CFP Quarterfinals Begin, Manning Back in Action + NBA NYE Slate Insights

OSU is the favorite to win the title again this year, with Indiana 2nd and UGA 3rd

In today’s newsletter…

1. Leading Off: College Football Playoff quarterfinals kick off

2. Game of the Day: Ohio State begins CFP title defense against Miami

3. By the Numbers: ACC champs in Sun Bowl, NBA’s strong NYE slate

4. Scouting Report: Manning is closing season strong

5. Overtime: Ranking the best rookies at each position in the NFL

1. Leading Off

The quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff kick off tonight with No. 2 Ohio State starting its national title defense against No. 10 Miami. The Hurricanes were the last team to make it into the playoff but looked like they deserved it, at least defensively, when they completely shut down No. 7 Texas A&M in the first round. The Buckeyes haven’t played since their 13-10 loss to No. 1 Indiana in the Big Ten championship on December 6th, which ended their 16-game winning streak. The three other quarterfinal matchups take place tomorrow.

Ohio State is back to being the sportsbooks’ favorite to take home the trophy (+195 at FanDuel). If the Buckeyes can win three games, they would give college football back-to-back champions for the second time in five seasons — Georgia won in 2021 and 2022. Prior to that, Alabama was the last team to win two in a row in 2011 and 2012.

After Ohio State, Indiana (+195) has the next-best odds, followed by Georgia (+500), Oregon (+700), and Texas Tech (+950). The three longshots are Alabama (+1700), Miami (+2000) and Ole Miss (+2200). We have a rundown of the OSU vs. Miami game after the jump.

— Abe Rakov

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2. Game of the Day

OSU Brings Nation’s Top Defense to Cotton Bowl, But UM Gave Up Just 8.8 Points Per Game Over Last 5

Texas A&M scored nearly 35 points a game before managing just a fourth-quarter field goal against Miami in the first round of the College Football Playoff. The Hurricanes’ next challenge is the defending national champion Buckeyes in the Cotton Bowl. Ohio State had scored 34+ in seven straight games before ending the season on a bit of an offensive slump in a win over Michigan and loss to Indiana.

The Buckeyes had the most dominant defense in the nation throughout the year, as they never game up more than 16 points and surrendered 10 or fewer in 11 of 13 games. Miami quarterback Carson Beck couldn’t do much against Texas A&M (14-20 for 103 yards), but in the three games prior he thew for nearly 293 yards per game and had 10 touchdowns to just one interception.

No. 10 Miami (11-2) vs. No. 2 Ohio State (12-1)
7:30pm on ESPN

The Odds

• Spread: MIA (+9.5, -110), OSU (-9.5, -110)

  • 68% of the money and 58% of the bets are with OSU

  • ATS | MIA: 8-5, OSU: 10-3

• Moneyline: MIA +280. OSU -350

• Total (41.5): Over -105, Under -115

  • MIA: 5-8, OSU: 4-9

Head-to-Head

Players to Watch

• OSU QB Julian Sayin | Pass Yards: 236.5 (255.6 - 258, 233, 157, 184, 303), Pass TD: 1.5 (2.4 - 1, 3, 2, 1, 1)

• OSU RB Bo Jackson | Rush Yards: 71.5 (86.3 - 83, 117, 110, 112, 75), Anytime TD: -115 (0.5 - 0, 0, 2, 1, 0)

• MIA QB Carson Beck | Pass Yards: 192.5 (244.2 - 103, 267, 320, 291, 247), Pass TD: 0.5 (2.0 - 1, 3, 4, 3, 1)

• MIA WR Malachi Toney | Rec Yards: 62.5 (76.3 - 22, 126, 146, 54, 12), Receptions: 6.5 (6.8 - 5, 13, 12, 5, 2), Anytime TD: +180 (0.8 - 1, 1, 1, 2, 0)

*Player stats are shown as: Today’s total (Season average - last 5 games from most recent to oldest)

3. By the Numbers

Texas vs. Michigan Highlights Non-CFP Bowls, Knicks vs. Spurs Tops NBA Slate

CFB

• No. 23 Iowa (8-4) vs. No. 14 Vanderbilt (10-2)

  • UI (+5.5, -115), VANDY (-5.5, -105): 56% of the money and 64% of the bets are with VANDY

    • ATS | UI: 9-3, VANDY: 10-2

  • Total (46.5) | UI: 5-7 (28.9 ppg), VANDY: 8-4 (39.4 ppg)

• Arizona State (8-4) vs. Duke (8-5)

