No drama playoff: Selection committee has it easy this time

Because the committee had released preliminary rankings each Tuesday for the past several weeks, expectations for the final four were in place, and Saturday’s results – the favoured team won in all four of the major conference championship games – all but ended the mystery of which four teams would qualify Sunday. The Rose Bowl, which matches the champions of the Pac-12 and Big Ten, has its choice of another team from one of those conferences if that conference’s champion plays in a national semifinal game. The New Year’s Day game will feature Ohio State and Notre Dame, two teams in the College Football Playoff mix until late in the season.

Alabama (12-1) pulled away from Florida in the SEC Championship to win, 29-15.

Alabama (12-1) is the champion of the SEC and is making its second straight appearance in the playoffs. Although three of the 4 teams have losses on their resume, there was nary a touch of discontent over the sector in that will play for the championship of college football.

“I would not be in this position as a head coach had I not been afforded the opportunity to come to Michigan State by Nick”, Dantonio said. Saban has three national titles with the Crimson Tide, and he comes into the game with another strong team.

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.

Then again, college football can always use a break from the annual pecking-order controversy.

Clemson, the only remaining unbeaten team in the FBS, retained the No. 1 spot in the committee’s rankings after beating North Carolina 45-37 on Saturday night.

Alabama defeated Baylor in the 1981 matchup, 30-2, but would then fall to Texas, 14-12, the next year. Current Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio was part of Saban’s staff as the defensive backs coach.

He’s instilled a strong work ethic in his team, and he talked about how proud he was of the Spartans after they won the Big Ten championship, per ESPN.com: “Our football team knows how to win”.

It doesn’t seem likely Oklahoma could get into the top two after being third last week.

The Sooners opened as a 2 1/2-point favorite, marking the first time this season that Clemson will play the role of underdog. Alabama is the only team that also played in the first four-team playoff last season, but lost 42-35 to eventual national champion Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl.

The Re-rank will be updated once more, after the conclusion of bowl play. That status, combined with a third victory against a Top 10 opponent this season, help the Tigers secure the top spot in the final College Football Playoff rankings.

Short honeymoon? Kirby Smart gets his first head coaching shot with Georgia, but how much patience will he get in Athens? Both teams boast standout quarterbacks – Deshaun Watson for Clemson and Baker Mayfield for Oklahoma – and both offenses rank among the national leaders in nearly all categories.

Aside from coaching ties, the teams are built similarly heading into an 8 p.m. matchup at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

The committee sent another clear signal that teams willing to take on a challenging schedule will be rewarded.

Alabama and Michigan State have been to the Cotton Bowl before, and not too long ago. On MSU’s final offensive play of the game, Scott ran to his right and was met at the 1 by a gang of desperate Hawkeyes, but they couldn’t stop him from scoring.

Out of the top 25: Southern California.