Photo Credit, newsday.com
What four teams should play for a national championship? Frankly, it does not matter. All of the debating’s are over. The College Football Playoffs are set for another championship title. Clemson, the top-ranked team and No. 1 seed will take on No. 4 Alabama in the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans on January 1 at 8:45 PM. No. 3 Georgia, the SEC Champ will meet Big 12 Champion Oklahoma at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, also on January 1 at 5:00 PM. Both games will air on ESPN.
The Tide, who held down the top spot for most of the season, had to wait to receive help as it’s season ended a week earlier while the madness completed seven days later to solidify its fourth and final spot. The Tide loss to arch rival Auburn 26-14, dropping it to No. 5.
However, Saturday night Ohio State upset undefeated Wisconsin in the Big Ten championship game. That opened the discussion of who would earn the fourth and final spot. Bama or the Buckeyes.
One interesting point, winning a conference title does not automatically assure a team of a spot in the College Football Playoffs. It also makes you wonder how much the loss to Iowa hurt Ohio State. Needless to say, Alabama and Clemson will face off for the third consecutive year in the College Football Playoffs.
This time, it will be a semifinal match up. The previous two years, both met in the championship game. Bama won the 2015 championship, defeating Clemson, 45-40. The following year, Clemson avenged that lost behind an exceptional performance by now Texan quarterback, Deshaun Watson, 35-31.
For Auburn, the Bama victory catapulted it into the final four picture at No. 4 before it eventually lost to Georgia in the SEC championship game. That wiped out the likelihood to advance to the playoffs. Now the Tigers will meet undefeated UFC in the Peach Bowl on January 1.
The top-ranked Tigers closed out its regular season by thumping Miami in the ACC Championship game.
Oklahoma downed TCU in the Big 12 championship game behind Heisman hopeful Baker Mayfield to earn a berth in the final four.
