College Football Playoff picks, schedule: Predictions against the spread, odds for quarterfinal bowl games

The College Football Playoff field has been whittled down to eight teams as we continue moving through the first-ever 12-team bracket. Across New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, those teams remaining will do battle at traditional New Year’s Six bowl sites for the right to move on to the semifinals as we inch closer toward crowning a national champion for the 2024 season. The first-round games left plenty to be desired in the form of excitement, but the hope is the quarterfinals will deliver. 

The action gets underway Tuesday as 6-seed Penn State heads to the Fiesta Bowl to clash with 3-seed Boise State. The three-game slate on Wednesday kicks off with 5-seed Texas battling 4-seed Arizona State in the Peach Bowl before we move to a monumental rematch in the Rose Bowl featuring 8-seed Ohio State clashes with 1-seed Oregon. Finally, the quarterfinal action wraps up with 7-seed Notre Dame battling 2-seed Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. 

CBS Sports experts have filed their picks for the quarterfinal round of the College Football Playoff, so let’s have a look at what to expect this weekend. 

All times Eastern

Fiesta Bowl: (6) Penn State vs. (3) Boise State

7:30 p.m. (Tuesday) | ESPN, fubo (Try for free) — Penn State was able to take advantage of miscues from SMU in the first round, but the Broncos rarely make mistakes. In fact, Boise State is tied for No. 2 nationally in turnovers lost with only four fumbles and four interceptions. Even the steady Nittany Lions had 13 turnovers. Ultimately, it means the game will stay closer than expected for four quarters. Pick: Boise State +11 — Shehan Jeyarajah

Peach Bowl: (5) Texas vs. (4) Arizona State

1 p.m. | ESPN, fubo (Try for free) — Arizona State’s ability to win at the margins has been a key to their success this season, and I think it will be the path to keeping things close against a Texas team that has a tendency to leave points on the table in the red zone. Thanks to key playmaking from Cam Skattebo and timely stops from a defense that has put together a good stat profile against the pass, the Sun Devils should be able to keep the game tight. Pick: Arizona State +13.5 — Chip Patterson

Rose Bowl: (8) Ohio State vs. (1) Oregon

5 p.m. | ESPN, fubo (Try for free) — The style of play in the first meeting wasn’t a fluke. In fact, it could be argued both offenses left a few points on the board. We’ve seen a lot of high-scoring games in recent years when elite teams meet. Given all the stars on the offensive side of the ball for both teams, it makes sense. The Granddaddy of Them All promises to be another high-scoring affair. Pick: Over 55 — Tom Fornelli

Sugar Bowl: (7) Notre Dame vs. (2) Georgia

8:45 p.m. | ESPN, fubo (Try for free) — Georgia is the slight favorite, according to the SportsLine consensus, which gives me pause. The Bulldogs enter the playoff 1-9 against the spread as the favorite this season. There’s no doubt Georgia played a more difficult schedule than Notre Dame, and the grind was noticeable with two overtime wins to end the season, but one does wonder if the Bulldogs are allowing opponents to better dictate the tempo of those games, resulting in closer-than-expected results. Gunner Stockton appears to be a gamer at quarterback, even if he’s not the most talented passer, but that plays into Notre Dame’s hands with one of the nation’s best pass defenses. Everything points to a Notre Dame win, even with Kirby Smart’s knack in preparing his teams for playoff runs. Pick: Notre Dame +1.5 — Brandon Marcello

SportsLine’s proven computer model is calling for 10 outright upsets during college football’s bowl and playoff season. Visit SportsLine now to see them all, plus get spread picks for every game from the model that simulates every matchup 10,000 times.