Ohio State Buckeyes return to College Football Playoff

College Football Playoff committee chairman Kirby Hocutt says “it was a challenging conversation” that led Washington to get the final spot in the semifinals over Penn State. The teams switched positions from last week’s CFP committee ranking, but no matter.

The Tigers, third a week ago, leapfrogged idle Ohio State – who they’ll meet in the December 31 Fiesta Bowl – for the second spot behind Alabama with Sunday’s release of the selection committee’s Top 25. Would it be Pac-12 champion Washington, Big Ten champion Penn State or MI, which defeated the Nittany Lions by 39 points?

The Alabama Crimson Tide will tangle with the Washington Huskies of the Pac-12 Conference on New Year’s Eve later this month.

There was a general thought that Ohio State was a lock to make the College Football Playoff despite the fact it didn’t play for a Big Ten Championship. Alabama obviously remained at #1 after remaining undefeated with a win in the Iron Bowl.

Ohio State: Beat Notre Dame 44-28 in the Fiesta Bowl last season after winning the inaugural CFP championship the year before.

Penn State fans are also not big on May, and couldn’t believe that the former Pitt Panther stood up for the Nittany Lions.

Saban and Alabama will be trying to win their fifth national championship in eight seasons, and second straight.

“It’s been incredible”, Meyer told ESPN. In 2013, his 12-0 team lost in the title game to Michigan State.

Penn State did have an argument, based on two key points, for being included over Ohio State.

How did the head coach and starting quarterback of Ohio State find out about their College Football Playoff berth? “I think our discussions and our decision would have been much easier if Washington would have had a stronger strength of schedule this college football season”.

In 2014, Ohio State played Virginia Tech, Alabama played West Virginia, Oregon played Michigan State and Florida State played Oklahoma State, Notre Dame and Florida.

The Pac-12 has three programs in the top 15.

Not only did the Vols blow a chance to win the SEC East by losing to SC, but they blew a chance to back into the Sugar Bowl by losing to Vanderbilt. The Huskies won convincingly over Colorado and now could be the wild card team in this year’s playoff.

Washington stayed ahead of Penn State, too, even though the Nittany Lions played a tougher schedule (and earned two top-10 wins). “Penn State’s the most improved team I’ve seen start to finish in a season”.

Ohio State’s J.T. Barrett is equally hard to defend with his ability to create.

THE QUARTERBACKS: Watson has been stellar again this season, putting his name in the running for the Heisman Trophy after throwing for 3,626 yards, rushing for 441 and accounting for 38 touchdowns. Hopefully Washington can keep it closer than Michigan State did in the semifinals a year ago.

Although the defeat took Navy out of the running for the Cotton Bowl, the Midshipmen are expected to play in the Armed Forces Bowl after facing Army next Saturday.