter, offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki got a bit too cute. And when Penn State was in a must-pass situation during the game's final minute, quarterback Drew Allar got flustered and threw a backbreaking interception. Grade: B-
Notre Dame
Result: 27-24 win over (6) Penn State
There was nothing aesthetically beautiful or glaringly dominant about Notre Dame's Orange Bowl victory. It was more of a culture win that revealed the depths of the program's grittiness under third-year coach Marcus Freeman. Though largely stifled in the traditional run game, the Fighting Irish coaxed enough out of their aerial attack to make the difference. Riley Leonard's 54-yard, game-tying touchdown pass to Jaden Greathouse with 4:38 remaining was the type of game-changing pass play Penn State could never produce. The Fighting Irish were waffly against the run but held the Nittany Lions to just 3 of 11 on third downs and came up with a game-changing interception in the final minute. Grade: B+
