THE CFP ERA

A LOOK AT PREVIOUS SEMIFINAL MATCHUPS SINCE THE PLAYOFF’S INCEPTION IN 2014

2014 (season)

Oregon 5 9 , Florida State 2 0 : The Ducks overwhelmed Jameis Winston and the defending national champion Seminoles in a Rose Bowl beatdown.

Ohio State 4 2 , Alabama 3 5 : Behind third-string QB Cardale Jones and running back Ezekiel Elliott, the fourth-seeded Buckeyes stunned top-ranked Alabama in the Sugar Bowl.

2015

Clemson 3 7, Oklahoma 1 7 : Deshaun Watson rushed for 1 4 5 yards and a TD and threw for two scores in a rout of Baker Mayfield and the Sooners.

Alabama 3 8 , Michigan State 0 : Heisman winner Derrick Henry was held to 7 5 yards, but the Tide defense completely shut down the Spartans in an easy Cotton Bowl victory en route to the title.

2016

Alabama 2 4 , Washington 7 : Bo Scarbrough rushed for 1 8 0 yards and two scores as the Tide held off the upstart Huskies.

Clemson 3 1 , Ohio State 0 : Watson ran for a pair of scores and threw for 2 5 9 yards and a TD as Clemson turned a highly-touted matchup into a surprising laugher.

2017

Georgia 5 4 , Oklahoma 4 8 (OT): Sony Michel and Nick Chubb rushed for a combined 3 1 6 yards and five TDs in a Rose Bowl classic.

Alabama 2 4 , Clemson 6 : The Tide defense seized control in the third quarter, picking off a Tigers pass for an 1 8 -yard TD to help Alabama pull away from Kelly Bryant and Clemson.

2018

Clemson 3 0 , Notre Dame 3 : Freshman Trevor Lawrence threw for 3 2 7 yards and three touchdowns as the Tigers blasted the Irish in the Cotton Bowl.

Alabama 4 5 , Oklahoma 3 4 : Tua Tagovailoa won a classic QB duel with the Sooners’ Kyler Murray, throwing for

3 1 8 yards and four TDs in an Orange Bowl win.

2019

LSU63, Oklahoma 2 8 : Tigers QB Joe Burrow put on a show, throwing for 4 9 3 yards and seven TDs in an epic blowout of the Sooners.

Clemson 2 9 , Ohio State 2 3 : Lawrence led the Tigers back from a 16-0 deficit — including a late TD pass to Travis Etienne — to stun the second-seeded Buckeyes.

2020

Alabama 3 1 , Notre Dame 1 4 : Alabama WR DeVonta Smith, fresh off his Heisman win, had seven catches for 1 3 0 yards and three TDs in an easy win over the Irish.

Ohio State 49, Clemson 28: Justin Fields threw for 385 yards and six TDs to avenge a loss to Lawrence and the Tigers in a CFP semifinal the previous season.