College Football Playoff picture clears up as Alabama and Cincinnati make their cases
It wasn’t necessarily chaos, but the College Football Playoff selection committee members could sleep a little easier as the playoff picture came into focus Saturday night.
After weeks of speculation, there is a better idea of who the top four teams should be in Sunday’s final playoff rankings.
Georgia had all but booked its postseason plans after finishing the regular season ranked No. 1. Still, the Bulldogs (12-1) are sure to drop a few spots after losing to No. 3 Alabama, 41-24 in the SEC Championship.
The Crimson Tide (12-1) were 6-point underdogs but dominated Georgia after the first quarter, with Bryce Young passing 421 yards and three touchdowns. The win all but locks up a spot for Alabama, which should take over the top spot.
“It gave us an opportunity to have a two-game season,” Alabama coach Nick Saban said of the win. “That’s what we’re going to work for and that’s what we want to do.”
It would be the second time the playoff will feature two SEC teams since 2017.
In the Big Ten title game, Michigan (12-1) earned its first trip to the semifinals with a 42-3 win over No. 13 Iowa. It was the first conference championship since 2004 and cemented the Wolverines as the No. 2 seed in the playoff.
Cincinnati could make history with a berth in the semifinals after defeating Houston, 35-20, in the American Athletic Conference championship game. The Bearcats (13-0) hope to become the first Group of Five team to qualify for the playoffs.
“I know and believe in what is happening … and if it is meant to be, it will be,” Cincinnati coach Luke Fickell said of his team’s chances for a playoff spot. “I don’t think these guys can be denied. Just the way they answered the bell and everything they have done all year. It would be a shame for them to be denied.”
Oklahoma State’s loss to Baylor in the Big 12 title game boosted the likelihood of Cincinnati making the semifinals. A win by the Cowboys could have made things a bit more challenging for the selection committee, which would have faced the choice of selecting an Oklahoma State team that had wins over top-10 teams in back-to-back weeks or an undefeated Bearcats team.
But the Bears put an end to that problem when they stopped OSU’s Dezmon Jackson inches from the end zone on a fourth-and-goal with 24 seconds left to seal their 21-16 win.
“Would we have liked to have won and been in the playoffs? Sure,” said Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy. “That’s the next step, and that’s all of our goals. I know this might sound funny. There is no disappointment for me with our guys, and there’s not.”
Notre Dame capped off a difficult week, one in which head coach Brian Kelly surprised everyone by leaving to take the LSU job, by likely finishing outside the top four. The Irish had to rely on a resume that lacked a signature win without a conference-championship game.
But in the end, it probably won’t matter.
The biggest question facing the committee will be seeding.
It seems almost inevitable that Alabama takes over the top spot and it would be safe to assume Michigan remains at No. 2, but Georgia and Cincinnati remain unclear. If Georgia falls to No. 4, it will create a rematch of the SEC Championship.
This article first appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. Email Matt Murschel at mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com or follow him on Twitter at @osmattmurschel.
