Ohio St.-Clemson, Bama-Washington set for CFB playoff

A title in January would be Alabama’s fifth in eight years – an unprecedented dynasty in top-tier college football. Truth is the top of the Big Ten was thicker with contenders than the top of the SEC.

Championship weekend ended with a couple wild games, but mostly the field of four fell into place.

Clemson entered last year’s playoff bidding for 15-0, and had a chance to finish with that record – but lost the title game to the Crimson Tide. Probably, and I think that’s how it should be.

Pac-12: If Washington loses, Colorado will be compared with two-loss champs from both the Big 12 and the Big Ten – not to mention two-loss MI – opening the door for the Wolverines and one-loss Ohio State to possibly finish in the top four. Although there isn’t going to be much drama on Oklahoma’s end today, the College Football Playoff Selection Show is going to be intriguing for any fan of college football.

What does the coach of the one team to make the playoff without a conference crown think of conference championships? Penn State played Pitt, Temple and Kent State, and they lost to the Panthers. While, Penn State has 2 losses, they have made a very compelling argument for their inclusion in the playoff. I’d say yes – Ohio State if they play really good football.

It promises to be an interesting Sunday afternoon in college football. That’s not discounting the rest of the conference. The Buckeyes would go on to win their next five including a 30-27 double-overtime thrilled against MI to end the season and cement their resume as one of the nation’s top teams. Wisconsin was in that conversation this year.

If Alabama and Ohio State are locks, Penn State and Wisconsin need help. Those games in the mid- to late-90s were legendary.

The Huskies (12-1) rose from a No. 14 preseason AP ranking to earn a national title shot. He became a grandfather for the first time early in the morning, ESPN reported, as his daughter Nicki Meyer Dennis gave birth to a boy, Troy. “Coupled with the nine-game full round robin conference schedule our teams play, it will not only benefit the teams at the top of our standings each season, but will impact the overall strength of the conference”. Oklahoma State and Colorado meet in the Alamo Bowl on December 29th.

So now it’s time to look at everyone’s completed resume and rank them. In winning the Big Ten, Penn State could celebrate an achievement unto itself.

Hocutt said the committee’s statistical analysis of both teams also favored the Huskies, who are fourth nationally in scoring and eighth in scoring defense. The 39-point loss to MI early in the season likely is what will keep them from the playoff. MI isn’t going away either.

ROSE BOWL: Southern California will face Big Ten champion Penn State in the Rose Bowl on January 2. The full Big Ten bowl lineup will be announced on Sunday night.

INSKEEP: Tom, can I ask one other thing?

According to Barrett, he texted Watson, “I’ll see you in Arizona”. So they didn’t win their conference.

MORE: What is the flawless College Football Playoff plan?

Is a conference title worth worrying about? It is the first time in the bowl’s 50-year history that it will serve as a semifinal game since becoming part of the “New Year’s Six”. Most of my interneting this morning tells me Iowa is going to the Holiday Bowl.

COLUMBUS, OH – NOVEMBER 26: J.T. Barrett #16 of the Ohio State Buckeyes celebrates after scoring a touchdown in overtime against the Michigan Wolverines at Ohio Stadium on November 26, 2016 in Columbus, Ohio.