Blowouts were expected in the first round of the College Football Playoff after all four games opened with point spreads of more than a touchdown. But while none of the games ended up being especially close, they did teach us plenty about the four teams that moved on. 

From a seeding perspective, (8) Ohio State was supposed to face the closest game against (9) Tennessee. To the contrary, (5) Texas was meant to have little trouble with (12) Clemson. Instead, the Buckeyes dropped the hammer and the Longhorns played a fourth-quarter game. 

On the other side, (11) SMU wanted to make a good impression on the national stage in its introduction to the playoff. (12) Clemson instead played like a team with nothing to lose. It showed in their final scores. 

For the losers, the grades primarily focus on how these teams should feel heading into a far-too-soon offseason. For the winners, proving championship mettle is the highest priority. Here’s how the participants in the first round graded out. 

Ohio State

Result: 42-17 win over (9) Tennessee

This is the kind of performance Ohio State fans were praying for after a nightmarish finish to the season against Michigan. Despite Tennessee fans buying up plenty of tickets, Ohio State buried the Vols into the dirt. The Buckeyes jumped out to a 21-0 lead in the first quarter and just kept coming in a total team effort. Ohio State got 103 receiving yards and two touchdowns from Jeremiah Smith, held Tennessee to 104 total passing yards and went on two separate 21-0 runs. This was the Ohio State team we were promised. This is the version of the Buckeyes that can win the national championship. Grade: A

Result: 27-17 win over (10) Indiana

While the final margin was only 10 points, that masks what was a tremendously dominant performance from Notre Dame in all aspects. The Fighting Irish proved they were a team that can win in multiple ways. Running back Jeremiyah Love broke off a 98-yard touchdown run. Riley Leonard connected on a 44-yard pass to Jordan Faison. The defense erased Indiana’s rushing offense to the tune of 63 yards on 27 carries. The game was 27-3 with fewer than two minutes remaining. Now, it’s onto Georgia. Grade: A-

Result: 38-10 win over (11) SMU

Nittany Lions coach James Franklin said after the game that the first half was one of the best defensive performances he’s seen. While miscues by the SMU offense helped, Penn State’s linebackers and defensive line put on a masterclass against one of the more explosive offenses in the country. After a lengthy first drive, Penn State held SMU to only 12.1 yards per drive for the rest of the first half. Their running game eventually wore SMU down, posting 189 yards and three touchdowns. The only disappointing aspect is that it would have been nice to see a little more success in the passing game. Drew Allar finished with only 127 yards on 22 attempts. Grade: B+

Texas

Result: 38-24 win over (12) Clemson

The Longhorns took a two-score lead in the first half and didn’t look back too much in a two-touchdown win over Clemson. The only points taken away are from Texas’ head-scratching struggles to close games. The Longhorns let Clemson score back-to-back touchdowns in the second half to cut the lead to 31-24 before Jaydon Blue ripped off a 77-yard touchdown to put the game away. Texas twice let Clemson get back to the edge of the red zone, but the Tigers didn’t have the firepower to strike back. To win a national championship, Texas has to finish the job. Grade: B

Clemson

Result: 38-24 loss to (5) Texas

Maybe this grade is generous, but it’s deserved. The Tigers came into the CFP as the biggest underdogs, sitting as a 13.5-point dog against top at-large Texas. Texas ultimately covered, but the Tigers clearly proved they deserved to be there in a strong performance. Cade Klubnik was a known rising star, but it was really the emergence of receivers T.J. Moore and Bryant Wesco that provided the most hope for the future. Clemson has been defined by great receivers, and finally seems to have their next generation. That said, the rushing defense is a total disaster. Defensive coordinator Wes Goodwin had better come up with some good ideas to fix it. Grade: B-

Indiana

Result: 27-17 loss to (7) Notre Dame

It’ll get lost to history, but Indiana’s defense battled hard and gave the Hoosiers every chance to win. Outside of allowing an early 98-yard rushing touchdown to Jeremiyah Love, Indiana held the Fighting Irish to 2.8 yards per carry and 27 points, the worst since Notre Dame’s 16-14 loss to Northern Illinois. At the same time, the offense was a true “F” performance, finishing with six punts, an interception and a field goal on the first eight drives. Two late touchdowns made the game look closer than it was, but this was a beatdown. Indiana was not ready for the moment on offense. Grade: D+

Tennessee

Result: 42-17 loss to (8) Ohio State

The Vols had arguably the worst performance out of any team in the CFP, but it’s not fully their fault. Tennessee had to play against a powerhouse Ohio State team, perhaps the best overall roster in the country. The Buckeyes were mad as hell after losing the finale against Michigan and finally rounded into form. Unfortunately, Tennessee looked far more like a bubble squad than the national contender it hoped to be. In fact, the Vols don’t look anywhere close. Grade: D

SMU

Result: 38-10 loss to (6) Penn State

The Mustangs were serious underdogs heading into State College against Penn State, so there’s no shame in losing. What’s really unfortunate is just how SMU completely imploded, especially star quarterback Kevin Jennings. The sophomore threw two pick-sixes in the first half and had another interception that PSU turned into a touchdown, essentially gifting 21 points in what ended up being a 28-0 halftime lead. SMU’s defense played well and was holding the Nittany Lions below 4.0 yards per play for most of the first half. This game was there for the Mustangs, and they blew it. Grade: D-