The College Football Playbook: The Quarterfinal Quagmire!

Leesl: Welcome back to the table! 🍻 If you followed our Round 1 picks, you know that things didn’t exactly go to plan for some of us. While Andy rode a 3-1 wave into the Quarterfinals, I’m currently licking my wounds after a 1-3 showing. Apparently, picking the matchups wasn’t the advantage I thought it was! 😅

Andy: It’s good to be the King, Leesl! 👑 Since I’m sitting pretty at the top of the standings, I’m setting the terms for Round 2. We’re upping the ante with a new high-stakes advantage: The Double Down.

Leesl: Tell them the catch, Andy… 🤠

Andy: Simple. I pick first for all four matchups, and Leesl has to pick the opposite. But, I’ve designated one game as my Double Down. If my team wins, I get 2 points. If they lose, I get 0 and Leesl steals both points.

Leesl: He’s playing with fire, and I’m ready to see him get burned. Let’s get to the picks! 🔥

🕒 New Year’s Eve Showdown

Cotton Bowl (Arlington, TX): No. 10 Miami (FL) vs. No. 2 Ohio State

Andy: I’m not messing around. I’m starting the week with my DOUBLE DOWN pick. 🎰 The defending National Champs are looking to repeat, and they have the roster to do it. Their only blemish was to undefeated Indiana, which proves they are elite. I have full faith the Buckeyes win this, giving me the bonus point I need to put this series out of reach! OHIO STATE (Double Down)

Leesl: Bold move, Andy! 😱 But the Hurricanes are on a mission to prove they belong back at the elite level of the U’s glory days. They looked incredible shutting down Texas A&M last week, and I have faith their defense can do the same to the Buckeyes. If Miami pulls the upset in my backyard, I’m taking those 2 points and running! 🙌🙌 MIAMI

🕒 New Year’s Day Triple Header

Orange Bowl (Miami, FL): No. 4 Texas Tech vs. No. 5 Oregon

Leesl: Finally, my Red Raiders are in the playoffs for the first time in school history! With a top-ranked defense and a high-powered offense, they have everything they need to win it all. Playing the Ducks is their biggest test yet, but I will always trust a Texas team to come through and get me a win. Guns Up! 🌵 TEXAS TECH

Andy: Tech better be ready, because Oregon is dangerous on both sides of the ball. They proved they belong with a dominant win over James Madison in Round 1. They are out to prove the Big 10 is the superior conference, and they’re tough to beat in any environment. Ducks take it. 🦆 OREGON

Rose Bowl (Pasadena, CA): No. 9 Alabama vs. No. 1 Indiana

Andy: Long considered a basketball school, the Hoosiers find themselves as the #1 seed for a reason. 🏀➡️🏈 Led by their Heisman-winning QB and a veteran coach, this team is terrifying. Bama better not fall behind early like they did against OU, because they won’t be able to miracle their way back against this IU squad. INDIANA

Leesl: You’re really betting against the Tide? 🌊 Bama is a perennial contender for a reason. Coming back from 17-0 on the road shows this team never quits. Indiana has had a fairytale season, but I’ll take the team that has been in this playoff pressure cooker a dozen times over the “newbie” any day. Roll Tide! 🐘 ALABAMA

Sugar Bowl (New Orleans, LA): No. 6 Ole Miss vs. No. 3 Georgia

Leesl: The SEC Champs are on a 9-game winning streak, and that includes a double-digit win over Ole Miss back in October. 🐶 Georgia is solid across the board and they’re out to show they’re the best team from the best conference. They’ll handle the Rebels again. GEORGIA

Andy: This team is on a mission to prove they can win without Lane Kiffin, and that blowout over Tulane showed they aren’t distracted. 🦈 This is a revenge game for the Rebels, and playing in New Orleans is practically a home game for them. They will beat the Dawgs! OLE MISS

The Playoff Leaderboard

Round	Leesl	Andy
Round 1	1-3	3-1
Quarterfinals	0-0	0-0
Semifinals
National final
Total score	1	3

Leesl: Andy has put his lead on the line with a Buckeye Double Down, and I’m ready to pounce on any mistakes. 🐯

Andy: We’ll see who’s cheering when the clock hits zero on New Year’s Night. 🍻

Happy New Year, everyone! Grab a cold one and meet us back here to see who survives the Quarterfinals! 🥂✨