After a week and a half off, the second round of the CFP is finally upon us. While we won’t get the electric atmosphere that came with the first-round home games, we will be treated to the historic New Year’s Six bowls—well, four of them, with the remaining two serving as the semifinals.

Things kick off on New Year’s Eve with a matchup between two historic programs, as Miami takes on Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl at 7:30 PM ET. The following day features a more unorthodox matchup in the Orange Bowl, with Oregon facing Texas Tech at noon ET.

The quarterbacks in these games are a bit different from what we typically see in college football today. Instead of true dual threats, we’re looking at more pro-style pocket passers under center. That said, these games should still provide some fantastic matchups to ring in the new year, so let’s take a look at the quarterback player props for these contests.

Miami Hurricanes (10) vs. Ohio State Buckeyes (2)

Carson Beck:

  • Props
    • Passing Yards: 192.5 (over -114; under -114)
    • Passing TD’s: 0.5 (over -225; under +164)

Miami narrowly escaped a hostile crowd in College Station in the first round of this year’s playoff, which should ultimately prove beneficial, as the Hurricanes can already say they are battle-tested. Carson Beck did not have his best performance in that game, throwing for just 103 yards with one touchdown. On the season, however, he has been solid, averaging 244.2 passing yards per game and exactly two passing touchdowns per contest.

The Buckeye defense he will face is no joke, as Ohio State allows just 133.8 passing yards per game, the best mark in the FBS. Miami’s bread and butter against Texas A&M was the run game, but they will need a more balanced offensive approach to have a chance in this matchup. Against ranked opponents, the Buckeye secondary has not been unbeatable, so I think Beck has a legitimate chance to exceed both his passing yards and passing touchdown projections.

Julian Sayin:

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  • Props
    • Passing Yards: 236.5 (over -114; under -114)
    • Passing TD’s: 1.5 (over -148; under +112)

Ohio State’s Julian Sayin was steady throughout the season and played a major role in the Buckeyes earning a first-round bye as they head into the Cotton Bowl. Sayin certainly has a supporting cast that many quarterbacks would love to play with, but taking on the starting role at a program like Ohio State is no easy task. This year, he averaged 255.6 passing yards per game and 2.3 passing touchdowns per game.

While they rank in the top half of FBS overall, Miami’s defense has been vulnerable against the pass, sitting 36th nationally and allowing 202.4 passing yards per game. Even in a loss against a tougher Indiana secondary, Sayin still put together a 258-yard passing performance. Although the stakes will be higher in this matchup, I don’t see Sayin having much trouble surpassing the 236.5 passing yards mark. That said, I would stay away from the passing touchdowns prop.

Oregon Ducks (5) vs. Texas Tech Red Raiders (4)

Dante Moore:

  • Props
    • Passing Yards: 228.5 (over -114; under -114)
    • Passing TD’s: 1.5 (over -132; under +100)
    • Rushing Yards: 8.5 (over -114; under -114)

The Oregon Ducks breezed past JMU in the first round, which came as no surprise. Texas Tech represents a significant step up in competition, and Oregon will need a strong performance from Dante Moore in this matchup. Moore enters the game averaging 234.3 passing yards per game, along with 2.1 passing touchdowns and 15 rushing yards per contest.

This Red Raiders defense has been solid all season, allowing just 190.8 passing yards per game (21st in FBS) and an FBS-best 70.4 rushing yards per game. While Oregon would ideally like to establish the run, facing the nation’s top rush defense makes that a difficult task. As a result, Moore will likely be asked to shoulder more of the offensive load.

That’s been an issue for Moore against stronger defenses this season. Against Iowa, he threw for just 112 yards, and against Indiana he managed only 186. Because of that, I would lean toward the under on both his passing yards and passing touchdowns, where the value appears to be. As for his rushing yards, I’d stay away, as Moore isn’t used consistently enough as a runner to feel confident in either direction.

Behren Morton:

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  • Props
    • Passing Yards: 232.5 (over -114; under -114)
    • Passing TD’s: 1.5 (over -114; under -114)

Texas Tech has been fairly consistent as a team this season, though quarterback Behren Morton has been up and down, in part due to an injury he sustained midseason. On the year, Morton has averaged 240.2 passing yards per game and 2 passing touchdowns. Oregon enters this matchup as one of the best pass defenses in the country, allowing just 154.8 passing yards per game (3rd in FBS). When facing stronger defenses this season, Morton has struggled to find consistency. Because of that, I would lean toward the under on both his passing yards and passing touchdowns projections, as Texas Tech will likely try to rely more heavily on the run in this matchup.