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Mike Marteny ranks all 22 College Football Playoff games since the playoffs expanded in 2014. Which games were the best semifinal games in CFP history?
Last week, we did a rundown of the best player performances in the College Football Playoff. With the CFP semifinals coming up this week, we're going to take another stroll down memory lane and rank all 22 of the CFP semifinal games. Since the introduction of a four-team playoff in 2014, there has been some high drama in these semifinal games. There have also been some clunkers. It's not a Group of 5 problem. It's just that sometimes there is a clear top team, and a playoff is almost redundant some years.
That will go away as the CFP continues to expand. We won't always get the best four teams in the semifinals. One can argue that we don't even have it this year. With the top eight seeds over the last two years of the expanded playoff going 1-7 in their first CFP games, it's likely that we don't get the four best teams.
Let's go back to when the CFP was the right size, and we usually got the four best teams.
No. 22 - (2) Alabama vs. (3) Michigan State, 2015
We are 11 days away from Alabama Football!
Here’s an 11-yard TD run by King Henry vs Michigan State in the 2015 Cotton Bowl pic.twitter.com/JRfEUTRtNk
— Cruz Oxenreider (@TheRealCruzOx) August 19, 2025
That run by Derrick Henry, fortunately, ended the scoring in this famous blowout. Michigan State seemed like the team of destiny in 2015. They beat defending National Champs, Ohio State, with starting QB Connor Cook injured. They beat Michigan on a blocked punt returned for a touchdown on the last play of the game.
It's hard to say that Michigan State didn't belong in this game because they earned the berth, but in just the second year of the expanded playoff, the two best teams in college football that year were very clear. We didn't need four teams in 2015.
Alabama picked off Cook twice in this game. Michigan State's longest run was just 14 yards. The Spartans notched 29 rushing yards on 26 carries. The passing game wasn't any better. This was complete domination by Alabama's defense.
On the other side of the ball, Jake Coker completed 25 of his 30 passes for 286 yards and a pair of touchdowns, both to Calvin Ridley. Henry ran for two more touchdowns. Cyrus Jones intercepted a pass and returned a punt for a touchdown.
No. 21 - (1) LSU vs. (4) Oklahoma, 2019
.@JoeyB gave us the most dominant QB performance we've ever seen in the @CFBPlayoff 🔥
29/39
514 TOT YDS
8 TOT TDs(via @espn) pic.twitter.com/iq8XWnZCRE
— The Checkdown (@thecheckdown) December 27, 2022
It would be easy to call this the worst. Joe Burrow threw seven touchdown passes in the first half of this game. It was 49-14 at halftime. Hey, Oklahoma scored one touchdown per quarter. Consistency is good. That defense was not.
LSU survived an injury to Clyde Edwards-Helaire thanks to Burrow's destruction of the Sooners in the first half. Justin Jefferson caught four touchdowns in the first 20 minutes of this game, finishing with 227 receiving yards on 14 receptions.
Jalen Hurts was the only somewhat bright spot for Oklahoma. He didn't throw a touchdown and completed less than half of his passes, but he did lead the Sooners in rushing with 43 yards and ran for two scores.
It was that kind of game for Oklahoma. John Emery Jr. scored the only non-Burrow touchdown for LSU. I really think the Tigers could have scored 100 points in this game if they wanted to.
No. 20 - (2) Oregon vs. (3) Florida State, 2014
2014 Oregon was special 🔥
• 13-2
• Pac-12 Champions
• Heisman Winner
• Averaged 45.4 PPG (#4)
• #10 Passing Offense
• #22 Rushing Offense
• #3 Total Offense
• Defeated FSU 59-20 in the first CFP game ever played pic.twitter.com/8nNFkQENWE— College Football Report (@CFBReport) June 22, 2023
The first CFP game ever played was one of the worst. Oregon's 39-point win is still the biggest blowout in CFP history (NOT a Group of 5 team). Heisman winner Marcus Mariota threw for 338 yards and two touchdowns. He also had 62 rushing yards and another touchdown.
The Oregon offense racked up 301 rushing yards and scored five touchdowns on the ground. Thomas Tyner ran for 124 yards on just 13 carries for his pair of touchdowns (with no run longer than 23 yards!). Royce Freeman scored a pair of touchdowns.
