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Opening betting lines for first-round CFP games released

Parker Gillam

By Parker Gillam

Published:

The first official 12-team playoff bracket was unveiled Sunday, and the betting lines for all the opening-round matchups were listed shortly after.

Here’s a look at the betting odds for all 4 first-round matchups, via Circa Sports:

  • Indiana at Notre Dame (-7.5)
  • SMU at Penn State (-8.5)
  • Clemson at Texas (-10)
  • Tennessee at Ohio State (-7)

Of the first round games, no matchup is projected to be closer than a touchdown.

Texas is the largest favorite of the opening round, as the fifth-seeded Longhorns are currently a 10-point favorite over No. 12 Clemson in Austin.

No. 6 Penn State follows UT up by being an 8.5-point favorite over No. 11 SMU in Happy Valley.

In an intra-state battle at South Bend, Notre Dame opens as a 7.5-point favorite over Indiana in a matchup of the No. 7 vs. the No. 10 seed.

Lastly, the battle in Columbus between No. 8 Ohio State and No. 9 Tennessee is the closest projected game of round one. The oddsmakers have the Volunteers as a 7-point underdog when they head into the Horseshoe.

The College Football Playoff will begin with the Fighting Irish taking on the Hoosiers on Dec. 20, with the other three matchups taking place on Dec. 21. Games will be broadcast by ABC, ESPN and TNT.

Parker Gillam