  • ASU (+3.5, -118), DUKE (-3.5, -104): 67% of the money and 62% of the bets are with DUKE

    • ATS | ASU: 6-6, DUKE: 7-6

  • Total (49.5) | ASU: 4-8 (24.7 ppg), DUKE: 9-4 (34.0 ppg)

• No. 18 Michigan (9-3) vs. No. 13 Texas (9-3)

  • UM (+6.5, +100), UT (-6.5, -122): 82% of the money and 70% of the bets are with UT

    • ATS | UM: 4-8, UT: 4-8

  • Total (48.5) | UM: 6-6 (27.6 ppg), UT: 5-7 (29.6 ppg)

• Nebraska (7-5) vs. No. 15 Utah (10-2)

  • NEB (+14.5, -120), UTAH (-14.5, -102): 61% of the money and 53% of the bets are with UTAH

    • ATS | NEB: 4-7-1, UTAH: 8-4

  • Total (51.5) | NEB: 9-3 (29.3 ppg), UTAH: 8-4 (41.4 ppg)

NBA

• Warriors (17-16, 7-12 Away) vs. Hornets (11-21, 7-9 Home)

  • GS (-7, -108), CHA (+7, -112): 52% of the money is with CHA but 61% of the bets are with GS

    • ATS | GS (road): 8-11, CHA (home): 9-7

  • Total (233.5) | GS: 19-14 (115.1 ppg), CHA: 12-20 (115.5 ppg)

• Timberwolves (21-12, 9-6 Away) vs. Hawks (15-19, 5-11 Home)

  • MIN (-3.5, -110), ATL (+3.5, -110): 86% of the money and 73% of the bets are with MIN

    • ATS | MIN (road): 6-9, ATL (home): 5-11

  • Total (243.5) | MIN: 15-18 (119.3 ppg), ATL: 20-14 (119.1 ppg)

• Suns (19-13, 9-8 Away) vs. Cavaliers (18-16, 11-8 Home)

  • PHX (+6.5, -112), CLE (-6.5, -108): 73% of the money and 53% of the bets are with PHX

    • ATS | PHX (road): 11-6, CLE (home): 5-14

  • Total (236.5) | PHX: 14-18 (115.1 ppg), CLE: 16-18 (119.4 ppg)

• Knicks (23-9, 7-7 Away) vs. Spurs (23-9, 11-4 Home)

  • NYK (+1.5, -105), SA (-1.5, -115): 72% of the money and 61% of the bets are with SA

    • ATS | NYK (road): 3-11, SA (home): 9-5-1

  • Total (236.5) | NYK: 19-14 (120.8 ppg), SA: 16-17 (119.5 ppg)

• Nuggets (22-10, 12-5 Away) vs. Raptors (20-14, 10-7 Home)

  • DEN (+7, -110), TOR (-7, -110): 51% of the money is with TOR but 66% of the bets are with DEN

    • ATS | DEN (road): 9-8, TOR (home): 6-11

  • Total (225.5) | DEN: 22-10 (125.7 ppg), TOR: 13-21 (114.1 ppg)

• Trail Blazers (14-19, 7-10 Away) vs. Thunder (28-5, 16-1 Home)

  • POR (+15.5, -108), OKC (-15.5, -112): 75% of the money and 58% of the bets are with OKC

    • ATS | POR (road): 8-9, OKC (home): 10-7

  • Total (234.5) | POR: 19-14 (116.8 ppg), OKC: 17-16 (122.1 ppg)

4. Scouting Report

Duke’s Mensah Looks to End Season As He Started, Edwards Scored 33.3 Per Game for Wolves in Past 4

• Duke QB Darian Mensah (vs. Arizona State)

  • Pass Yards: 280.5 (196, 268, 175, 213, 222), Pass Attempts: 34.5 (25, 35, 33, 35, 31), Pass TD: 2.3 (2, 2, 1, 1, 3)

  • ASU - L1 (2-0 vs. AP Top 25) | Pass Yards Allowed: 225.7, Total Yards Allowed: 342.3, Points Allowed: 23.0

  • Notes: Mensah was one of the top quarterbacks in the country statistics-wise through October but slowed down toward the end of the season. He averaged over 322 passing yards per game through his first eight games but dropped to under 215 for the final five of Duke’s ACC championship run. With some time off to rest, Mensah could revert to his early form, where he threw 21 touchdowns to just two interceptions during that eight-game run.

