Championship weekend delivered a blockbuster befitting the first 12-team College Football Playoff.

It took overtime in Atlanta, but Georgia, despite two losses in the regular season, clinched the SEC by defeating Texas and earning a crucial first-round bye from the Longhorns, who will still host a quarterfinal against 12th-seeded Clemson.

Top-ranked Oregon and Penn State engaged in an offensive shootout in Indianapolis. But despite a late try from the Nittany Lions, the Ducks proved once again why they are both still undefeated and at the top of the college football world. Dan Lanning’s 13-0 team doesn’t just get a first-round bye — it will play in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1.

In the land of underdogs and surprises, Arizona State and Boise State made loud statements in their respective Big 12 and Mountain West championship games and received unlikely – but well-deserved – first-round byes. Who would have expected this four months ago? Not the Big 12 media, who predicted the Sun Devils would finish last in the conference.

And finally, in Charlotte, Dabo Swinney and Clemson (with an assist from Syracuse last week) resurrected their once-lost season, securing another conference championship and a playoff spot by beating SMU with a last-second field goal. The Mustangs had to sweat overnight, but in the end they found themselves – not Alabama, not Ole Miss, not South Carolina and not Miami – in the playoff field. Your reward? A trip to Happy Valley to face No. 6 Penn State.

After months of rankings, seedings and countless debates, we have a 12-team bracket that brings with it many tantalizing questions and intriguing possibilities.

Can Oregon finish at the top of the league at 16-0 and finally win the coveted national championship the program craves? A year after missing out on a playoff appearance, will Georgia once again emerge as the sport’s flagship? How far will Boise State and Arizona State’s Cinderella runs go? Is a sleeping giant like Notre Dame, Ohio State or Tennessee better positioned for a run after not having to compete for a conference championship? Or will the new format create more chaos and produce a semifinalist with double-digit seeds, perhaps even a known winner like Clemson?

Here are our complete picks for the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff.

Andrea Adelson

First round

Texas 28, Clemson 14
Ohio State 27, Tennessee 24
Penn State 24, SMU 23
Notre Dame 38, Indiana 17

Quarterfinals

Texas 33, Arizona State 30
Oregon 35, Ohio State 31
Penn State 38, Boise State 35
Notre Dame 23, Georgia 20

Semifinals

Texas 31, Oregon 30
Notre Dame 27, Penn State 24

National title game

Texas 31, Notre Dame 27

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Kyle Bonagura

First round

Texas 31, Clemson 21
Ohio State 28, Tennessee 24
Penn State 31, SMU 17
Indiana 31, Notre Dame 24

Quarterfinals

Oregon 35, Ohio State 28
Arizona State 31, Texas 28
Penn State 38, Boise State 24
Georgia 42, Indiana 38

Semifinals

Oregon 42, Arizona State 31
Georgia 28, Penn State 24

National title game

Oregon 31, Georgia 24

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Bill Connelly

First round

Texas 35, Clemson 16
Ohio State 17, Tennessee 10
Penn State 31, SMU 20
Notre Dame 24, Indiana 23

Quarterfinals

Oregon 28, Ohio State 21
Texas 31, Arizona State 17
Penn State 24, Boise State 20
Notre Dame 20, Georgia 16

Semifinals

Oregon 35, Texas 31
Notre Dame 23, Penn State 21

National title game

Oregon 28, Notre Dame 27

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David Hale

First round

Texas 45, Clemson 27
Ohio State 28, Tennessee 27
SMU 30, Penn State 28
Notre Dame 42, Indiana 10

Quarterfinals

Texas 34, Arizona State 21
Ohio State 32, Oregon 31
SMU 36, Boise State 33
Notre Dame 21, Georgia 20

Semifinals

Ohio State 27, Texas 24
Notre Dame 35, SMU 28

National title game

Ohio State 27, Notre Dame 24

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Eli Lederman

First round

Texas 41, Clemson 31
Ohio State 24, Tennessee 20
Penn State 31, SMU 28
Notre Dame 34, Indiana 17

Quarterfinals

Texas 30, Arizona State 13
Oregon 35, Ohio State 34
Boise State 28, Penn State 20
Notre Dame 24, Georgia 16

Semifinals

Oregon 24, Texas 20
Notre Dame 27, Boise State 17

National title game

Oregon 27, Notre Dame 24

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Chris Low

First round

Texas 31, Clemson 14
Ohio State 27, Tennessee 24
Penn State 35, SMU 21
Notre Dame 24, Indiana 20

Quarterfinals

Texas 34, Arizona State 24
Ohio State 30, Oregon 28
Boise State 28, Penn State 27
Georgia 24, Notre Dame 21

Semifinals

Ohio State 31, Texas 30
Georgia 34, Boise State 21

National title game

Georgia 28, Ohio State 23

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Max Olson

First round

Texas 31, Clemson 20
Ohio State 17, Tennessee 14
Penn State 41, SMU 35
Indiana 24, Notre Dame 21

Quarterfinals

Texas 27, Arizona State 17
Oregon 35, Ohio State 13
Penn State 31, Boise State 21
Georgia 27, Indiana 10

Semifinals

Oregon 37, Texas 31
Georgia 20, Penn State 17

National title game

Oregon 34, Georgia 27

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Adam Rittenberg

First round

Texas 24, Clemson 16
Ohio State 26, Tennessee 19
Penn State 34, SMU 23
Notre Dame 31, Indiana 21

Quarterfinals

Texas 33, Arizona State 20
Oregon 38, Ohio State 35
Penn State 35, Boise State 31
Notre Dame 19, Georgia 17

Semifinals

Oregon 31, Texas 21
Notre Dame 27, Penn State 26

National title game

Oregon 38, Notre Dame 27

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Mark Schlabach

First round

Texas 24, Clemson 20
Ohio State 28, Tennessee 17
Penn State 34, SMU 24
Notre Dame 35, Indiana 21

Quarterfinals

Arizona State 24, Texas 21
Oregon 38, Ohio State 31
Penn State 27, Boise State 24
Georgia 24, Notre Dame 21

Semifinals

Oregon 38, Arizona State 27
Georgia 27, Penn State 21

National title game

Oregon 24, Georgia 20

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Jake Trotter

First round

Texas 24, Clemson 12
Tennessee 21, Ohio State 20
Penn State 27, SMU 19
Notre Dame 31, Indiana 23

Quarterfinals

Arizona State 27, Texas 23
Oregon 35, Tennessee 28
Boise State 28, Penn State 27
Notre Dame 16, Georgia 14

Semifinals

Oregon 44, Arizona State 38
Notre Dame 20, Boise State 14

National title game

Oregon 30, Notre Dame 27

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Paolo Uggetti

First round

Texas 27, Clemson 14
Tennessee 27, Ohio State 24
Penn State 34, SMU 20
Notre Dame 28, Indiana 17

Quarterfinals

Arizona State 27, Texas 24
Oregon 34, Tennessee 21
Penn State 31, Boise State 27
Notre Dame 21, Georgia 17

Semifinals

Oregon 38, Arizona State 27
Notre Dame 24, Penn State 20

National title game

Oregon 31, Notre Dame 20

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Dave Wilson

First round

Texas 27, Clemson 17
Tennessee 34, Ohio State 31
Penn State 37, SMU 30
Notre Dame 24, Indiana 21

Quarterfinals

Texas 34, Arizona State 27
Oregon 30, Tennessee 24
Penn State 41, Boise State 24
Georgia 38, Notre Dame 27

Semifinals

Oregon 31, Texas 17
Georgia 28, Penn State 21

National title game

Oregon 28, Georgia 20