Clemson-Oklahoma; Alabama-Michigan St

ESPN unveiled the College Football Playoff selection committee rankings Sunday, officially cementing what many already anticipated – that Clemson, Alabama, Michigan State and Oklahoma are in.

ACC champion Clemson, SEC’s Alabama, Big Ten’s Michigan State and Big 12’s Oklahoma are the best teams in the country and will play for the national championship. They’re looking at not only the December 31 opponent but a possible national championship game foe. “We do not have any discussion of pairings and where they would play”.

Michigan State came into this season seemingly overpowered by Ohio State and overshadowed by Michigan.

No one is arguing that Clemson, Alabama, Michigan State or Oklahoma shouldn’t be in the playoff. It’s a rematch of last season’s Russell Athletic Bowl, a 40-6 romp for the Tigers that served as a springboard of sorts on the way for Dabo Swinney’s team to be the last unbeaten club at the FBS level this season.

The winners will play for the national championship on January 11 in Glendale, Arizona.

COTTON COMEBACK: Michigan State’s comeback in the Cotton Bowl last January was the school’s biggest ever in a postseason game.

Clemson? Yes, the Tigers were at least tabbed the favorite to win their league at Atlantic Coast Conference media days in July.

The biggest game in Clemson program history took place in the Orange Bowl.

Alcorn State clinched its invite by winning the SWAC championship Saturday, 49-21 over Grambling State. North Carolina A&T got the bowl spot because of a higher Sagarin rating.

Kickoff is at 8 p.m. The senior linebacker leads the Big 12 champions in tackles for loss (16) and sacks (7 1/2). That set off a yearlong rise for the Big Ten, which even SEC stalwart Paul Finebaum admitted Sunday was the best league this season. It’s been three years since an SEC team-Alabama’s 2012 squad-stood atop the college football universe. Iowa drops two spots to sixth after its first loss. Everyone in the top four has a chance to win – old reliable Alabama, and the three who were less likely to get here.

The college football playoffs show begins at noon on ESPN.

The only real debating between the 13-member selection committee was how to rank the top four, and it did switch things up just a bit by dropping Oklahoma, which was ranked third last week and did not have to play a conference title game, below Michigan State.

There could be a few changes near the top of the AP poll following Saturday night’s conference title games. “The ultimate motivation right now is winning a national championship”.

This year, the Pac-12 is the Power 5 conference not included in the four-team playoff. The Spartans rugged defensive line with Shilique Calhoun and Malik McDowell stuffed Ohio State and Iowa’s running game. Nick Saban will be facing a former team in MSU and Alabama will be looking to make it to the title game after losing in the semis last season.