After an thrilling, albeit underwhelming first spherical, the quarter-finals of the Faculty Soccer Playoff are right here. On this spherical, the 4 highest-ranked convention champions enter the playoff. However would the Oregon Geese, Georgia Bulldogs, and Arizona State Solar Devils be capable of defeat their opponents?
Peach Bowl: Texas (#5) vs Arizona State (#4)
The quantity five-seeded Texas Longhorns simply defeated the Clemson Tigers within the first spherical. Their reward for the win was a Peach Bowl assembly with the quantity four-seeded Arizona State Solar Devils. The Solar Devils have stunned many in Faculty Soccer this season, going from strugglers to Large 12 Champions. That is largely attributable to Cam Skattebo’s work. Might he lead Arizona State to a shock victory?
The Solar Devils had the sport’s first possession and will get the primary factors from it. Ranging from their 25-yard line, the Arizona State offense, led by quarterback Sam Leavitt, might transfer all the way down to the Longhorns’ 22-yard line. Right here, they might stall, establishing a 39-yard discipline aim try from kicker Carston Kieffer. He would make the kick, giving the Solar Devils the early lead.
However this lead solely lasted two performs. Longhorns’ quarterback Quinn Ewers moved the offense all the way down to the Solar Devils’ 23-yard line with one move. Then, he discovered DeAndre Moore for the landing move to offer Texas the lead. The lead was prolonged quickly after. The Solar Devils subsequent drive ended with a punt. However, on this level, Silas Bolden returned the ball to the endzone.
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Early within the second quarter, the Longhorns would prolong their lead. Ewers and firm slowly descended to the Solar Devils’ four-yard line. The offense stalled right here, however Burt Auburn made a 22-yard discipline aim handy Texas three extra factors.
Arizona State did try so as to add some factors earlier than the half. Their offense stalled on the Longhorns’ 19-yard line, giving Kieffer a 36-yard discipline aim try, which was blocked.
This meant the Longhorns had a 17-3 lead over the Solar Devils at halftime.
Not a lot occurred within the third quarter of the sport, however one second would go down as a “turning level.” The Solar Devils went all the way down to the Longhorns’ two-yard line and did not convert a fourth-down try, giving Texas possession. Nevertheless, within the subsequent play, Ewers’ mistake led to a security, with two factors handed to the Solar Devils.
Arizona State would be capable of get extra factors on their subsequent drive. Leavitt introduced the offense all the way down to the Longhorns’ 19-yard line, the place the offense stalled. Kieffer would then achieve success with the 36-yard discipline aim.
The Longhorns would prolong their lead on the following drive. Ewers and firm might attain the Solar Devils’ five-yard line. Then, the Longhorns quarterback would scramble into the endzone for the landing.
In response, the Solar Devils would discover the endzone in a novel method. The staff would make it all the way down to the Longhorns’42-yard line. Leavitt later handed it to Cam Skattebo, who would discover Malik McClain for the landing move. This made it a 12-point recreation. Might a comeback be brewing?
The Longhorns made a mistake on their subsequent drive, with Ewers’s move being intercepted. This error would show expensive, and the Solar Devils would be capable of transfer all the way down to the Longhorns’ two-yard line. That is because of a 62-yard move from Leavitt to Skattebo. Skattebo discovered the endzone for the dashing landing down on the two-yard line. Arizona State then tried a two-point conversion and was profitable. This made it a tie recreation.
Texas had a possibility to take the lead on their subsequent drive, which stalled on the Solar Devils’ 30-yard line. Right here, Auburn tried a 48-yard line, however the kick missed, conserving the sport tied.
The same situation was arrange on the ultimate drive of the sport. Texas made their method all the way down to the Arizona State 19-yard line, establishing Auburn with a game-winning 38-yard discipline aim try. Auburn’s kick hit the posts, forcing time beyond regulation, one thing nobody would have predicted at halftime.
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Arizona State had the primary possession of time beyond regulation and was compelled to have a vital fourth down try. They may convert this, and some performs later, Skattebo discovered the endzone for a three-yard dashing landing.
In response, Texas would hold the sport alive when Ewers discovered Golden for a 28-yard landing move on a fourth-down try. The Longhorns would rating on the next possession, with Ewers discovering Gunnar Helm for the TD after which a two-point conversion to stress the Solar Devils.
Arizona State needed to discover the endzone to remain within the recreation. This didn’t occur, as Andrew Mukuba intercepted Leavitt’s move to offer the Longhorns the win.
The Texas Longhorns had defeated the Arizona State Solar Devils 39-31.
Up to now, many of the video games within the playoffs have been poor and one-sided. This has been among the finest, and possibly the sport of the season. Arizona State proved why they deserved their spot, and Cam Skattebo ought to have been a contender for the Heisman Trophy. Sadly, it was not meant to be for them.
