Assuming the “Group of 5” conferences’ highest ranked team would be included, a match-up with the No. 1 Clemson Tigers taking on the No. 8 Houston Cougars would have pleased college football fans who like offense.
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“I just felt it was a little easier this year for me discerning between teams than it was last year in some respects, and I’m talking specifically about the top four”, said Arkansas athletic director Jeff Long, the committee chairman. Coach Mark Dantonio said most of the celebrating was done after Saturday’s game – as opposed to when the selections aired Sunday. Instead, they went to the Capital One Bowl and got pounded 49-7 by Alabama.
The Saban-Dantonio connection is going to be one of the primary storylines leading up to the Cotton Bowl national semifinal on December 31.
SMART FINALE: Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart will coach the Crimson Tide throughout the playoff after being named coach of Georgia, his alma mater. The biggest could come from the Big Ten championship game, where Michigan State handed Iowa its first loss of the year. Northwestern is the least discussed 10-win team this side of Bowling Green, and Tennessee lost four games by a total of 17 points – including a pair to playoff participants Oklahoma and Alabama. “I had to grit it out being in a situation like this, playing for a championship”.
When Michigan State appeared on the screen at No. 3 with a meeting against No. 2 Alabama in the Cotton Bowl, it would have been understandable if they had expressed concern.
Alabama got 189 yards from Derrick Henry on a staggering 44 carries against Florida’s stingy defense Saturday to win the SEC title game 29-15.
I’m intrigued by the playoff game, yes, and the other two Big Ten players among the New Year’s Six. The players were allowed to sleep in for the announcement.
“They’re going to give him the ball plenty of times”, Michigan State coach Dantonio said.
Michigan State has the longest odds of making the College Football Playoff championship game as well as winning it, according to the “FiveThrtyEight” analysts website.
“Alabama had three top 25 wins, but I think the top position was trumped by Clemson’s three top 10 wins, and that really had an impact”. The Crimson Tide first played in the home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys to open the 2012 season against MI, defeating the Wolverines, 41-14.
Oklahoma finished the regular season with seven consecutive wins after suffering an upset loss to Texas that just may have been the trigger they needed to turn things around, and in dramatic fashion.
FAMILIAR SETTING: Michigan State and Alabama have already played in AT&T Stadium this year.
Oklahoma had five turnovers, including an interception returned 47 yards for a touchdown, and was held to 275 total yards by Clemson. We didn’t have any huge runs the whole game, but you saw the Iowa front seven get more and more exhausted, and that’s what fuels us.
The four teams in line for the playoffs appear to be Clemson, Alabama, Oklahoma and Michigan State.
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Michigan State won the Big Ten championship 16-13 over Iowa, with freshman L.J. Scott lunging forward for a 1-yard score in the final minute that capped an epic 22-play drive.
