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The College Football Playoff quarterfinals are upon us and the 12-team event has moved from on-campus locations to traditional bowl sites. We will see four teams that earned byes last week, including third-seed and Mountain West Conference champion Boise State, as well as fourth-seed and Big 12 Champion Arizona State.

Are there upsets in the mix? Both of those teams are heavy underdogs against Penn State and Texas, respectively. Thus, oddsmakers seem to think that the blowouts that dotted the CFP last week could be in the mix again. 

Will that be the case? Here are Outkick writers Trey Wallace and Barrett Sallee’s picks for the second round of the tournament.

Trey: 46-18 straight up, 31-33 against the spread

Barrett: 46-18 straight up, 34-30 against the spread

Boise State vs. Penn State (-11)

WALLACE: This one is going to be closer than Vegas thinks, especially if Ashton Jeanty gets things rolling on the ground. We’ve seen the Boise State offense be explosive this season, but relied on Jeanty to carry the load way too many times. The Broncos are going to have to spread it out down the field to beat Penn State. As for James Franklin and the Nittany Lions, this one comes down to Drew Allar having enough time in the pocket to hit his receivers, which I think he will against this Boise State defense. 

At the end of the day, I think Penn State wins the game, but doesn’t cover the spread thanks to a late Broncos touchdown. The Nittany Lions move on to the semifinals. 

SALLEE: Expect Penn State to put 45 men in the box against Boise State and basically say “Ashton Jeanty, you aren’t going to be the one who beats us.” It’ll work. The Penn State defense will keep the Heisman Trophy runner-up relatively in check, Allar will do enough through the air and the Nittany Lions rushing attack will do its part to keep Jeanty on the sideline. Take the Nittany Lions to win … and cover.

Arizona State vs. Texas (-13)

WALLACE: If we get the Quinn Ewers that has shined at times this season, it will be interesting to see if Arizona State can keep up. How is Longhorns receiver Isaiah Bond? Can he go for a full game with that ankle? This will be a massive test for Kenny Dillingham’s offense, led by RB Cam Skattebo and QB Sam Leavitt, who have the ability to cause problems for opposing defenses. My concern is the Sun Devils getting too one-dimensional against Texas, and the Longhorns making them pay with a few forced turnovers. 

This will be another close game, and I expect Arch Manning to see the field a few times on Wednesday. I’m going with Texas to win, but not cover the spread. 

SALLEE: The Longhorns shouldn’t take the Sun Devils lightly, because running back Cam Skattebo is fully capable of having success even against the best defenses in the country. His ability to consistently move the chains will keep Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers and the rest of the offense on the sideline. Limited possessions = Sun Devils cover. However, the two-headed monstrous rushing attack that the Longhorns boast will wear down the Sun Devils late as they squeak out a close (ish) win.

Oregon vs. Ohio State (-2.5)

WALLACE: Here we go, the rematch between the Buckeyes and Ducks that sent us on a rollercoster ride in September. While the Oregon offense has been consistent all season, I’m curious to see how they will defend the Ohio State offense, especially if we see the same type of play from WR Jeremiah Smith down the field. I watched this Buckeyes offense knock Tennessee out in the first quarter with big plays down the field, thanks to Will Howard, and if we see the same type of game plan, watch out. Dillon Gabriel will get his against the Buckeyes, but I don’t think it’s enough. 

Ohio State wins the rematch, covers the spread and heads to the semifinals. 

Ohio state defeats Tennessee in College Football Playoff

Jack Sawyer celebrates during the second quarter against the Tennessee Volunteers in the first round of the 2024 College Football Playoff.  Jason Miller / Getty Images

SALLEE:The Buckeyes made a massive statement in their first-round win over Tennessee, but it will be much harder on Wednesday against a Ducks team that is much more balanced on offense. However, this will be won or lost in the trenches, and the Ducks’ fast and physical defensive front will expose the Buckeyes offensive line and create more empty possessions than anticipated. Give me the Ducks straight up in the slight upset.

Notre Dame vs. Georgia (-1.5)

WALLACE: This is the game I’m most fasciated by, with Georgia having backup quarterback Gunner Stockton going against this Notre Dame defense. Without much to go on, besides the second half of the SEC Championship, it will be interesting to see how much the Bulldogs let Stockton sling it with a wide receiver core that hasn’t been playing at its finest. The ‘X Factor’ is Irish QB Riley Leonard, who has been fantastic in the second half of the 2024 season. If he gets time in the pocket to find his guys down the field, I don’t know if the Bulldogs can keep up in a shootout. 

I think it benefited Notre Dame by playing in the opening round, and they will take that momentum to New Orleans and beat Georgia. 

SALLEE: Bulldogs backup quarterback Gunner Stockton has been the focal point of the discussion leading into the Sugar Bowl, but he won’t be the reason Georgia wins or loses this game. Its rushing attack is the biggest factor, and it will have a hard time against a Fighting Irish defense that has proven time and time again that it doesn’t break even if it bends like a pretzel. The combo of quarterback Riley Leonard and running back Jeremiyah Love will wear down the Bulldogs front seven en route to an ugly, old-school win.

There you have it, our predictions for the College Football Playoff quarterfinals.

Let me know what you think: Trey.Wallace@OutKick.com