For Texas, the win places them into the semi-finals. However who would they be enjoying?
Rose Bowl: Ohio State (#8) vs Oregon (#1)
The Rose Bowl is one in every of, if not probably the most prestigious recreation in all of Faculty Soccer. Nevertheless, I feel this recreation could have misplaced its attract, being a quarter-final of the CFP. It ought to double up because the nationwide championship recreation, because it has performed so many instances. The 2025 version of the sport is an all-Large Ten affair between the quantity one-seeded (and nonetheless undefeated) Oregon Geese and the quantity eight-seeded Ohio State Buckeyes. The Geese enter the playoff at this stage, whereas the Buckeyes closely defeated the Tennessee Volunteers of their first-round affair.
The Buckeyes had the sport’s opening drive and would be capable of get the opening factors from it. On a drive that began at their 25-yard line, the Buckeyes’ offense, led by quarterback Will Howard, made it all the way down to the Geese’ 45-yard line. Howard discovered Jeremiah Smith with a move that discovered the endzone to offer Ohio State the early lead.
A couple of drives later, the Buckeyes would add to their lead. From the Geese’ 42-yard line, Howard discovered Emeka Egbuka for the landing move to double their lead over the number-one-seeded staff. This lead would grow to be even bigger on their subsequent drive when kicker Jayden Fielding discovered the uprights from a 46-yard discipline aim.
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The Geese struggled within the first half, and their woes continued on the following drive from the Buckeyes. Ohio State discovered the endzone once more, with Howard discovering Smith for a 43-yard landing move. On their subsequent play, the endzone was once more discovered when TreVeyon Henderson scored a 66-yard dashing landing.
This gave Ohio State a 31-point lead over Oregon. On the following drive, the Buckeyes’ subsequent drive, Fielding kicked a 36-yard discipline aim, bringing the result in 34.
However, on the ultimate drive of the half, the Geese might lastly put some factors on the board. Ranging from their 25-yard line, the Geese offense, led by quarterback Dillon Gabriel, moved the ball all the way down to the Buckeyes’ five-yard line. Right here, Gabriel discovered Traeshon Holden for the landing move. Oregon then went for and was profitable with the two-point conversion try.
This meant that at halftime, the Buckeyes had a 34-8 lead over the Geese.
The Geese had the opening drive of the second half and would be capable of shut the hole on the Buckeyes slowly. Gabriel and firm moved the offense all the way down to the Ohio State two-yard line, the place Noah Whittington discovered the endzone for a dashing landing. Nevertheless, a couple of drives later, the Buckeyes might regain their already giant lead when Henderson discovered the endzone for an eight-yard dashing landing.
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The sport’s closing rating would come in the course of the fourth quarter, when the Geese scored a comfort rating, with Gabriel discovering Holden with a 27-yard landing move. However this may not be sufficient to win.
On the finish of the sport, the Ohio State Buckeyes defeated the Oregon Geese 41-21.
On paper, this might have been a really shut recreation. Nevertheless, this was something however. The month-long hole between video games for the Geese didn’t assist them, and the Buckeyes might give the Geese the identical tribute they gave the Volunteers a couple of weeks in the past.
The Buckeyes will face the Texas Longhorns within the Cotton Bowl with the win.
Fiesta Bowl: Penn State (#6) vs Boise State (#3)
The quantity three-seeded Boise State Broncos gained their spot within the CFP by being the highest-ranked “Group of 5” college. The primary motive is profitable the Mountain West Convention and having Ashton Jeanty (who ought to have gained the Heisman Trophy). Nevertheless, as they’re one of many highest-ranked convention champions, they acquired a first-round bye and entered the CFP on this spherical. They confronted the quantity six seed, the Penn State Nittany Lions, within the Fiesta Bowl. Penn State dismantled SMU within the first spherical. Would they do the identical to Boise State?
The Broncos had the opening drive of the sport and would make an effort to get the sport’s first factors. Ranging from their 25-yard line, Broncos quarterback Maddux Madsen moved the offense all the way down to the Nittany Lions 28-yard line. They stalled right here, establishing a 45-yard discipline aim try for kicker Jonah Dalmas. His kick was missed.
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In response to this, Penn State was capable of take the lead. Nittany Lions quarterback Drew Allar led his staff all the way down to the Broncos’ 11-yard line. From right here, Allar discovered Tyler Warren for the landing move. The Nittany Lions would prolong their lead on their subsequent drive, with Allar discovering Omari Evams for a 38-yard landing move.
Good luck would proceed for Penn State as Jeanty fumbled the ball across the 50-yard line. The Nittany Lions scooped it up. Nevertheless, they might not have the ball for lengthy and shortly punted it again to Boise State.
