Selection Sunday took place last weekend in the College Football world, and the twelve teams who can compete for a national championship are now decided.
If you are unfamiliar with college football, there is a committee who selects the 12 best teams in the country, formerly four until this season, who will have a chance to compete for a national championship in late December and early January.
This season the number one team in the country was the Oregon Ducks, and were number one every week of the CFP rankings, which have been happening since week 10 of the season. The Ducks are the nation’s only undefeated team heading into the playoffs.
The big story, however, was the Alabama Crimson Tide being left out of the playoffs. Most of the nation, and the committee, agreed with the decision to leave Alabama out, and put the SMU Mustangs in the final spot instead.
Some critics, such as former Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban, argue that Alabama had a much more difficult schedule than SMU this season. As a result, Alabama had wins over stronger opponents than SMU did, and losses to better opponents as well.
This fact did not sway the committee’s decision of giving the spot to SMU however, as the fact that Alabama had three losses compared to the Mustang’s two was something that allowed the committee to prefer them over Alabama. The Mustangs also made their conference championship in the Atlantic Coastal Conference, something which the Crimson Tide failed to do in their conference, the SEC.
On the other hand, the ten other teams aside from Oregon and SMU who made the playoffs – in order of highest to lowest seeds – are Georgia, Boise State, Arizona State, Texas, Penn State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Tennessee, Indiana and Clemson.
The first round matchups will take place on the home teams campuses, the first time in college football history that playoff games will not take place at neutral sites.
The matchups are Texas versus Clemson, Ohio State versus Tennessee, Penn State versus SMU, and Notre Dame versus Indiana. The teams hosting the games at their campuses are Texas, Ohio State, Penn State and Notre Dame.
Four teams received byes, which were the top four ranked conference champions, which – in order – were Big Ten champion Oregon, SEC champion Georgia, Mountain West champion Boise State and Big Twelve champion Arizona State.
Kicking off the playoffs, Notre Dame will face Indiana on Dec. 20 at 8 p.m. The following day on Dec. 21, Penn State and SMU will play at 12 p.m., Texas and Clemson will play at 4 p.m., and Ohio State and Tennessee will play at 8 p.m.
The quarter finals will be held at neutral sites on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, followed by the semifinals and national championship game the following weeks.
For more information about the college football playoff, you can click here.
This college football playoff season has already been one for the ages, and its inaugural 12 team playoff promises to be full of excitement.
