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Staff Picks: Orange Bowl and Cotton Bowl matchups in College Football Playoff

imageby: Jack Veltri01/09/25jacktveltri
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Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (2) celebrates a touchdown catch with quarterback Will Howard (18) during the first half of the College Football Playoff quarterfinal against the Oregon Ducks at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. on Jan. 1, 2025. (© Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

While South Carolina’s season is over after finishing with a 9-4 record, the college football season still rolls on.

The College Football Playoff semifinal games will be played starting on Thursday between Notre Dame and Penn State in the Capital One Orange Bowl. Then on Friday, Ohio State will face Texas in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl.

Both games will kickoff at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN. The winner of each game will advance to the National Championship, which will be played on Monday, Jan. 20 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.

Before things get underway, the GamecockCentral and 107.5 The Game staffs shared their picks for these two matchups.

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Notre Dame vs. Penn State (Orange Bowl)Ohio State vs. Texas (Cotton Bowl)
George Bagwell (82-70)Notre DameOhio State
Peyton Butt (83-69)Notre DameOhio State
Elijah Campbell (99-53)Notre DameOhio State
Chris Clark (87-65)Notre DameOhio State
Terry Ford (107-45)Notre DameOhio State
Griffin Goodwyn (105-47)Notre DameOhio State
Tyler Head (92-60)Notre DameOhio State
Wes Mitchell (98-54)Notre DameOhio State
Jay Philips (101-51)Notre DameOhio State
Kendall Smith (88-64)Notre DameOhio State
Mike Uva (99-53)Notre DameOhio State
Jack Veltri (106-46)Notre DameOhio State
Chris Wellbaum (87-65)Notre DameOhio State
Kevin Miller (77-30)Notre DameOhio State

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