The inaugural 12-team School Soccer Playoff welcomed extra groups into the search for the nationwide championship, and the brand new format has separated the pretenders from the contenders.
Six-seed Penn State was a type of contenders that despatched ACC runner-up SMU (11-seed) packing in a 38-10 thumping.
Listed below are some takeaways from what was largely a non-competitive matchup:
Penn State virtually superior to the CFP semifinals
Given how the bracket is laid out, Penn State advances to play the three-seed Boise State within the Fiesta Bowl. So, the Nittany Lions will play two groups that have been within the Group of 5 only a season in the past.
Boise State is an efficient crew, Mountain West champions at 12-1, however with the standard of play Penn State put forth in smothering SMU, the Broncos’ possibilities look slimmer than ever. The luck of the draw has given head coach James Franklin the simplest path to the CFP semifinals, which is not his fault, however that is the fact, and his crew ought to benefit from it.
The sport was boring however essential to weed out pretenders
Some followers could complain the first-round matchup, like Friday’s Indiana-Notre Dame recreation, was much less entertaining than earlier editions of the School Soccer Playoff. Nevertheless, regardless of the shortage of dramatics, this primary spherical was essential to shed the non-contenders from the sector.
SMU had a nasty day, particularly with quarterback Kevin Jennings throwing two first-half pick-sixes, and Penn State took benefit of that. Similar to within the NCAA basketball event, some early blowouts are to be anticipated.
Was SMU deserving of a spot within the CFP?
Talking of early-round blowouts, Saturday’s end result compounded on-line discourse over 9-3 Alabama’s exclusion from the 12-team subject. Nevertheless, SMU was fully deserving of a spot within the bracket at 11-2 as a result of it fought ACC champion Clemson to the final second and impressed all through the common season.
A 3-loss crew, no matter convention affiliation, continues to be a three-loss crew and never playoff-caliber. Regardless of the end result, SMU was a playoff crew and earned its solution to having an opportunity at advancing towards a nationwide title.
Penn State’s protection is nationwide championship-caliber
Even with a simple path, any crew that has to face the Nittany Lion protection needs to be very fearful. With the No. 6 defense in the FBS and a +4 turnover margin getting into Saturday, Penn State is a power to be reckoned with.
SMU discovered that the arduous approach with three interceptions and struggling mightily to maneuver the ball on offense. Solely mustering 10 factors (Penn State averages 16.4 allowed per recreation) was a transparent suffocation by the Nittany Lions, they usually’ll have their hardest take a look at but in opposition to Heisman Trophy finalist Ashton Jeanty and Boise State within the semifinals.
“I needed them to play aggressively,” Franklin said after the sport. “I needed Tom Allen and Andy Kotelnicki and Justin Lustig to name the sport aggressively. Don’t play in your heels, play in your toes.”
Residence-field benefit was a major issue Saturday and the appropriate determination within the CFP format
The gang at Beaver Stadium in Completely satisfied Valley was an enormous think about SMU’s failure to place up any form of a combat. Jennings clearly could not hear the play calls, placing his arms as much as his ears a number of instances, and that positively affected his execution.
Whereas the present CFP format could have its issues, beginning the event with 4 first-round video games hosted on-campus was one of the best determination made. Groups incomes home-field benefit ought to have that chance to dominate, and if the guests are true contenders, they’re going to discover a solution to overcome the adversity.
