Michigan, Washington, Alabama, and Texas Make the Cut for College Football Playoff

The College Football Playoff field of four teams is set, the final time the field will be this small before the playoffs expand to 12 teams for the 2023-25 season. While it has always been difficult to limit it to four teams, this final year is probably the most controversial one there has been.

Michigan and Washington, both 13-0 and conference champions, were easy choices. Then it got a bit sticky. Alabama (12-1) handed Georgia (12-1) its 1st loss of the season in the SEC Championship. Florida State (13-0) beat Louisville in the ACC Championship. Texas (12-1), whose only loss was to Oklahoma in October, beat Oklahoma State for the Big 12 Championship. Texas also beat Alabama in Tuscaloosa back in September. If Georgia had beaten Alabama, there probably would have been four undefeated teams selected, with Florida State and Georgia joining Michigan and Washington.

But since that didn’t happen, the selection committee had a much more difficult task, and a thankless one at that. In the end, Alabama and Texas were selected, and Florida State was the odd team out.

Predicably, the Florida State team and its fans were livid. This was the first time an undefeated conference champion from a Power Five conference had missed the cut. Ultimately, the committee decided that Florida State’s offense, with its top two quarterbacks sidelined with injuries, kept the Seminoles from being one the top four teams. The committee also took into account that Texas had beaten the Crimson Tide in Alabama, no small feat. The committee was also accused of being biased toward the SEC in selecting Alabama over Florida State. Well, the SEC is pretty good. Schools from that conference have won the last four national championships, and six of the nine championships since the four team playoff was instituted.

Next year, 12 teams will be selected. The proposed format will feature the five highest ranked conference champions, plus the next seven highest ranked teams. This year, that would have added Florida State, Georgia, Ohio State (11-1), Oregon (11-2) Missouri (10-2), Penn State (10-2), Mississippi (10-2) and Oklahoma (10-2) according to the College Football Playoff Rankings. Liberty, 13-0 and the Conference USA champ, is only #23. The Flames did not play any teams ranked in the Top 25, and played no games against a Power Five opponent. If this situation shows up next year, we’re sure they’ll be complaining from the Liberty camp. Liberty did get a big time matchup with Oregon in a New Year’s Six bowl, the Fiesta Bowl. Oregon lost twice in very close games to Washington, and is 2nd in the nation in passing yards and points scored. At this point, Oregon is a 16 point favorite. Florida State will play Georgia in the Orange Bowl in another game of interest.

As for the CFP, Alabama, the #4 seed, will play #1 Michigan in the Rose Bowl, while #3 Texas will play #2 Washington in the Sugar Bowl, both on January 1st. The winners will play for the championship on January 8th at NRG Stadium in Houston.

Here’s some highlights from the Washington-Oregon Pac-12 championship game, the last one for the Pac-12 in its present form. It was a memorable game to out on.