College Football Playoff Set

by WAHOUSES

The stage is set for the final College Football Playoff with four teams, creating a sense of excitement and anticipation before the format expands in the upcoming season.

Michigan emerges as the top seed, dominating the Big Ten with an unbeaten record, including impressive victories against Ohio State and Iowa to close out their season. Despite facing challenges like two separate suspensions of three games each for coach Jim Harbaugh, the Wolverines secure their third consecutive appearance in the playoffs and reclaim the No. 1 spot in the US LBM Coaches Poll for the first time since 1997.

Securing the second seed, Washington earns their place in the playoffs with a thrilling victory over Oregon. After defeating the Ducks earlier in the regular season, the Huskies replicate their success in a dramatic fashion during the Pac-12 title game, earning their second spot in the playoffs. This marks only the second appearance for the Pac-12 in the four-team system, with their previous entry in 2016.

Determining the final two spots becomes a challenging task. Texas and Alabama, champions of the Big 12 and SEC respectively, both possess only one loss. However, the Longhorns gain the edge over the Crimson Tide due to an impressive road victory in Tuscaloosa early in the season. As a result, both Texas and Alabama are selected, leaving unbeaten team Florida State as the first Power Five team left out of the semifinals. The Seminoles suffer from the loss of their quarterback Jordan Travis, who endured a season-ending injury.

Ultimately, Florida State is ranked No. 5, while Georgia falls from the No. 1 spot to No. 6 after their defeat against Alabama ends their remarkable 29-game winning streak.

With the seedings finalized, the Rose Bowl will witness a fierce clash between Michigan and Alabama, while Washington and Texas will battle it out in the Sugar Bowl. Both semifinal matchups are scheduled to take place on January 1. The victorious teams will then advance to the College Football Playoff championship game on January 8 in Houston, where the ultimate champion will be crowned.