Darren Carrington caught seven passes for 165 yards and both of Mariota's touchdown passes. Jameis Winston threw for 348 yards in a losing effort.
This was a close game until Oregon scored on five straight possessions in the second half. Florida State turned it over on four consecutive drives (two fumbles by Dalvin Cook; a fumble and an interception by Winston) in this span. Every Oregon touchdown in that run was over 20 yards.
No. 19 - (2) Clemson vs. (3) Ohio State, 2016
Every CFP Game since 2014
Clemson vs OSU (2016)• The Big Ten was shutout in B2B Playoffs, losing by a combined score of 69-0 (2015 & 2016) pic.twitter.com/29K6m7Gjm4
— College Football Report (@CFBReport) June 19, 2023
This wasn't one of Deshaun Watson's better CFP games, as he was picked off twice. However, he did throw for 259 yards and a touchdown. He ran for 57 yards and scored twice on the ground.
Wayne Gallman's 2016 CFP was a good one. He ran for 85 yards and a touchdown in the semifinal before a big game in the final. Clemson's defense dominated J.T. Barrett in this one. He was picked off twice and only threw for 127 yards on 33 attempts.
The Buckeyes had no success on the ground either. They gained just 88 yards on 23 carries.
No. 18 - (2) Clemson vs. (3) Notre Dame, 2018
The 🐅 held Notre Dame to its fewest points in a bowl game in its history en route to winning the @CottonBowlGame#CFBPlayoff | #ALLIN pic.twitter.com/aS3zN4NYeW
— Clemson Football (@ClemsonFB) December 30, 2018
Freshman phenom Trevor Lawrence -- Clemson's highest-rated recruit in history -- lived up to his potential. He opened the 2018 CFP with 327 passing yards and three touchdowns against Notre Dame, handing the Irish arguably the worst bowl loss in their history.
Travis Etienne Jr. added another touchdown in this one. Justyn Ross went for 148 yards and two touchdowns on just six receptions, setting up another Clemson-Alabama clash in the CFP for the third consecutive year.
Ian Book completed just half of his 34 passes for 160 yards and an interception. The run game got no traction, with the longest carry of the game being 11 yards. The Clemson teams with Watson were really good, but this may have been Clemson's most complete team.
No. 17 - (1) Alabama vs. (4) Cincinnati, 2021
Alabama vs Cincinnati in 2021 College Football Playoffs 🔥 pic.twitter.com/4vfXd7zFS6
— Alabama DieHards (@DiehardsAlabama) July 22, 2024
Cincinnati did the impossible. Not only did a non-Power 5 school make the College Football Playoff, but they did it without controversy. After all, Notre Dame's only loss of the season was to this Cincinnati team.
The good story ended there for Cincinnati. Bryce Young threw three touchdown passes for Alabama. Brian Robinson Jr. ran wild for 204 yards, even though he didn't find the end zone.
Desmond Ridder capped off his great regular season by being held to just 144 passing yards by the Alabama defense. Cincinnati didn't turn the ball over, but its offense was never a threat against Alabama.
No. 16 - (2) Clemson vs. (3) Ohio State, 2020
5 Years later and this is still one of the best performances I’ve ever seen.
Justin Fields rematch game vs Clemson:
22/28
427 Total Yards
6 Touchdowns. pic.twitter.com/HMWI3Pf51L— College Football Report (@CFBReport) January 2, 2026
If it weren't for Nebraska, the Big Ten wouldn't have even played football in 2020. We would have missed out on this defining moment of the college career of Justin Fields.
This is the game that effectively ended the Clemson dynasty. Lawrence threw for 400 yards in his final college game with two touchdowns and an interception. He also lost a fumble. It wasn't enough to keep up with Fields and the Buckeyes.
Chris Olave had six receptions for 132 yards. Clemson's Cornell Powell has eight receptions for 139 yards and two scores. Trey Sermon was free of the Master Teague handcuff in this game and turned in one for the ages. In his best college game, Sermon ran 31 times for 193 yards and a score.
