College Football Playoff kicks off with Penn State facing SMU and other key matchups

The College Football Playoff has expanded to 12 teams this season, allowing for first-round games to be hosted on campus. The playoffs began Friday with Notre Dame defeating Indiana. Saturday's matchups include Penn State vs. SMU, Texas vs. Clemson, and Ohio State vs. Tennessee. Penn State is favored by 8 points against SMU, which has a strong offense. Texas is a 13.5-point favorite over Clemson, while Ohio State is favored by 7 points against Tennessee. Each game features teams with notable strengths and recent performances. Fanatics Sportsbook is offering a welcome bonus of up to $1,000 in "No Sweat Bets" over 10 days. This differs from typical promotions by providing daily bet insurance rather than a single bonus. Users can earn bonus bets based on their first wager each day.