Penn State will make its first appearance in the College Football Playoff in program history. what felt inevitable as Penn State played for a Big Ten title this weekend became official as the College Football Playoff bracket was formally unveiled by the selection committee on Sunday afternoon. Penn State was given the no. 6 seed and will host SMU in a first-round matchup in Beaver Stadium.
This is the first year the College Football Playoff will field a 12-team bracket, and it came at a good time for Penn State, who will enter the bracket with a record of 11-2 after coming up short against top-ranked Oregon in Saturday night’s Big Ten championship game. Oregon, the only undefeated team in college football this season, secured the top spot in the bracket.
Other teams receiving a first-round bye will include SEC champion Georgia, Mountain West Conference champion Boise State, and ACC champion Arizona State.
The bracket is set up so the winner of Penn State’s first-round matchup with will advance to play no. 3 seed Boise State in the quarterfinal.
Here are the first-round matchups.
- 5. Texas vs. 12. Clemson (ACC champion) – Winner faces Arizona State
- 6. Penn State vs. 11. – Winner faces Boise State
- 7. Notre Dame vs. 10. Indiana – Winner faces Georgia
- 8. Ohio State vs. 9. Tennessee – Winner faces Oregon
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