PLAYOFF PULSE: Clemson, Alabama, Michigan St join Oklahoma

Today at about 3:30 p.m. – barring some apocalyptic committee cruelty – Notre Dame and its “questionable” 12-game schedule will receive a well-deserved spot in one of the elite New Years Six Bowl games, and its destinations options are two: Peach Bowl in Atlanta on December 31, and the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Ariz., on January 1.

If the Tar Heels (11-1, No. 10 CFP) can upset No. 1 Clemson (12-0, No. 1 CFP) in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game, the committee might have to order up a few extra pots of coffee.

Consensus: In. Oklahoma’s three-game stretch to end the season-wins over Baylor, TCU and Oklahoma State-earned it a playoff bid. If Clemson doesn’t win the national championship, it will be because a team beats the Tigers on the field, not because the committee leaves them out.

“We said it last year and the same is true this year”, he said, “a conference championship game, not having or having it, can help or hurt you, depending on the circumstances of that particular season”. And remember, the committee is judging the teams’ full body of work.

No. 2 Alabama Crimson Tide beat No. 18 Florida Gators 29-15 to win SEC Championship Saturday.

Now comes the slightly tricky part, although we do predict it’s going to be Oklahoma and Michigan State that go in at #3 and #4 (doesn’t really matter the order) while Stanford are left out.

Case for: Stanford has finished the season exceptionally well, with a win over a top-10 team in Notre Dame and a conference championship. The Buckeyes have just one loss, yes, but their schedule was relatively weak and they fell to the one elite team they faced (Michigan State).

The semifinals will be played on New Year’s Eve in the Cotton and Orange Bowls.

The committee’s job is to give the No. 1 seed as much of a “home-field advantage” as it can and then let the rankings fall into place from there.

Houston won the first American Athletic Conference championship game, beating Temple 24-13 at home to all but lock up the spot in the New Year’s Six bowls that goes to the highest-ranked champion from outside the Power Five conferences.

“I love my team”, coach Brian Kelly said after Notre Dame’s 38-36 loss to Stanford in the regular-season finale.

The Allstate Sugar Bowl is guaranteed the Big 12 champ, but since Oklahoma is in the semifinal, it would get the team that finishes second in the Big 12 standings.

Stanford is expected to play in the Rose Bowl against Ohio State or Iowa. The potential list is almost as short as the destination options but most likely include only Florida State, Houston or a leftover Big Ten team.

Henry came into championship weekend as the Heisman favorite, ran for 189 yards and a touchdown on 44 carries against a tough Florida defense — but couldn’t run away with the trophy. A fun game, without a lot of brilliant offense and plenty of exciting moments.