No. 15 - (1) Alabama vs. (4) Notre Dame, 2020
Nick Saban Alabama Win #168/206
#1 Alabama vs #4 Notre Dame
College Football Semifinals - Rose Bowl
January 1st, 2021 pic.twitter.com/w7Rhn53t0D— Cruz Oxenreider (@TheRealCruzOx) July 24, 2024
The Rose Bowl was played at Jerry World due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It didn't matter where the game was. Alabama was by far the better team. Mac Jones threw for 297 yards and four touchdowns. Najee Harris ran for 125 yards on only 15 carries. DeVonta Smith caught seven passes for 130 yards and three touchdowns.
Book had another lackluster CFP game. He threw for 229 yards, but didn't find the end zone and was picked off once. He did pick up a touchdown on the ground.
No. 14 - (1) Clemson vs. (4) Oklahoma, 2015
37 days
December 31, 2015: In the first trip to the College Football Playoff in school history, Deshaun Watson, Wayne Gallman, and a stifling Clemson defense led the Tigers to a 37-17 win over Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl to punch their tcket to the CFP National Championship. pic.twitter.com/b7lYyPbYMG— Austin Pendergist (@apthirteen) July 30, 2021
We covered the end of the Clemson dynasty. This was the beginning of it. Clemson picked off Baker Mayfield twice at critical times. They held Samaje Perine to 58 yards on 19 carries.
Watson had a pedestrian day passing the ball with only 187 yards on 16-of-31 passing, but he ran 24 times for 145 yards. Gallman shredded the Oklahoma defense for 150 yards and two touchdowns. Clemson controlled the game on the ground in the second half to get a chance at their first championship since 1981.
No. 13 - (2) Michigan vs. (3) Georgia, 2021
Rewatching Georgia vs Michigan 2021 defense was so unfair. #GoDawgs pic.twitter.com/IUiwib4UVt
— Top Tier Georgia (@TopTierUGA) January 5, 2026
Stetson Bennett IV had one of the better games of his Georgia career in this one, throwing for 313 yards and three touchdowns. James Cook III really caught the eye of NFL scouts in this game. The running back only ran for 32 yards, but he had 112 receiving yards on four catches.
The Georgia defense made Cade McNamara look so bad that Jim Harbaugh turned to backup J.J. McCarthy for a spark. It worked, as Michigan finally got a touchdown in the fourth quarter.
Derion Kendrick picked off McNamara twice in the first half of this game. Georgia's defensive dominance was the real story, even though the offense also contributed significantly.
No. 12 - (1) Clemson vs. (4) Alabama, 2017
We are 18 days away from Alabama Football!
Here’s an 18-yard N.O.T. by Mack Wilson vs Clemson in the Sugar Bowl pic.twitter.com/grvV7RfpEZ
— Cruz Oxenreider (@TheRealCruzOx) August 12, 2025
Clemson and Alabama had some big games in the CFP at the end of the 2010s. This was one of them. Clemson, despite losing Watson to the NFL, was back as the top seed after winning the title in 2016. Alabama was not impressed.
Kelly Bryant was picked off twice, the one in the clip above sealing the game for the Tide. Clemson was held to just 64 rushing yards on 33 carries.
Clemson's defense played well enough, but two touchdown passes by Hurts helped Alabama get and keep the lead. A workmanlike running performance by Damien Harris (77 yards on 19 carries) helped keep the ball away from Clemson.
No. 11 - (1) Alabama vs. (4) Washington, 2016
An amazing run by Bo Scarborough: https://t.co/5jNgYzKc4O pic.twitter.com/84CNuNBjUn
— SB Nation (@SBNation) December 31, 2016
Bo Scarbrough etched his name into Alabama history. He scored the first and last touchdowns for Alabama in this defensive battle, ending with 19 carries for 180 yards and two touchdowns.
Hurts was ineffective, completing just half of his 14 passes for 57 yards, though he did gain 50 yards on the ground. The Alabama defense held Washington to just 44 rushing yards and picked off Jake Browning twice.
Superback Myles Gaskin had more receiving yards than rushing yards for Washington. He finished with 74 total yards, which counted as a good performance against this Alabama defense.
No. 10 - (1) Alabama vs. (4) Oklahoma, 2018
Alabama vs Oklahoma in the College Football Playoffs in 2018 😮💨🔥 pic.twitter.com/OEghGZR3yB
— Alabama DieHards (@DiehardsAlabama) August 13, 2025
This game was going to be a laugher as Alabama jumped out to a 21-0 lead after the first quarter. Tua Tagovailoa threw two of his four touchdowns in the first quarter. He had more touchdowns (4) than incompletions (3).
