A Look Back: The 7 Most Memorable CFP Playoff Games in History

A classic overtime clash between Texas and Arizona State in the most recent College Football Playoffs led to a look back at some of the most compelling games in the competition’s history. Both semifinals are also among the top CFP games.

The CFP expanded from four to 12 teams, with the first 12-team playoff in 2024. Ohio State defeated Notre Dame 34-23 in the national championship game.

Let’s look at the seven best College Football Playoff games.

Top College Football Playoff Games

7. Jan. 10, 2025: Ohio State 28, Texas 14

Don’t be fooled by the two-score final. Texas was a yard away from tying the game when the Longhorns called for a slow-developing sweep rather than powering their way into the end zone. It proved costly as two plays later, Ohio State linebacker Jack Sawyer had a sack that he turned into the game-clinching touchdown.

The teams were pretty evenly matched, so the final mistake of the game decided the Cotton Bowl, with Ohio State moving a game away from winning the national title.

6. Jan. 9, 2025: Notre Dame 27, Penn State 24

Penn State will be left wondering what might have been after squandering an early 10-point lead in a loss to Notre Dame in the semifinals of the College Football Playoff.

Drew Allar’s interception just two plays after Notre Dame tied the game set the stage for Mitch Jeter’s go-ahead field goal with seven seconds left to give the Fighting Irish the 27-24 victory.

The loss overshadowed Penn State running back Nicholas Singleton’s three-touchdown game as the Fighting Irish advanced to face Ohio State with the national title at stake.

5. Jan. 1, 2025: Texas 39, Arizona State 31 (OT)

Texas was expected to have little problem with Big 12 champion Arizona State. However, ASU running back Cam Skattebo’s game-for-ages performance turned this into a classic, as the Sun Devils hung around despite being a 13.5-point underdog.

Texas led 17-3 at halftime and was up 24-8 midway through the fourth quarter. Skattebo threw a touchdown pass, had a scoring run, and added a two-point conversion to tie the game.

Skattebo had another scoring run in overtime before a pair of Quinn Ewers touchdowns gave Texas the 39-31 win in a game that will be remembered as one of the best games in College Football Playoff history.

Arizona State outgained Texas 510-375, with Skattebo accounting for 284 of those yards.

Matthew Golden led Texas with 149 yards on seven catches.

4. Dec. 31, 2022 Georgia 42, Ohio State 41

The excitement in the College Football Playoffs following the 2022 season came in the semifinals when upstart TCU defeated Michigan 51-45 in the Fiesta Bowl. The Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta was the site of another game worthy of being a CFP semifinal clash.

C.J. Stroud and Marvin Harrison Jr. took the field for Ohio State, while Brock Bowers and Stetson Bennett were among the stars for Georgia. Bennett threw for 398 yards and three touchdowns, while Stroud had 348 yards and four touchdown passes.

Georgia trailed by 14 points heading into the fourth quarter, and the only time the Bulldogs led in the second half came when Bennett connected with Adonai Mitchell on a 10-yard TD pass with 54 seconds left. The extra point by Jack Podlesny gave Georgia the 42-41 lead.

3. Jan. 1, 2018: Georgia 54, Oklahoma 48 (OT)

If the 2018 Rose Bowl was for the national title, it would be No. 1 on this list as Georgia and Oklahoma put on a show in one of the best CFP games.

It took a 27-yard touchdown run by Georgia’s Sony Michel to give Georgia the 54-48 overtime victory in one of the most exhilarating college football games in recent memory.

Michel had 181 yards on 11 carries with three touchdowns, while Nick Chubb had 145 yards and two scores.

Oklahoma countered with Rodney Anderson and his 201 rushing yards, while Baker Mayfield had nearly 300 passing yards with Hollywood Brown, CeeDee Lamb, and Mark Andrews among his pass catchers.

2. Jan. 8, 2018: Alabama 26, Georgia 23 (OT)

Even though the teams didn’t usually meet until the SEC championship game, there is something special about a pair of conference rivals battling it out for the national title.

Alabama head coach Nick Saban benched starting quarterback Jalen Hurts early in this college playoff game and turned to talented but untested freshman Tua Tagovailoa.

The best of his throws was a 26-yard TD pass to DeVonta Smith after Georgia settled for a field goal on its overtime drive as the Crimson Tide won the title.

Alabama’s defense held Chubb to 25 yards on 18 carries, and receiver Mecole Hardman scored Georgia’s only rushing touchdown.

1. Jan. 9, 2017: Clemson 35, Alabama 31

The number of future NFL players on the field when Clemson and Alabama met with the national title on the line was staggering. When looking at the overall CFP history, it is hard to top this game.

Future NFL quarterbacks were involved. Alabama’s Jalen Hurts and Clemson’s Deshaun Watson traded big plays in a classic showdown.

Watson’s late touchdown pass to Hunter Renfrow lifted Clemson to the 35-31 win and the national title after Alabama won 45-40 in the championship game 12 months earlier.

Watson threw for 420 yards and three touchdowns as Clemson erased an early 14-point deficit. His TD with Renfrow came with one second left after a 30-yard scoring run by Alabama put the Crimson Tide in front.

Clemson was listed as a 6.5-point underdog in the game while the game landed over the 51-point total with 4:38 left to play.