After an thrilling, albeit underwhelming first spherical, the quarter-finals of the School Soccer Playoff are right here. On this spherical, the 4 highest-ranked convention champions enter the playoff. However would the Oregon Geese, Georgia Bulldogs, and Arizona State Solar Devils be capable of defeat their opponents?
Peach Bowl: Texas (#5) vs Arizona State (#4)
The quantity five-seeded Texas Longhorns simply defeated the Clemson Tigers within the first spherical. Their reward for the win was a Peach Bowl assembly with the quantity four-seeded Arizona State Solar Devils. The Solar Devils have stunned many in School Soccer this season, going from strugglers to Massive 12 Champions. That is largely as a result of Cam Skattebo’s work. Might he lead Arizona State to a shock victory?
The Solar Devils had the sport’s first possession and will get the primary factors from it. Ranging from their 25-yard line, the Arizona State offense, led by quarterback Sam Leavitt, might transfer right down to the Longhorns’ 22-yard line. Right here, they might stall, organising a 39-yard discipline objective try from kicker Carston Kieffer. He would make the kick, giving the Solar Devils the early lead.
However this lead solely lasted two performs. Longhorns’ quarterback Quinn Ewers moved the offense right down to the Solar Devils’ 23-yard line with one move. Then, he discovered DeAndre Moore for the landing move to present Texas the lead. The lead was prolonged quickly after. The Solar Devils subsequent drive ended with a punt. However, on this level, Silas Bolden returned the ball to the endzone.
Early within the second quarter, the Longhorns would prolong their lead. Ewers and firm slowly descended to the Solar Devils’ four-yard line. The offense stalled right here, however Burt Auburn made a 22-yard discipline objective at hand Texas three extra factors.
Arizona State did try so as to add some factors earlier than the half. Their offense stalled on the Longhorns’ 19-yard line, giving Kieffer a 36-yard discipline objective try, which was blocked.
This meant the Longhorns had a 17-3 lead over the Solar Devils at halftime.
Not a lot occurred within the third quarter of the sport, however one second would go down as a “turning level.” The Solar Devils went right down to the Longhorns’ two-yard line and did not convert a fourth-down try, giving Texas possession. Nonetheless, within the subsequent play, Ewers’ mistake led to a security, with two factors handed to the Solar Devils.
Arizona State would be capable of get extra factors on their subsequent drive. Leavitt introduced the offense right down to the Longhorns’ 19-yard line, the place the offense stalled. Kieffer would then achieve success with the 36-yard discipline objective.
The Longhorns would prolong their lead on the following drive. Ewers and firm might attain the Solar Devils’ five-yard line. Then, the Longhorns quarterback would scramble into the endzone for the landing.
In response, the Solar Devils would discover the endzone in a singular means. The group would make it right down to the Longhorns’42-yard line. Leavitt later handed it to Cam Skattebo, who would discover Malik McClain for the landing move. This made it a 12-point sport. Might a comeback be brewing?
The Longhorns made a mistake on their subsequent drive, with Ewers’s move being intercepted. This error would show expensive, and the Solar Devils would be capable of transfer right down to the Longhorns’ two-yard line. That is due to a 62-yard move from Leavitt to Skattebo. Skattebo discovered the endzone for the speeding landing down on the two-yard line. Arizona State then tried a two-point conversion and was profitable. This made it a tie sport.
Texas had a possibility to take the lead on their subsequent drive, which stalled on the Solar Devils’ 30-yard line. Right here, Auburn tried a 48-yard line, however the kick missed, maintaining the sport tied.
The same state of affairs was arrange on the ultimate drive of the sport. Texas made their means right down to the Arizona State 19-yard line, organising Auburn with a game-winning 38-yard discipline objective try. Auburn’s kick hit the posts, forcing extra time, one thing nobody would have predicted at halftime.
Arizona State had the primary possession of extra time and was pressured to have a vital fourth down try. They may convert this, and some performs later, Skattebo discovered the endzone for a three-yard speeding landing.
In response, Texas would hold the sport alive when Ewers discovered Golden for a 28-yard landing move on a fourth-down try. The Longhorns would rating on the next possession, with Ewers discovering Gunnar Helm for the TD after which a two-point conversion to stress the Solar Devils.
Arizona State needed to discover the endzone to remain within the sport. This didn’t occur, as Andrew Mukuba intercepted Leavitt’s move to present the Longhorns the win.
The Texas Longhorns had defeated the Arizona State Solar Devils 39-31.
To this point, a lot of the video games within the playoffs have been poor and one-sided. This has been among the best, and perhaps the sport of the season. Arizona State proved why they deserved their spot, and Cam Skattebo ought to have been a contender for the Heisman Trophy. Sadly, it was not meant to be for them.
