As the College Football Playoff field narrows to just four teams, the race for the national championship is heating up. “College GameDay” host Rece Davis weighed in on the upcoming Orange Bowl, where the No. 7 Notre Dame Fighting Irish will face the No. 6 Penn State Nittany Lions. Despite being slight underdogs by just 1.5 points, Notre Dame enters the game with momentum after a strong recent performance and boasts a significant edge in experience. This matchup is set to be a pivotal one as both teams look to make their case for a spot in the national title conversation.
In the Cotton Bowl, the No. 8 Ohio State Buckeyes will face the No. 5 Texas Longhorns, with Texas playing in a familiar environment in Arlington, Texas. Despite this home-field advantage, Ohio State enters the matchup as 6.5-point favorites, according to DraftKings Sportsbook.
Rece Davis has predicted that after the upcoming semifinals this Thursday and Friday, it will be the No. 8 Ohio State Buckeyes and the No. 7 Notre Dame Fighting Irish squaring off in the national championship game on January 20. This prediction sets up an intriguing clash between two historic programs with much at stake.
Rece Davis anticipates both College Football Playoff semifinal games to be closely contested but ultimately predicts that the No. 8 Ohio State Buckeyes and the No. 7 Notre Dame Fighting Irish will emerge victorious. He foresees a tight battle in the Orange Bowl, with Notre Dame edging out Penn State 23-20, and Ohio State winning the Cotton Bowl 35-28.
Davis’s prediction sets the stage for a highly anticipated national championship showdown between two of college football’s most storied programs, with a matchup that fans would certainly embrace.
With all four teams representing historic college football programs, this week’s College Football Playoff semifinals will be a must-watch event. The tradition and legacy of teams like Ohio State, Notre Dame, Penn State, and Texas make this a truly unique semifinal in the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff.
Rece Davis, however, believes the two favorites—Ohio State and Notre Dame—will prevail. Both teams have demonstrated the most consistency in recent games against top-tier opponents, which he sees as key factors in their victories. This sets the stage for a potential rematch of last season’s thrilling encounter, where Ohio State won on a last-second touchdown in South Bend. Fans can look forward to what promises to be an exciting showdown for the national title.
