"The financial terms of the contract were not immediately available, but the athletic director Scott Dolson and coach Curt Cignetti have moved aggressively to lock both coordinators in the wake of the program earning the top seed in the College Football Playoff and its first Big Ten title since 1967," Niziolek wrote.

Joel Klatt predicts which team will win the College Football Playoff national championship. The College Football Playoff kicks off with four first-round matchups set to be played on Friday and Saturday. It’s a high-stakes weekend with four teams looking to punch their tickets to the quarterfinals.

After leading the Hoosiers to a Big Ten Championship, Mendoza tops our power ranking of the CFP's quarterbacks. The California transfer delivered in a handful of clutch situations for the Hoosiers during their historic 13-0 start, which included a Big Ten title game victory over Ohio State.

Unlike last year's debut of the 12-team College Football Playoff, weather should not be a factor in any of the first-round games Friday and Saturday.