AP Top 25: Michigan St up to 3rd behind, Clemson, Alabama

The Associated Press plans to release its final regular-season Top 25 poll before the four-team college football playoffs and the rest of the bowl pairings are announced.

Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson holds the most valuable player trophy after Clemson defeated North Carolina 45-37 in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship NCAA college football game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015.

By RALPH D. RUSSO AP College Football Writer The teams are set. But how excited will Baylor Nation really be for that trip after seeing a team that was 8-0 and ranked second nationally drop three of its last four games?

So it’s up to Clemson and North Carolina to provide some suspense on Sunday. It would be hard to dislodge Clemson out of the top line and they would likely be headed to the Orange Bowl if they are No. 1.

Consensus: In. Clemson is a safe bet to make the playoff.

The national semifinals will be No. 1 Clemson vs. No. 4 Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl No. 2 Alabama vs. No. 3 Michigan State in the Cotton Bowl. Interesting that the Crimson Tide has a better record at AT&T Stadium than OU does.

The Big Ten champion Spartans completed last season on New Year’s Day playing in their first Cotton Bowl.

The top spot probably will come down to the Tigers or the Tide.

Consensus: In. For the second straight year, Alabama will have the chance to bring a national championship to Tuscaloosa.

Mayfield has thrown at least one touchdown pass in all 12 Oklahoma games this season and three or more in eight of the games.

As things stand, No. 3 Oklahoma (11-1), the Big 12 champion, is the only team within the projected four-team playoff bracket with an open date Saturday.

#19 TCU 28, #7 Baylor 21 (2OT): In a driving rain storm that limited both teams’ high-powered offenses, the Horned Frogs scored in each overtime period, while stopping the Bears on a 4th-and-1 to escape with the upset win at home. And if you are a fan of the Sooners, you should be relieved Oklahoma fell. Why?

Alabama (12-1) had it easy by comparison in the Southeastern Conference championship game against Florida. Beat Alabama, get to the national title game, finish the job. The Spartans have a future National Football League quarterback in Connor Cook, and their defense is championship-caliber.

Alabama beat Florida on Saturday while Michigan State edged Iowa. And with two losses, Pac-12 champion Stanford won’t be able to unseat any of the other Power 5 champs.

Consensus: In. Michigan State has earned a playoff berth. Clemson has had four games – Louisville, Notre Dame, South Carolina and North Carolina – settled by a touchdown or less.

Long is the chairman of the CFP selection committee – a 12-person group that makes the final decisions. The Sooners didn’t have a shot to impress on championship weekend thanks to the Big 12 schedule and its lack of a conference title game.