The 12-team College Football Playoff that may ultimately crown a nationwide champion was unveiled Sunday, with top-seeded Oregon, Georgia, Boise State and Arizona State incomes the top-four seeds and first-round byes within the bracket.
As a part of the playoff’s growth from 4 groups to 12 this season, its 13-member choice committee chosen the 5 highest-ranked convention champions, plus seven at-large groups. Only the 4 highest-ranked convention champions have been eligible to earn a top-four seed and the reward of a bye into the quarterfinals. That rule meant the committee’s remaining top-25 rankings differed from its seedings.
The 12-team bracket, by seedings:
1. Oregon (13-0)
2. Georgia (11-2)
3. Boise State (12-1)
4. Arizona State (11-2)
5. Texas (11-2)
6. Penn State (11-2)
7. Notre Dame (11-1)
8. Ohio State (10-2)
9. Tennessee (10-2)
10. Indiana (11-1)
11. SMU (11-2)
12. Clemson (10-3)
Little motion was anticipated between the committee’s penultimate top-25 rating, which was launched Tuesday, and Sunday’s finale as a result of committee chair and Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel had stated that groups not collaborating in convention championship video games this weekend have been basically frozen so as.
The 48 hours earlier than the bracket reveal went principally to expectations, as many favorites gained their convention championship video games; nevertheless, an exception was when Clemson used a last-second area aim to upset SMU and win Saturday’s ACC championship recreation. SMU, which was projected for a attainable top-four seed as a convention champion only one week earlier, instantly had its resume thrown right into a debate with different at-large candidates comparable to Alabama, which owned extra losses however extra top-25 victories, for the final at-large spot.
Ultimately, SMU turned one of many bracket’s largest winners when the playoff choice committee included the Mustangs regardless of its title-game loss, leaving out perennial powerhouse Alabama.
The high 4 seeds have been secured this weekend when Oregon beat Penn State to win the Big Ten, Georgia beat Texas for the SEC title in extra time, Arizona State gained the Big 12 over Iowa State and Boise State beat UNLV to win the Mountain West.
With seeds 1-4 incomes a bye, the playoff will start Dec. 20-21 with a primary spherical between groups seeded 5-12, performed on the dwelling stadiums of the higher-seeded at-large staff.
Those matchups at the moment are set:
- Clemson at Texas
- Indiana at Notre Dame
- SMU at Penn State
- Tennessee at Ohio State
First-round winners will advance to the quarterfinals, hosted on the Fiesta Bowl, Rose Bowl, Peach Bowl and Sugar Bowl, the place they are going to play one of many top-four seeds on both Dec. 31 and Jan. 1. The seedings imply that the winner of Ohio State-Tennessee will face Oregon, the winner of Indiana-Notre Dame will face Georgia, the winner of SMU-Penn State will face Boise State and the winner of Clemson-Texas will play Arizona State.
The dates of the remainder of the College Football playoff:
Semifinals: Jan. 9-10, on the Cotton Bowl and Orange Bowl.
Championship: Jan. 20, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
