The College Football Playoff quarterfinals kick off on New Year's Eve, as the best eight remaining teams in the country square off to determine a national champion.
After the first round featured games on home fields, the action now shifts to neutral sites. The four quarterfinal games will take place at the Cotton Bowl, Orange Bowl, Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl.
Let's dive into what to expect from all the action.
No. 10 Miami vs. No. 2 Ohio State (7:30 p.m. ET, Dec. 31)
The Hurricanes enter this game as a first-round winner after surviving a 10-3 defensive struggle against Texas A&M. The Buckeyes have been one of the better teams in the country all season, losing only once (and not until the Big Ten title game).
This could be another tough night for the offenses. Miami's biggest strength this year has been along the defensive line, a group that registered seven sacks in the team's playoff opener. Ohio State, meanwhile, hasn't given up more than 16 points in a game yet this season.
The Buckeyes have a definitive advantage on offense, however, with elite talent on the perimeter and a quarterback in Julian Sayin who has completed 78.4% of his passes this season while throwing 31 touchdowns. Miami will likely need to put more on the plate of signal-caller Carson Beck, who hasn't always been trusted to push the ball down the field.
No. 5 Oregon vs. No. 4 Texas Tech (Noon ET, Jan. 1)
As the seeding would imply, this is game is expected to be the closest matchup in the quarterfinals. Once again, both sides excel at stopping their opponent, as the Ducks and Red Raiders finished eighth and second, respectively, in scoring defense this season. Oregon does have an exciting offensive talent in quarterback Dante Moore, who is seen as one of the top potential prospects in the upcoming NFL draft.
Moore is coming off one of his best performances of the year, scoring five total touchdowns in a drubbing of a hapless James Madison team. Texas Tech, meanwhile, has not played since Dec. 6, when it defeated BYU for the second time in the Big 12 championship.
No. 9 Alabama vs. No. 1 Indiana (4 p.m. ET)
The Rose Bowl has all the making of a classic.
On one side is arguably the most storied brand in college football, a program synonymous with championship excellence.
On the other side is a school that entered this season with the most losses in college football history.
The Hoosiers have proven themselves at multiple turns this year, beating Oregon on the road early in the season then defeating Ohio State for the Big Ten title and the top ranking in the country. Curt Cignetti appears to be the most confident coach in the country, and if anybody is truly unbothered by the Crimson Tide mystique, it's him.
Alabama hasn't always been inspiring under coach Kalen DeBoer, who is desperately trying to carve his own legacy after taking over for Nick Saban. The three-loss Crimson Tide were a dubious playoff selection, but they picked up the best win of DeBoer's career in the first round, coming back from a 17-0 deficit to defeat Oklahoma 34-24.
This should also be a great quarterback duel betweenHeisman winner Fernando Mendozaand redshirt junior Ty Simpson. The two players have combined to throw 61 touchdowns but only 11 interceptions this season.
No. 6 Ole Miss vs. No. 3 Georgia (8 p.m. ET)
This game is a rematch of a Nov. 9 shootout that saw the Bulldogs win 43-35, the Rebels' lone loss of the season.
Ole Miss led that game 35-26 entering the fourth quarter but gave up 17 unanswered points as its offense went ice cold in the final frame. If there's a major concern for the Rebels, it's that the typically more methodical Georgia team was able to beat them at their own game.
The Bulldogs have been rolling since a September loss to Alabama, going undefeated in that span. Georgia has won four of its last five games by at least 20 points.
And of course, the subplot here is Ole Miss's coaching situation. Can the players continue to stay focused amid the drama, as the school worries about tampering on the coaching staff and former coach Lane Kiffinpotentially attending the game? We'll find out soon enough.