For Texas, the win places them into the semi-finals. However who would they be taking part in?
Rose Bowl: Ohio State (#8) vs Oregon (#1)
The Rose Bowl is certainly one of, if not essentially the most prestigious sport in all of School Soccer. Nonetheless, I believe this sport could have misplaced its attract, being a quarter-final of the CFP. It ought to double up because the nationwide championship sport, because it has executed so many occasions. The 2025 version of the sport is an all-Massive Ten affair between the quantity one-seeded (and nonetheless undefeated) Oregon Geese and the quantity eight-seeded Ohio State Buckeyes. The Geese enter the playoff at this stage, whereas the Buckeyes closely defeated the Tennessee Volunteers of their first-round affair.
The Buckeyes had the sport’s opening drive and would be capable of get the opening factors from it. On a drive that began at their 25-yard line, the Buckeyes’ offense, led by quarterback Will Howard, made it right down to the Geese’ 45-yard line. Howard discovered Jeremiah Smith with a move that discovered the endzone to present Ohio State the early lead.
A number of drives later, the Buckeyes would add to their lead. From the Geese’ 42-yard line, Howard discovered Emeka Egbuka for the landing move to double their lead over the number-one-seeded group. This lead would change into even bigger on their subsequent drive when kicker Jayden Fielding discovered the uprights from a 46-yard discipline objective.
The Geese struggled within the first half, and their woes continued on the following drive from the Buckeyes. Ohio State discovered the endzone once more, with Howard discovering Smith for a 43-yard landing move. On their subsequent play, the endzone was once more discovered when TreVeyon Henderson scored a 66-yard speeding landing.
This gave Ohio State a 31-point lead over Oregon. On the following drive, the Buckeyes’ subsequent drive, Fielding kicked a 36-yard discipline objective, bringing the result in 34.
However, on the ultimate drive of the half, the Geese might lastly put some factors on the board. Ranging from their 25-yard line, the Geese offense, led by quarterback Dillon Gabriel, moved the ball right down to the Buckeyes’ five-yard line. Right here, Gabriel discovered Traeshon Holden for the landing move. Oregon then went for and was profitable with the two-point conversion try.
This meant that at halftime, the Buckeyes had a 34-8 lead over the Geese.
The Geese had the opening drive of the second half and would be capable of shut the hole on the Buckeyes slowly. Gabriel and firm moved the offense right down to the Ohio State two-yard line, the place Noah Whittington discovered the endzone for a speeding landing. Nonetheless, a couple of drives later, the Buckeyes might regain their already massive lead when Henderson discovered the endzone for an eight-yard speeding landing.
The sport’s remaining rating would come in the midst of the fourth quarter, when the Geese scored a comfort rating, with Gabriel discovering Holden with a 27-yard landing move. However this might not be sufficient to win.
On the finish of the sport, the Ohio State Buckeyes defeated the Oregon Geese 41-21.
On paper, this might have been a really shut sport. Nonetheless, this was something however. The month-long hole between video games for the Geese didn’t assist them, and the Buckeyes might give the Geese the identical tribute they gave the Volunteers a couple of weeks in the past.
The Buckeyes will face the Texas Longhorns within the Cotton Bowl with the win.
Fiesta Bowl: Penn State (#6) vs Boise State (#3)
The quantity three-seeded Boise State Broncos gained their spot within the CFP by being the highest-ranked “Group of 5” college. The principle motive is successful the Mountain West Convention and having Ashton Jeanty (who ought to have gained the Heisman Trophy). Nonetheless, as they’re one of many highest-ranked convention champions, they obtained a first-round bye and entered the CFP on this spherical. They confronted the quantity six seed, the Penn State Nittany Lions, within the Fiesta Bowl. Penn State dismantled SMU within the first spherical. Would they do the identical to Boise State?
The Broncos had the opening drive of the sport and would make an effort to get the sport’s first factors. Ranging from their 25-yard line, Broncos quarterback Maddux Madsen moved the offense right down to the Nittany Lions 28-yard line. They stalled right here, organising a 45-yard discipline objective try for kicker Jonah Dalmas. His kick was missed.
In response to this, Penn State was in a position to take the lead. Nittany Lions quarterback Drew Allar led his group right down to the Broncos’ 11-yard line. From right here, Allar discovered Tyler Warren for the landing move. The Nittany Lions would prolong their lead on their subsequent drive, with Allar discovering Omari Evams for a 38-yard landing move.
Good luck would proceed for Penn State as Jeanty fumbled the ball across the 50-yard line. The Nittany Lions scooped it up. Nonetheless, they might not have the ball for lengthy and rapidly punted it again to Boise State.
