College Football Playoff preview: Can Rourke, Indiana shock Notre ...

The inaugural 12-team college football playoff has officially arrived.

Indiana and Notre Dame kicked things off on Friday, with the other three games to be played on Saturday.

No. 1 Oregon, No. 2 Georgia, No. 3 Boise State and No. 4 Arizona State get byes to the quarterfinals, while the eight remaining teams in the expanded playoff square off this weekend.

Here's a look at the three Saturday matchups, along with betting lines (as of Thursday afternoon).

No. 11 SMU (11-2) at No. 6 Penn State (11-2), Saturday, 12 p.m. ET / 9 a.m. PT

SMU gave up a last-second field goal to underdog Clemson in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game, putting the Mustangs on a worrisome overnight bubble. But SMU's overall record and narrow loss in a conference championship game was enough to give the first-year ACC squad the final berth over a 9-3 Alabama team that didn't qualify for the Southeastern Conference championship final.

Penn State gave top-ranked Oregon a scare in the Big Ten final before falling 45-37. The Nittany Lions were seen as a shoo-in for the CFP field before the game, but likely would have been the No. 1 seed had they reversed the outcome.

The winner of this game faces Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl in Tempe, Ariz.

Recent history

SMU has gone to bowl games the past five years. Its best season in that stretch came last year when the Mustangs went 11-3 and lost to Boston College in the Fenway Bowl.

Penn State, in its 11th season under coach James Franklin, is appearing in the playoff for the first time since it went to four teams in 2014. The Nittany Lions hit double digits in wins for the third year in a row.

The quarterbacks

Penn State junior Drew Allar was projected to be one of the top five QBs taken in next year's NFL Draft, but reports earlier this week indicated he plans to return to college. The six-foot-five Medina, Ohio, native threw for 21 touchdowns and rushed for six this year.

After winning a battle for the starting job early in the season, SMU's Kevin Jennings threw for 22 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

Other players to watch

Penn State DE Abdul Carter is expected to be a high pick in next year's NFL Draft. He had 10 sacks this season.

SMU RB Brashard Smith was 17th in the country in rushing this season.

BetMGM lines

No. 12 Clemson (10-3) at No. 5 Texas (11-2), Saturday, 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT

Clemson appeared to be destined for a non-CFP bowl game after losing to South Carolina in its regular-season finale. But a Miami Hurricanes loss later that day to Syracuse gave Clemson a second life and a berth in the ACC championship. The Tigers took advantage, beating SMU to guarantee a spot in the CFP field.

Texas missed out on a first-round bye, and a possible No. 1 seed, when it lost 22-19 in overtime to a Georgia team that lost starting quarterback Carson Beck in the SEC final. Texas moved to the SEC from the Big 12 this year.

The winner of this game faces Arizona State in the Peach Bowl in Atlanta.

Recent history

Clemson is back in the playoff for the first time since a six-year run from 2015-20. Coach Dabo Swinney, at the helm since 2008, guided the Tigers to the national title in 2016 and '18.

Texas has improved every year since Steve Sarkisian took over in 2021. Last year, the Longhorns lost to Washington in a national semifinal.

The quarterbacks

Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik was third in the nation with 33 touchdown passes against just five interceptions.

Texas junior Quinn Ewers is expected to declare for the NFL Draft and figures to be a top-five QB.

Other players to watch

Linebacker Barrett Carter and wide receiver Antonio Williams are the two all-ACC first team players for Clemson.

Texas left tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. is expected to be an early first-round pick next year. He won the Outland Trophy as the best interior lineman in college football.

BetMGM line

No. 9 Tennessee (10-2) at No. 8 Ohio State (10-2), Saturday, 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT

Tennessee was 3-1 against top-25 teams at the time this season, with the lone loss against Georgia. The Volunteers beat Alabama 24-17 in a game that likely ended up determining which of these teams would make it.

Ohio State appeared to be headed for a showdown with Oregon in the Big Ten final before a stunning loss at home against heavy underdog Michigan in the regular-season finale. The team's fourth loss in a row against its bitter rival nearly ended with a brawl after Michigan tried to plant its school flag at the centre of Ohio Stadium. While Ohio State says coach Ryan Day will return next year, he needs a big playoff run to relieve big-time local heat.

The winner of this game faces Oregon in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.

Recent history

Tennessee is in the playoff for the first time. Coach Josh Heupel guided the Volunteers to bowl games in his first three years, including wins in the Orange Bowl and Citrus Bowl the past two years.

Ohio State is in the playoff for the fourth time under Day since he took over in 2019, but he hasn't lifted the championship title yet.

The quarterbacks

Tennessee redshirt freshman Nico Iamaleava had a 19-5 TD-INT ratio. The six-foot-six native of Long Beach, Calif., threw four touchdown passes in each of his last two games.

Ohio State's Will Howard transferred from Kansas State after four seasons. He threw for a career-best 2,860 yards this season.

Players to watch

Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, a transfer from Alabama, anchors the top defence in the country. He's also a special-teams threat, having returned a punt 79 yards for a touchdown against Indiana.

Tennessee running back Dylan Sampson is eighth in the country in rushing this season.

BetMGM line