The second game of the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff is ready to kick off. The SMU Mustangs will be taking on the Penn State Nittany Lions for the right to take on the Boise State Broncos in the quarterfinals.
This game will kick off at 9 a.m. PT/12 p.m. ET. The game will be played at Beaver Stadium, giving Penn State an edge in terms of location.
Beaver Stadium is one of the toughest places to play in around the entirety of college football so the Mustangs will have their hands full. SMU will need to control the crowd before it gets to be too late if they want any chance of pulling the upset.
SMU enters this game with a record of 11-2 on the season while Penn State also holds a record of 11-2. Both sides have been tested this year and they've responded well to any challenges in their path.
But which side will win this game? Luckily, Newsweek Sports has you covered with our expert predictions.
Matt Levine: Despite not winning the ACC, SMU was able to get into the field due to a great season that they put together. The Mustangs have been one of the more fun teams in the country all season long but going up against Penn State will be a different type of challenge.
SMU hasn't seen anything like the Nittany Lions defensively and it could cause some issues. SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings will need to play the game of his life and limit the turnovers in this one. Jennings has committed 10 turnovers in the last six games so his ability to shore that up will likely decide this contest.
Penn State fell just short of winning the Big Ten but they tested Oregon throughout the game. This year feels a little different for the Nittany Lions and they'll earn a big win in front of their loyal fanbase to advance.
Prediction: Penn State 37, SMU 27
Valentina Martinez: Both programs will be making their first playoff appearances; however, SMU's momentum and chip on its shoulder should propel them over the Nittany Lions.
Prediction: SMU 30, Penn State 27
Ricardo Sandoval: The Mustangs put up a fight in their conference title game, but they will now face arguably the second-best team in the Big Ten, the Nittany Lions. This will be a tough match for the Mustangs, who I think don't have enough to compete with the Big 10 runner-ups.
Prediction: Penn State 34, SMU 24
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