On this drive, the Broncos might lastly put factors on the board. Madsen and firm have been capable of make their method all the way down to the Nittany Lions’ eight-yard line. Right here, Tyler Crowe discovered the endzone for the dashing landing.
After a collection of drives that went nowhere, Penn State might finish the half with some factors. The offense made its method all the way down to the Broncos’ 23-yard line, establishing kicker Ryan Barker with a 40-yard discipline aim. He would make this.
Which means that the Nittany Lions had a 17-7 lead over the Broncos at halftime.
Boise State might get again into the sport with their first drive of the second half. Madsen introduced the offense all the way down to the Broncos’ 47-yard line. Right here, the quarterback discovered Matt Lauter for a 53-yard landing move, to make it a three-point recreation.
Nevertheless, the Nittany Lions would instantly widen the lead when Allar discovered Warren for a 13-yard landing move. In response to this, the Broncos made a mistake. On their subsequent drive, Boise State slowly introduced the ball across the midfield. Then, Madsen threw an interception on the Nittany Lions’ 41-yard line. Fortunately for the staff, Penn State couldn’t do something with the ball on the next drive.
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With beneath 5 minutes to play within the fourth quarter, the Nittany Lions have been capable of put the sport to mattress when Nicholas Singleton discovered the endzone for a 58-yard dashing landing.
Boise State had two extra drives on this recreation, however each led to interceptions.
This meant that the Penn State Nittany Lions had defeated the Boise State Broncos 31-14.
That is one other “straightforward” win for the Nittany Lions. Boise State had a superb common season and deserved to make the CFP. Nevertheless, they might not ship in a recreation towards a Energy 4 staff. Jeanty underdelivered when in comparison with his earlier performances, dashing for 104 yards from 30 makes an attempt.
Penn State superior to the Semi-Finals, however who would they meet?
Sugar Bowl: Notre Dame (#7) vs Georgia (#2)
This yr’s Sugar Bowl was between the two-ranked Georgia Bulldogs and the seven-ranked Notre Dame Combating Irish. It must be famous that this recreation was delayed by a day as a result of terror assault in New Orleans on New 12 months’s Day. The Bulldogs have been with out quarterback Carson Beck attributable to his damage on the sphere. Would Gunner Stockton lead the SEC Champions to victory?
The Bulldogs had the sport’s first drive, and plenty of errors would occur. Stockton fumbled the ball twice on this drive however would be capable of get well the ball on each events. Nevertheless, the drive didn’t go wherever.
The subsequent drive started effectively, with Stockton transferring all the way down to the Combating Irish 16-yard line. However right here, one other mistake occurred. This time, operating again Trevor Etienne fumbled the ball and misplaced possession.
Nevertheless, it might be the third time Georgia could be fortunate, as they might get the sport’s first factors. The drive stalled on the Notre Dame 23-yard line, establishing a 41-yard discipline aim from kicker Peyton Woodring, which he would make.
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However, as quickly because the Bulldogs might take the lead, they let it do. On the next drive from the Combating Irish, Riley Leonard moved the offense all the way down to the Bulldogs’ 26-yard line, the place the drive would stall. This arrange a 44-yard discipline aim from kicker Mitch Jeter, which was profitable, tying the scores.
Close to the top of the primary half, the Combating Irish might take the lead within the recreation through a 48-yard discipline aim from Jeter. In response, Stockton could be sacked and fumble the ball deep in his territory. Then, from the Bulldogs’ 13-yard line, Leonard discovered Beaux Collins for the landing move so as to add to their lead.
This meant that the Combating Irish had a 13-3 lead over the Bulldogs at halftime.
Notre Dame would add to their lead on the primary play of the half, as Jayden Harrison would return the kickoff for a 98-yard landing.
The Bulldogs have been capable of get themselves again into the sport a couple of drives later. The Georgia offense would go all the way down to the Combating Irish’s 32-yard line. Right here, Stockton discovered Money Jones for the landing move.
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Not quite a bit would occur in the remainder of the sport, with the Bulldogs trying a fourth down conversion on each drive remaining. They failed on all of those. Notre Dame scored a discipline aim from 47 yards out to cement their lead and win.
This meant the Notre Dame Combating Irish defeated the Georgia Bulldogs 23-10.
This was not one of the best recreation, however Notre Dame took benefit of the rookie Bulldogs quarterback to seal a easy win. For Georgia, their loss implies that Texas is the one SEC staff left within the playoff, and no convention champion has made the ultimate 4.
Notre Dame will face Penn State within the Orange Bowl with the win.
So, the quarterfinals, bar the Texas-Arizona State recreation, have been much like the first-round video games—all blowouts. Let’s hope the semifinals might be nearer.