On this drive, the Broncos might lastly put factors on the board. Madsen and firm have been in a position to make their means right down to the Nittany Lions’ eight-yard line. Right here, Tyler Crowe discovered the endzone for the speeding landing.
After a collection of drives that went nowhere, Penn State might finish the half with some factors. The offense made its means right down to the Broncos’ 23-yard line, organising kicker Ryan Barker with a 40-yard discipline objective. He would make this.
Because of this the Nittany Lions had a 17-7 lead over the Broncos at halftime.
Boise State might get again into the sport with their first drive of the second half. Madsen introduced the offense right down to the Broncos’ 47-yard line. Right here, the quarterback discovered Matt Lauter for a 53-yard landing move, to make it a three-point sport.
Nonetheless, the Nittany Lions would instantly widen the lead when Allar discovered Warren for a 13-yard landing move. In response to this, the Broncos made a mistake. On their subsequent drive, Boise State slowly introduced the ball across the midfield. Then, Madsen threw an interception on the Nittany Lions’ 41-yard line. Fortunately for the group, Penn State couldn’t do something with the ball on the next drive.
With beneath 5 minutes to play within the fourth quarter, the Nittany Lions have been in a position to put the sport to mattress when Nicholas Singleton discovered the endzone for a 58-yard speeding landing.
Boise State had two extra drives on this sport, however each resulted in interceptions.
This meant that the Penn State Nittany Lions had defeated the Boise State Broncos 31-14.
That is one other “straightforward” win for the Nittany Lions. Boise State had an excellent common season and deserved to make the CFP. Nonetheless, they might not ship in a sport in opposition to a Energy 4 group. Jeanty underdelivered when in comparison with his earlier performances, speeding for 104 yards from 30 makes an attempt.
Penn State superior to the Semi-Finals, however who would they meet?
Sugar Bowl: Notre Dame (#7) vs Georgia (#2)
This 12 months’s Sugar Bowl was between the two-ranked Georgia Bulldogs and the seven-ranked Notre Dame Preventing Irish. It must be famous that this sport was delayed by a day because of the terror assault in New Orleans on New Yr’s Day. The Bulldogs have been with out quarterback Carson Beck as a result of his damage on the sphere. Would Gunner Stockton lead the SEC Champions to victory?
The Bulldogs had the sport’s first drive, and plenty of errors would occur. Stockton fumbled the ball twice on this drive however would be capable of get well the ball on each events. Nonetheless, the drive didn’t go wherever.
The subsequent drive started properly, with Stockton shifting right down to the Preventing Irish 16-yard line. However right here, one other mistake occurred. This time, working again Trevor Etienne fumbled the ball and misplaced possession.
Nonetheless, it could be the third time Georgia can be fortunate, as they might get the sport’s first factors. The drive stalled on the Notre Dame 23-yard line, organising a 41-yard discipline objective from kicker Peyton Woodring, which he would make.
However, as quickly because the Bulldogs might take the lead, they let it do. On the next drive from the Preventing Irish, Riley Leonard moved the offense right down to the Bulldogs’ 26-yard line, the place the drive would stall. This arrange a 44-yard discipline objective from kicker Mitch Jeter, which was profitable, tying the scores.
Close to the tip of the primary half, the Preventing Irish might take the lead within the sport by way of a 48-yard discipline objective from Jeter. In response, Stockton can be sacked and fumble the ball deep in his territory. Then, from the Bulldogs’ 13-yard line, Leonard discovered Beaux Collins for the landing move so as to add to their lead.
This meant that the Preventing Irish had a 13-3 lead over the Bulldogs at halftime.
Notre Dame would add to their lead on the primary play of the half, as Jayden Harrison would return the kickoff for a 98-yard landing.
The Bulldogs have been in a position to get themselves again into the sport a couple of drives later. The Georgia offense would go right down to the Preventing Irish’s 32-yard line. Right here, Stockton discovered Money Jones for the landing move.
Not quite a bit would occur in the remainder of the sport, with the Bulldogs trying a fourth down conversion on each drive remaining. They failed on all of those. Notre Dame scored a discipline objective from 47 yards out to cement their lead and win.
This meant the Notre Dame Preventing Irish defeated the Georgia Bulldogs 23-10.
This was not the very best sport, however Notre Dame took benefit of the rookie Bulldogs quarterback to seal a easy win. For Georgia, their loss implies that Texas is the one SEC group left within the playoff, and no convention champion has made the ultimate 4.
Notre Dame will face Penn State within the Orange Bowl with the win.
So, the quarterfinals, bar the Texas-Arizona State sport, have been much like the first-round video games—all blowouts. Let’s hope the semifinals will likely be nearer.
