Carla and Crappy Show: The 2024-25 Quarterfinal Edition

We’ve reached the time of the year when, as the meme suggests, “we don’t know what day it is, what we should be doing, and we’re full of cheese.” While that list is nearly perfect, it doesn’t include that you can turn on your TV at almost any time and find a college football bowl game to watch.

 

Hi, friends. We hope you’re enjoying your holiday and Bowlapalooza seasons and basking in their glory. AJ, Carla, and Crappy certainly have been, and there’s even more consequential football in the next several days that require additional discussion, even if we’re all distracted by the Holiday Bowl.

We begin with a recap of the good and ridiculous stuff that we’ve seen thus far in bowl games, including the incredible FCS semifinals, bowl games that got unexpectedly chippy, and a quote for the ages from Northern Illinois head coach Thomas Hammock at the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.

We also look back at the first-round games of the College Football Playoff and dip our toes into the discourse on the lopsided openers and the validity of the playoff format and seedings. (Spoiler alert: Yes, SMU and Indiana deserved to be there.)

And then, before digging into the playoff quarterfinal games, we take a brief look at the lead-in bowl games on New Year’s Eve:

ReliaQuest Bowl: No. 11 Alabama vs. Michigan (Noon ET Tuesday, ESPN): Even Crappy is pulling for the B1G in this one because, no, Bama didn’t deserve a playoff spot. We’re sorry. (Not really.)

Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl: Louisville vs. Washington (2 ET Tuesday, CBS): It’s second only to the Rose Bowl in aesthetics and should be a good game to boot. (Also, shout out to the 2008 Sun Bowl.)

Cheez-It Citrus Bowl: No. 15 South Carolina vs. No. 20 Illinois (3 ET Tuesday, ABC): We covered this game during Bowlapalooza, but have your snacking crackers at the ready.

Kinder’s Texas Bowl: Baylor vs. LSU (3:30 ET Tuesday, ESPN): This should be points on points on points on … well, you get the idea.

With the frivolity behind us, it’s time to get down to it. The field of eight will be narrowed to four in the … New Year’s Four bowls? (Is that what we’re calling them now?)

Vrbo Fiesta Bowl: No. 6 Penn State vs. No. 3 Boise State (7:30 ET Tuesday, ESPN): The Nittany Lions went beast mode defensively in the first round. They will need that kind of effort again – without the help of the comfy confines of Beaver Stadium – to slow down Ashton Jeanty and the Boise offensive attack.

Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl: No. 5 Texas vs. No. 4 Arizona State (1 ET Wednesday, ESPN): Cam Skattebo is a delight … unless you’re trying to defend him. We’re all still somewhat confused about Texas. Which version of the Horns will we get here? And will they be good enough to shut down the Sun Devils?

Rose Bowl Presented by Prudential: No. 8 Ohio State vs. No. 1 Oregon (5 ET Wednesday, ESPN): Oregon is fast and talented on offense, but if Ohio State can put together the same effort on both sides of the ball as it did against Tennessee in the first round, this rematch could play out differently than it did on October 12.

Allstate Sugar Bowl: No. 7 Notre Dame vs. No. 2 Georgia (8:45 ET Wednesday, ESPN): No Carson Beck for Georgia. No Rylie Mills for Notre Dame. This game