But the overwhelming sentiment after the first round of the new-look College Football Playoff is that 12 teams is too many.  If anything, this past weekend's slate expanded the current gulf between the haves and the have-nots.

Here's how each team can win its quarterfinal game, plus key players, X factors and what we learned from the first round.

Yes, the games were bad and the format needs work, but the 12-team tournament is a major improvement over its predecessors.