• Texas QB Arch Manning (vs. No. 18 Michigan)

  • Pass Yards: 245.2 (179, 389, 251, 328, 346), Pass Attempts: 30.8 (29, 30, 43, 33, 46, 27), Pass TD: 2.0 (1, 4, 1, 3, 3), Rush Yards: 20.3 (53, 5, -17, 4, 6)

  • UM - L1 (0-2 vs. AP Top 25) | Pass Yards Allowed: 210.6, Total Yards Allowed: 312.3, Points Allowed: 18.7

  • Notes: Texas has lost four running backs to the transfer portal, including its leading rusher, so Manning could have a busy day while he’s in the game. After a slow start, Manning had a stellar second-half of the season, leading his team to a 6-1 record with wins over No. 3 Texas A&M, No. 6 Oklahoma and No. 9 Vanderbilt. During that seven-game stretch, he averaged 255.9 yards in the air and threw 13 touchdowns to just two interceptions.

• Timberwolves G Anthony Edwards (at Hawks)

  • Points: 29.1 (23, 28, 44, 38, 24), Reb: 5.0 (2, 7, 6, 2, 4), Ast: 3.7 (4, 2, 3, 2, 6)

  • ATL - L7 (2-8 L10) | Points Allowed: 120.6 (25th), Reb Allowed: 46.0 (25th), Ast Allowed: 27.9 (25th)

  • Notes: Since one of his worst shooting performances of the year five games ago (7-24 vs. Milwaukee), Edwards has averaged 33.3 points a game and shot over 55% from the field. The Hawks have given up an average of 133 points per game during their seven game losing streak. Atlanta allowed leading opposing scorers 39 and 36 points in its past two games.

*Player stats are shown as: Season average (last 5 games from most recent to oldest)

5. Overtime

In the News

• Browns linebacker Carson Schwesinger and Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan are the favorites for defensive and offensive rookie of the year in the NFL, but there were more first-year standouts. ESPN’s Ben Solak put together an all-rookie team with the top player at each position. It’s an impressive roster.

• There’s just one more regular season game to go in the NFL, at which point the coaching carousel will be in full swing. CBS Sports ranks potential new head coaches who haven’t had the top job before. The Titans and Giants currently have interim head coaches and will be in the market, the Cardinals’ Jonathan Gannon is down to a 15-35 record in three seasons and could be in trouble, and the Browns’ Kevin Stefanski, Dolphins’ Mike McDaniel, and Raiders’ first-year coach Pete Carroll are on most hot seat watch lists.

• Ohio state safety Caleb Downs is set to play in his sixth College Football Playoff game today. He was a freshman at Alabama when the Crimson Tide lost to Michigan during the Wolverines’ 2023 national championship run, and then played in all four games for the Buckeyes during their title-winning campaign last season.

• Northwestern football is on the rise or Chip Kelly is in rebuilding mode, depending on your perspective. The former Eagles, 49ers, Oregon, and UCLA head coach and Ohio State offensive coordinator, who was fired by the Raiders 11 games into his first season running their offense earlier this year, was named the Wildcats’ offensive coordinator. Northwestern scored 304 points this season, which was 12th in the Big Ten, and finished 7-6.

• A few days after Baylor announced the mid-season signing of a basketball player who was a previous second-round NBA Draft pick and played 51 professional games in EuroLeague, the NCAA attempted to clarify its rules: “The NCAA has not and will not grant eligibility to any prospective or returning student-athletes who have signed an NBA contract (including a two-way contract),” NCAA president Charlie Baker said in a statement. “While the NCAA has prevailed on the vast majority of eligibility-related lawsuits, recent outlier decisions enjoining the NCAA on a nationwide basis from enforcing rules that have been on the books for decades — without even having a trial — are wildly destabilizing.”

What to Watch (times ET)

• 12pm: No. 23 Iowa vs. No. 14 Vanderbilt [ReliaQuest Bowl] on ESPN

• 1pm: Warriors vs. Hornets on NBA TV

• 2pm: Arizona State vs. Duke [Sun Bowl] on CBS

• 3pm: No. 18 Michigan vs. No. 13 Texas [Citrus Bowl] on ABC

• 3:30pm: Nebraska vs. No. 15 Utah [Las Vegas Bowl] on ESPN (or Suns vs. Cavaliers on NBA TV)

• 5pm: No. 4 UConn vs. Xavier [MCBB] on Peacock

• 7:30pm: No. 10 Miami vs. No. 2 Ohio State [CFP Quarterfinal - Cotton Bowl] on ESPN

• 8pm: Trail Blazers vs. Thunder on NBA TV