Defenses are winning out as the College Football Playoff moves on to the semifinals. Ohio State, Notre Dame and Texas have top-five national pass defenses. The exception, Penn State, has perhaps the best individual defensive player in the field,

The effectiveness of the Texas pass defense goes beyond just Barron. The Longhorns are ranked as the nation's No. 3 pass defense team, allowing only 166.1 yards per game. However, their performance in the postseason has seen a drop-off. In that context, they rank No. 67 out of 82 teams, giving up an average of 316 yards per game.