Then the Heisman winner showed up to make this a game. Kyler Murray threw for 308 yards and two touchdowns. He ran for 109 yards and another touchdown as Oklahoma outscored Alabama 34-24 over the last three quarters.
This had the illusion of a good game, but Alabama never came close to losing the lead that they built in the first quarter.
No. 9 - (5) Texas vs. (8) Ohio State, 2024
2024 Cotton Bowl Ohio State vs Texas🎞️ pic.twitter.com/FKmtT36rRC
— Brutus Almighty® (@BrutusAlmighty_) August 29, 2025
Quinn Ewers and Will Howard traded punches in this game. Both defenses did a solid job of stopping the run, but Quinshon Judkins ran for two touchdowns.
This game wasn't sealed until Jack Sawyer made sure he would never buy another drink in the state of Ohio, the forced fumble return for a touchdown on Ewers as Texas was driving to tie the game late in the fourth quarter.
JACK SAWYER. 85 YARD SCOOP AND SCORE. DAGGER. ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/lkyGgO61ZG
— CFB Kings (@CFBKings) January 11, 2025
No. 8 - (2) Ohio State vs. (3) Clemson, 2019
This is the game where Ken Williamson became a household name for all the wrong reasons. Yes, this is the same Williamson who has been suspended from ever calling SEC games again.
That play turned the tide of this game. Instead of Ohio State leading 23-21, Clemson was able to punt the ball away and play defense.
Lawrence threw for 259 yards and two scores, adding 107 yards on 16 carries and another touchdown. Fields threw for 320 yards, but was picked off twice.
J.K. Dobbins ran for 174 yards and a touchdown, and did most of the damage when it looked like Ohio State was going to run off with this game.
No. 7 - (1) Alabama vs. (4) Ohio State, 2014
Ohio State was the team that didn't belong. TCU should have been in this game. Mighty Alabama gets the easiest road to the title. Ohio State is on its third-string quarterback's second career start!
Teams weren't left out of the CFP back then for such reasons. Those were the narratives in 2014. Someone forgot to tell Ezekiel Elliott that the Buckeyes weren't supposed to be in this game.
Ezekiel Elliott 21 Touches, 243 YDS, 2 TDs vs Alabama 2014 Sugar Bowl.pic.twitter.com/uqJXl872Y7 https://t.co/WgRgExVVZ9
— Football Performances (@NFLPerformances) December 20, 2025
Elliott only carried 20 times, but he ran for 230 yards and a pair of touchdowns in Ohio State's upset of top-ranked Alabama. He also had a 13-yard reception. Cardale Jones, the third-stringer, led the Buckeyes to a win in just his second career start.
No. 6 - (2) Michigan vs. (3) TCU, 2022
#3 TCU vs #2 Michigan
• Michigan outgained TCU by 40 total yards (528-488)
• TCU outrushed Michigan by 77 yards (263-186)
• Despite being a 7.5 favorite, Michigan never led at any point during the game
• TCU is the first Big 12 school to win a CFP game
• TCU went 8-16 on… pic.twitter.com/9LGJ3nWB06
— College Football Report (@CFBReport) July 18, 2023
TCU was a good story, but they weren't going to hang with this mighty Michigan team. That was the narrative. Max Duggan smashed it. Duggan accounted for four TCU touchdowns. Emari Demercado ran for 150 yards and a touchdown on the vaunted Michigan defense.
McCarthy threw for 135 yards and a touchdown to Ronnie Bell and 104 yards and a touchdown to Roman Wilson. The bad news is that both of his interceptions were returned for touchdowns.
A furious comeback on short blitzkrieg drives got Michigan back into this game in the second half, but after pulling within six points, TCU came up with one final stop to win the game.
No. 5 - (1) Michigan vs. (4) Alabama, 2023
Michigan will be playing Alabama in the ReliaQuest Bowl on December 31stpic.twitter.com/6KthbnNifs
— AJ 〽️ (@AJ71827) December 8, 2024
After the stunning loss to TCU in 2022, Michigan turned heartbreak into triumph with that stop in overtime. I have serious questions about the play call. That play would end the Alabama dynasty. Of course, the 2023 run ended Michigan's one-year dynasty as well.
