We’re onto the semifinals of the College Football Playoff.
Let’s look at the odds for the penultimate round at DraftKings Sportsbook as of Jan. 2.
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No. 5 Oregon vs. No. 1 Indiana
Peach Bowl
Spread: Indiana -4
Moneyline: Indiana -180, Oregon +150
O/U: 47.5
What to know: We have prior experience to draw on ahead of this matchup. These two teams met in the Pacific Northwest in Week 7 of the regular season, when the Hoosiers were ranked No. 7 and the Ducks were ranked No. 3. However, despite its higher rank and its home-field advantage, Oregon fell to visiting Indiana, 30-20. It was the Hoosiers’ sixth win of the season, and now, seeded No. 1 in the College Football Playoff, IU is 14-0, including wins over Ohio State in the Big Ten title game (13-10) and Alabama in the CFP quarterfinals (38-3). Oregon, meanwhile, only has that single loss to Indiana this season, with two CFP wins to its name: a first-round defeat of James Madison (51-24) and a win over Texas Tech in the quarterfinals (23-0).
Going back to that Week 7 matchup between the Ducks and Hoosiers, Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza threw for 215 yards, a touchdown and a pick, while Heisman contender Dante Moore tallied 186 passing yards, one TD and two picks. Moore was also sacked six times, and with the game tied at 20 midway through the fourth quarter, Indiana scored a touchdown, picked off Moore, converted a field goal, and then picked off Moore again to essentially ice the game.
Since the CFP’s inception (2014-15), Oregon has once made the title game (2014-15). This is Indiana’s first CFP appearance.
No. 10 Miami vs. No. 6 Ole Miss
Fiesta Bowl
Spread: Miami -3
Moneyline: Miami -148, Ole Miss +124
O/U: 51.5
What to know: Unlike Indiana and Oregon, Miami and Ole Miss did not face off this season, but both have been equally impressive. Miami’s two losses during the regular season almost kept it out of the CFP field, which the college football world now knows would have been a shame. In Round 1, the Hurricanes survived a defensive battle against one-loss Texas A&M, winning 10-3, before knocking off defending champion Ohio State in the quarters, 24-14.
As for the Rebels, they prevailed in their quarterfinal matchup with Georgia, the only team that defeated them in the regular season. At 13-1, Ole Miss has already set the school record for wins in a single season, spearheaded by the prolific play of quarterback Trinidad Chambliss— who leads all of FBS with eight 300-yard passing games on the year. Pete Golding took over as head coach with the departure of Lane Kiffin, and is now 2-0 in his career, with both wins coming in this year’s CFP.
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