The College Football Playoff semifinals are set: Texas vs. Ohio State and Notre Dame vs. Penn State

The first 12-team version of the College Football Playoff has reached the semifinals. Ohio State has also taken over as the betting favorite to win the national championship from Texas — its semifinal opponent.

Did the CFP selection committee get it right? The first-round games were held on campuses for the first time — before the games shifted to bowl games for the quarterfinals and semifinals — and all four of the higher-seeded teams won comfortably. That led to fresh questions about the seeding process, which haven't abated even with a thriller between the fourth- and fifth-seeded teams (Texas over Arizona State). The Sugar Bowl was delayed one day after a deadly truck attack in New Orleans.

The quarterfinals saw all four top seeds lose after earning a bye. And one more common factor for the semifinalists: Each team brings a stout defense.

There are 11 games between Dec. 20 and the finale in Atlanta on Jan. 20, all broadcast nationally. The semifinals (times EST):

Location: Orange Bowl, Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Fla., Jan. 9, 8:30 p.m. (ESPN)

BetMGM College Football Odds: Notre Dame by 2 1/2.

How they got here: Penn State beat 11 seed SMU (38-10) and 3 seed Boise State (31-14). Notre Dame beat 10 seed Indiana (27-17) and 2 seed Georgia (23-10).

What to know: Is this the year Penn State finally gets back in a national title game? The Nittany Lions have easily handled their two CFP games so far behind a stout defense and balanced offense. They will face a Fighting Irish team with a rugged defense of its own and a experienced quarterback in Riley Leonard. One of the coaches — Notre Dame's Marcus Freeman or Penn State's James Franklin — will also have a chance to become the first Black coach to win a national championship.

The winner: Advances to the national championship game Jan. 20 in Atlanta.

Location: Cotton Bowl, AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas, Jan. 10, 8:30 p.m. (ESPN)

BetMGM College Football Odds: Ohio State by 6.

How they got here: Texas beat 12 seed Clemson (38-24) and 4 seed Arizona State (39-31, 2OT). Ohio State beat 9 seed Tennessee (42-17) and 1 seed Oregon (41-21).

What to know: The Buckeyes have blown out Tennessee and top-ranked Oregon so far. QB Will Howard and big receivers Jeremiah Smith and Emeka Egbuka will now try to exploit a Longhorns team that has one of the better defenses in the country, particularly in the secondary.

The winner: Advances to the national championship game Jan. 20 in Atlanta.

Ohio State is now the 10/13 favorite (-130) to win the national championship, according to BetMGM Sportsbook. The Buckeyes moved into the top spot after their Rose Bowl win and after previous favorite Texas needed two overtimes to win its quarterfinal game against Arizona State.

The rest of the odds: Texas (17/4), Notre Dame (9/2) and Penn State (23/4).

A 13-member CFP selection committee spent six weeks evaluating the teams and then set the bracket on Dec. 8.

The five highest-ranked conference champions were guaranteed spots in the field, no matter where they are ranked overall by the CFP; Clemson, for example, is ranked No. 16 in the CFP but was given the 12th and lowest seed as the fifth-highest ranked league champion. The top four seeds got a week off and an automatic trip to the quarterfinals, where all four lost.

The CFP began with four teams in January 2015. It was expanded this year for the first time. Many believe it may expand again, perhaps as early as 2026.

A lot: About $115 million is on the line in the playoff.

Each conference gets $4 million for every team that makes the final 12, then another $4 million for those that make the quarterfinals. It means teams that earned byes are worth $8 million to their conferences without even playing a game.

Teams that advance to the semifinals mean $6 million more for their conference, then another $6 million for making the final.

The conferences all distribute the money differently. There’s also a $300,000 stipend per team that is academically eligible for the playoffs. Teams making the playoff get $3 million to cover expenses for each round, too.

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

Penn State defensive tackle Coziah Izzard (99) celebrates a defensive stop against Boise State during the second half of the Fiesta Bowl College Football Playoff game, Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Notre Dame's Jayden Harrison (2) returns a kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown during the second half against Georgia in the quarterfinals of a College Football Playoff, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)

Ohio State quarterback Will Howard (18) reacts after a touchdown against Oregon during the second half in the quarterfinals of the Rose Bowl College Football Playoff, Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025, in Pasadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)

FILE - Ohio State head coach Ryan Day, center, instructs his team against Michigan during an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete, File)

Iowa State defensive back Jeremiah Cooper (4) breaks up a pass intended for Arizona State wide receiver Xavier Guillory (1) in the second half of the Big 12 Conference championship NCAA college football game, in Arlington, Texas, Saturday Dec. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Texas linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. (0) hits Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton (14) during the second half of the Southeastern Conference championship NCAA college football game, Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

TORONTO (AP) — Tyrese Maxey scored 33 points, Joel Embiid had 27 and the Philadelphia 76ers used an 80-point first half to beat the Toronto Raptors 115-102 on Monday night.

VJ Edgecombe and Paul George each scored 15 points as the 76ers bounced back from Sunday’s overtime loss to Toronto to win for the sixth time in eight games.

Embiid (left knee and left groin) and George (left knee) were back in the lineup after sitting out Sunday.

Fans chanted “We want Lowry!” in the fourth quarter, then rose for a standing ovation when former Raptors player Kyle Lowry checked in for Maxey with 1:57 left to play.

Lowry starred for the Toronto team that won the 2019 NBA championship. He airballed a 3-pointer on his first attempt and missed all three shots he took.

Immanuel Quickley scored 18 points and Brandon Ingram had 17 points and 10 rebounds. Scottie Barnes scored 15 points for Toronto.

Barnes, who hit the game-winning free throw Sunday, was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week earlier Monday.

Philadelphia’s 80 first-half points were the most by a Raptors opponent this season. The 76ers made 27 of 37 field goals in the opening half, including 13 of 20 from long range, and shot 13 for 13 at the free throw line.

Maxey scored 18 points in the first to help Philadelphia build a 45-28 lead after one. He connected on six of seven attempts, including three of four from distance.

After shooting 8 for 31 from long range Sunday, the 76ers combined to make 7 of 8 3-pointers in the first. They followed that by making four straight to begin the second.

Ingram returned after missing two games because of a sore right thumb. RJ Barrett (left thumb) sat for the second straight game.

Philadelphia’s biggest lead was 33 points, 87-54, after an Edgecombe 3 with 8:24 remaining in the third.

76ers: Host Cleveland on Wednesday.

Raptors: At Indiana on Wednesday.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Toronto Raptors guard Immanuel Quickley (5) moves the ball under pressure from Philadelphia 76ers guard Vj Edgecombe during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Toronto, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Raptors guard Immanuel Quickley (5) makes a pass under pressure from Philadelphia 76ers forward Adem Bona (30) and teammate Paul George (8) during first half NBA basketball action in Toronto, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Raptors forward/center Sandro Mamukelashvili (54) dunks over Philadelphia 76ers forward Dominick Barlow (25) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Toronto, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George (8) fouls Toronto Raptors forward Brandon Ingram, left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Toronto, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Raptors forward Brandon Ingram (3) and Philadelphia 76ers centre/forward Joel Embiid (21) vie for a loose ball during first half NBA basketball action in Toronto, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)