College Football Playoff live updates: Michigan, Washington, Texas, Alabama are in, full bowl schedule
No. 1 Michigan will play No. 4 Alabama, while No. 2 Washington will face No. 3 Texas. Follow here for analysis and reaction
The College Football Playoff is set, and the selection committee made the controversial move of leaving out undefeated ACC champion Florida State in favor of SEC champion Alabama. Michigan claimed the No. 1 spot while Washington came in at No. 2 and Texas jumped to No. 3 following a dominant win over Oklahoma State in the Big 12 title game.
FSU is the first undefeated Power 5 conference champion to miss the CFP.
Michigan, boasting a 13-0 record, solidified its spot in the Playoff for the third straight year by shutting out Iowa 26-0 to win the Big Ten title.
Washington punched its ticket by capping a perfect regular season with a 34-31 win over Oregon in the final Pac-12 championship.
Even though Florida State defeated Louisville 16-6 to win the ACC championship, the selection committee took into account the fact that the Seminoles lost star quarterback Jordan Travis to a season-ending leg injury suffered in a game against North Alabama on Nov. 18. FSU started its third-string QB, freshman Brock Glenn, against Louisville.
“Florida State is not the same team that they were for the first 11 weeks of the season,” CFP chairman Boo Corrigan said.
Defending national champion Georgia won’t have a chance at a historic three-peat after the loss to Alabama knocked the Bulldogs to No. 6.
The schedule for the semifinals on New Year’s Day:
No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 4 Alabama in the Rose Bowl, 5 p.m. ET
No. 2 Washington vs. No. 3 Texas in the Sugar Bowl, 8:45 p.m. ET
How Florida State’s snub affected bowl scenarios
When Holiday Bowl executive director Mark Neville woke up Sunday morning, he assumed he would be announcing his bowl’s Clemson-USC matchup later that day. Gator Bowl counterpart Greg McGarity was anticipating North Carolina versus Tennessee in his game. The Sun Bowl’s Bernie Olivas had his eyes on Miami-Oregon State, but there were several other teams he figured were possible on the ACC side — none of which were Notre Dame.
These bowls are a full-on Monet — look great from afar but a mess as you approach
Seeing a very fun bowl matchup and quickly realizing many of the best players won’t be playing is both understandable and disappointing as a fan of fun football. The portal has exacerbated that even more, especially at quarterback.
Ohio State will go into the Cotton Bowl against Missouri without Kyle McCord. Oregon State will be down to its third string quarterback against Notre Dame in the Sun Bowl. Oklahoma and Kansas State won’t have their starting quarterbacks either, both gone to the portal. For all the talk about players sitting out bowl games for NFL purposes, the portal may have a greater impact on bowl results.
The Irish are headed to El Paso — How’d that happen?
Early in the season, Notre Dame had hopes of a New Year’s Six bowl berth. A few weeks later, there was a chance for a matchup against former coach Brian Kelly and LSU. Now, the Irish are headed to El Paso to take on the Oregon State Beavers, themselves in the midst of a downturn following the departure of Jonathan Smith to Michigan State.
Read more below on the road to the Sun Bowl, the matchup with Oregon State and an update on Notre Dame’s coaching staff.
CFP semis, New Year’s Six game previews
A contentious decision by the College Football Playoff selection committee has rightfully elicited its share of criticism and outrage in the immediate aftermath. But it also delivered what looks to be an evenly matched four-team field, two competitive semifinal games and some fascinating pairings in the rest of the New Year’s Six bowls. As the Playoff debate roils on, let’s take an early gander at what to expect in the biggest matchups of bowl season.
Twelve-team Playoff will be a desperately needed reboot
Welcome to the final year of the college football postseason as we’ve known it.
Turns out, it couldn’t come soon enough.
You know there’s something wrong with your system when Florida State’s star quarterback tweets, “I wish my leg broke earlier in the season.” As in, I wish my teammates had gotten more opportunities to prove to 13 random people in a conference room that they’re still one of the four best teams without me.
Why the 12-team Playoff era can’t come soon enough
Alabama football earned its spot, as uncomfortable as that seems
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Champions were crowned Saturday night, but there were some restless hours for several coaches across the country into Sunday morning. Their teams did all they could, winning conference championships for some. Still, for all but Michigan and Washington, their destinies were left in the hands of the College Football Playoff committee.
James Franklin talks bowl, transfers, OC and more
James Franklin stepped off a plane and hopped on Zoom on Sunday to discuss No. 10 Penn State’s Peach Bowl matchup against No. 11 Ole Miss.
Lane Kiffin chatted from inside the football building in Oxford, but he was wrapping up an official visit weekend. He saw the Rebels’ bowl opponent flash across the TV screen before it was back to recruiting meetings.
Should Washington be No. 1?
The College Football Playoff selection committee had no chance of getting it right on Sunday, because there was no right answer.
The committee members were backed into a corner and had to wrong someone in narrowing the field down to four teams. They ultimately chose Florida State, which did nothing wrong all season and finished undefeated including two win over SEC teams in nonconference play. The Seminoles only committed the sin of having Jordan Travis’ left leg twist 90 degrees and backup quarterback Tate Rodemaker suffer a concussion in consecutive weeks. After nine years of choosing teams based on results and not projections, the committee picked Alabama over Florida State because it thought that would produce a better game. (It’s right about that.)
ReliaQuest Bowl grants Badgers unexpected ‘opportunity’
USA Today
It’s official: Wisconsin’s football team is headed to Tampa, Fla., to play No. 13 LSU in the ReliaQuest Bowl on Jan. 1 at Raymond James Stadium. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. CT. Here are six takeaways on the game and what to expect from the Badgers.
Can Buckeyes move on from Michigan loss?
Unlike last season, there wasn’t much drama for Ohio State during Sunday’s bowl announcements. Any hopes of making the College Football Playoff were gone when Texas beat Oklahoma State in the Big 12 title game on Saturday afternoon.
Even before then, Ohio State would’ve needed a lot of help. The Buckeyes’ Playoff dreams were truly finished because of a third consecutive loss to Michigan last week.
Ohio State missed the Playoff but has plenty to gain from Cotton Bowl vs. Missouri
Iowa bowl prep: 10 things to know about matchup vs. Tennessee
All digital signs pointed toward a second trip to Disney World in three years for the Iowa football program. One day after a Big Ten Championship Game loss to Michigan, those signs shifted from projection to actuality.
The No. 17 Hawkeyes (10-3, 7-2 Big Ten) will face No. 21 Tennessee (8-4, 4-4 SEC) in the Citrus Bowl at 1 p.m. (ET) on Jan. 1. The game serves as a curtain raiser to a pair of College Football Playoff games later that day.
Iowa bowl prep: 10 things to know about matchup vs. Tennessee
Penn State updates
James Franklin on zoom says Andy Kotelnicki will be here, evaluating the roster, taking everything in this bowl season, much like PSU did with Manny Diaz a couple years ago.
They’ll keep the structure the same with co-OCs Ty Howle and Ja’Juan Seider for the Peach Bowl.
