Florida State’s drop out of the top four of the College Football Playoff rankings on the final weekend of the regular season will go down as one of the biggest controversies in college football history, for obvious reasons.
But while omitting the unbeaten Seminoles from the national semifinals has drawn widespread scorn, the committee can justify that decision by pointing to the makeup of a starstudded playoff that features the four hottest teams in the country in Michigan, Washington, Texas and Alabama.
It will be Michigan and Alabama in the Rose Bowl. Washington and Texas will face off in the Sugar Bowl. This is the third playoff appearance in a row for the Wolverines, the eighth overall for Alabama, the second for Washington and the Longhorns’ playoff debut.
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The playoff will unfold against the backdrop of the contentious decision to leave out Florida State. That outcry could reach an even more feverish pitch should the Seminoles beat Georgia in the Orange Bowl. On the field, however, this could be the most unpredictable playoff of the four-team era, which each team genuinely capable of winning two games in January to capture the national championship.
Texas tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders (0) is tackled by the Washington defense during the Alamo Bowl at the Alamodome, Thursday, Dec. 29, 2022 in San Antonio.
Keys to Michigan and Alabama in the Rose Bowl
Michigan has asserted its will on teams as good as Ohio State and Penn State. Whether the Wolverines can do the same against Alabama is by far the biggest key to determining the Rose Bowl.
One thing that you can assume: Michigan would rather play Florida State.
Alabama has been on a tear since losing to Texas and struggling against South Florida in…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/why-college-football-playoff-shapes-114624432.html
Author : USA TODAY Sports
Publish date : 2023-12-04 11:46:24
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