This was McCarthy's redemption. He threw for 221 yards and three touchdowns in this one. Michigan held Jalen Milroe to just 116 passing yards.
No. 4 - (2) Washington vs. (3) Texas, 2023
Byron Murphy with a free rush lane right in Michael Penix Jr.'s face, he still throws a back shoulder dot for a 1st down… stuff like this is all over the Sugar Bowl tape
I don’t think Penix would’ve lost to anyone that night, one of the best QB performances I’ve seen pic.twitter.com/CwE4UUDvGI
— Ryan McAloon (@ryanmcaloon) August 9, 2024
This is the game that turned Penix from a good story who would make a nice second-day pick into a top-10 pick. This one game against one of the better Texas defensive lines of this century.
Penix completed 29 of 38 passes for 430 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He also ran three times for 31 yards in the upset over Texas. At one point in this game, he completed a CFP-record 12 straight passes.
Texas got the ball back inside of a minute left after Dillon Johnson was hurt as Washington was trying to run out the clock. If Johnson hadn't been hurt, the game would have ended. Washington was able to hold on one more time.
No. 3 - (6) Penn State vs. (7) Notre Dame, 2024
CHRISTIAN GRAY INTERCEPTION
WHAT A PLAY #PMSCFPESPN2 pic.twitter.com/1Vl2V5sseT
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) January 10, 2025
Drew Allar said he was trying to throw the ball away. Instead, he threw the season away. This is the play that was the beginning of the end of the James Franklin era in State College.
Allar mustered only 135 passing yards in this game and didn't complete a pass to a wide receiver in the entire game. Nicholas Singleton was the only bright spot for Penn State, running for all three touchdowns.
No. 2 - (1) Georgia vs. (4) Ohio State, 2022
Officially 1️⃣ year ago today⬇️
Georgia outlasted Ohio State for the National Championship in one of the best Bowl games of all time🏆 pic.twitter.com/OScQEITHl1
— College Football Report (@CFBReport) December 31, 2023
Dubbed the "real national championship" by media pundits since it included the representatives of the two chosen conferences, it turned out to be far more entertaining than the actual national championship.
Ohio State has the distinction of blowing a 38-24 lead entering the fourth quarter. Georgia rattled off 11 straight to trail by three points before Ohio State pushed the lead back to six points.
With 54 seconds left, Bennett found Adonai Mitchell to give Georgia its first lead since 7-0. Ohio State drove for a 50-yard field goal attempt as time and the 2022 year expired and missed wide left.
I still stick to the notion that the "midnight miracle" would have never been a thing if Marvin Harrison Jr. hadn't been hurt early in this game by a cheap shot in the end zone. Harrison was on his way to a huge game. He had 106 yards and two touchdowns before halftime.
C.J. Stroud threw for 348 yards and four touchdowns. Bennett threw for 398 yards and three touchdowns. It was back-and-forth all game long, which is what a semifinal game should be.
No. 1 - (2) Oklahoma vs. (3) Georgia, 2017
Officially 6️⃣ years ago today, the best College Football Playoff Game OAT 🔥. One of the greatest CFB games ever⚡️ pic.twitter.com/gg4ZFUJP9V
— College Football Report (@CFBReport) January 1, 2024
This one still hurts as an Oklahoma fan. I was driving back from a New Year's trip to Chicago to see my favorite band on New Year's Eve. I started listening to this game on the radio. I was feeling pretty good at halftime after CeeDee Lamb's touchdown put the Sooners up 31-14.
Then Lincoln Riley's defense did what it always did, and still does. It got obliterated by Georgia's run game. This was the defining moment of Riley's time in Norman.
It proved that he could build one of the best offenses in history, but the defense would always be worse. This game cost Mayfield, maybe Oklahoma's best quarterback ever, a shot at a title.
Rodney Anderson's 201 yards and two touchdowns were all for naught because of Oklahoma's inability to stop Sony Michel and Nick Chubb. It also makes me incredibly grateful that we finally have a defense that keeps the team in every game again. We never did under Riley.
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