Biggest blowouts in the history of the College Football Playoff

College Football Playoff games are known for their occasional blowouts, and the expansion of the field to 12 teams certainly hasn’t changed that.

The idea of putting the best teams in the country against each other on the same field in a playoff format was supposed to create an ideal competition, but oftentimes the format merely exposed the disparity that continues to exist between programs.

Selecting what teams get into the College Football Playoff can itself become controversial, even more so after some of these routs take place every postseason, even among the most elite teams in the country.

Indiana became the latest school to dish out some serious punishment in the College Football Playoff after smashing up Alabama and Oregon by a combined 94-25 in two postseason matchups to earn a place in the national championship game.

Here’s a rundown of the biggest blowouts in College Football Playoff history.

1. Georgia vs. TCU (58 points)

Jan. 9, 2023

Until we saw Georgia beat Florida State by 60 points the next year, this was the biggest margin of victory for any team in any college football postseason game, ever.

But playing for the national title to cap off the 2022 season, Georgia dismantled Big 12 challenger TCU in a 65-7 rout for the ages, the biggest blowout in an FBS bowl game.

2. Oregon vs. Florida State (39 points)

Jan. 1, 2015

The first-ever College Football Playoff semifinal took place after the 2014 season, pitting the Ducks against the Seminoles in the Rose Bowl semifinal matchup.

Oregon went on to pound Florida State by a 59-20 count en route to a national championship game appearance, totaling nearly 650 yards and setting a record for the most points scored in a Rose Bowl game.

But the Ducks weren’t as lucky against Ohio State in the title bout, falling by 22 points to the Buckeyes, who won the first-ever CFP championship.

3. Alabama vs. Michigan State (38 points)

Dec. 31, 2015

Another postseason game in which the SEC flexed on the Big Ten in recent memory, the Crimson Tide pulled off the shutout in Dallas.

Derrick Henry ran for two touchdowns, while quarterback Jake Coker threw two more to Calvin Ridley, and the Alabama defense came away with two interceptions in the rout.

T-4. LSU vs. Oklahoma (35 points)

Dec. 28, 2019

LSU’s 2019 national championship team is considered one of the single-best in the sport’s history, playing behind an historic offense led by quarterback Joe Burrow, who had little issue beating up on the Sooners in the semifinal round.

Burrow helped build a 21-7 first quarter lead, which expanded to 49-14 at halftime. He had almost 500 passing yards and 7 TD passes, tying an NCAA record for the most touchdowns thrown in one half.

T-4. Indiana vs. Alabama (35 points)

Jan. 1, 2026

Yes, the Hoosiers own two of the College Football Playoff’s biggest blowouts, a testament to the domination of Curt Cignetti’s generational run at Indiana.

The Crimson and Cream walked over the Crimson Tide in the Rose Bowl quarterfinal round as Fernando Mendoza threw three touchdown passes, and the defense held mighty Alabama to just three total points.

College Football Playoff blowout history

34 points

Indiana became the fifth college football team in history to go 15-0 in a season, joining Clemson (2018), LSU (2019), Georgia (2022), and Michigan (2023) after dominating Oregon in a 56-22 decision in the 2026 Peach Bowl semifinal.

They have a chance to become the first 16-0 team in college football history since Yale did it back in 1894 if they can take down Miami for the national title.

31 points

Clemson downed Ohio State in a 31-0 result in the 2016 Fiesta Bowl semifinal game as Deshaun Watson threw for 2 touchdowns and ran for a third.

Ole Miss housed Tulane at home in the first round game in 2025, the first playoff game for the Rebels in a 41-10 victory while amassing almost 500 total yards of offense.

28 points

Penn State made a good first impression in the first 12-team College Football Playoff in the 2024 season by decimating SMU in Happy Valley by a 38-10 count as the Nittany Lions’ defense recorded two pick-sixes in the first half.

Capping off the Covid season in 2020, Alabama completed a perfect season by dominating Ohio State in a 52-24 blowout as Mac Jones had 464 yards and 5 touchdowns while Najee Harris ran for 3 touchdowns and DeVonta Smith scored 3 times with 215 yards receiving.

The worst loss of Nick Saban’s career at Alabama came in a 44-16 loss to Clemson in the national championship game to finish the 2018 season.

27 points

Clemson put on another rout in a 30-3 demolition against Notre Dame in the Cotton Bowl semifinal game as Trevor Lawrence helped build a 27-0 lead to start out.

25 points

Ohio State was just the No. 9 seed in the College Football Playoff in the 2024 campaign, but disproved that low standing in a 42-17 smashup against Tennessee in the first round game at home in Columbus, their first step towards winning the national title.

23 points

Georgia took care of Michigan in a 34-11 result in the 2021 Orange Bowl semifinal game as Stetson Bennett threw for 310 yards and 3 touchdowns before ultimately taking down Alabama to win the national championship.