ARLINGTON, Texas — Championship Saturday began right here in central Texas identical to all of us had hoped: With chaos.
Baylor’s protection smothered Oklahoma State, producing a goal-line stand to beat the fifth-ranked Cowboys, 21–16. It opened the door for a shakeup in the present prime 4, doubtlessly paving a approach for Notre Dame and its 35-year-old, model new head coach to make the College Football Playoff.
After which got here extra chaos. Alabama shocked Georgia to win the SEC championship. In a approach, chaos on Saturday truly led to … calm?
The choice committee’s first job—selecting the highest 4 groups—obtained an entire lot simpler regardless of Saturday’s surprising fireworks (each Bama and Baylor had been mainly six-point underdogs). The highest 4 this previous week will virtually definitely be the highest 4 on Sunday at midday ET when the choices are introduced: Alabama, Cincinnati, Michigan, Georgia.
The actual determination: What order to place them?
Actually, not in the order above. Although they aren’t supposed to contemplate matchups when seeding, committee members should. And they’ll. Don’t give us a rematch of the SEC title sport. Don’t.
When you create seeding with that in thoughts, you’ll invariably find yourself with one of two choices:
1. Alabama
2. Michigan
3. Georgia
4. Cincinnati
Or…
1. Michigan
2. Alabama
3. Cincinnati
4. Georgia
Right here’s our guess: the committee chooses the previous (the Tide would be the No. 1 seed). That stated, the Wolverines have an argument. In truth, let’s dive into the digits.
Alabama has three top-25 wins; Michigan has two. Alabama has two top-10 wins; Michigan has one. Heading into the weekend, Alabama had a power of schedule of 18; Michigan was at 36. Alabama misplaced to No. 25 Texas A&M; Michigan misplaced to No. 11 Michigan State.
The Bearcats’ power of schedule (87th) is 36 spots worse than the next-best power of schedule among the many 4 groups (Georgia is 51). It’s why they’re sure for the No. 4 seed.
For the second time in the final 5 years, two SEC groups—the Bulldogs and Tide additionally each made it in 2017—will make the Playoff. And for the primary time ever, a Group of 5 program is in.
The Playoff is setting as much as be the SEC towards the world. Alabama vs. Cincinnati is the SEC towards the Group of 5. Georgia vs. Michigan is the SEC vs. The Alliance. Enjoyable!
The No. 1 seed is granted desire on its semifinal web site. Barring one thing unexpected, Nick Saban is taking Dallas over Miami, proper?
Give it some thought. You’d wish to management the setting with an enclosed venue and restrict distractions/temptations as a lot as attainable. That is a straightforward determination. Tide vs. Bearcats in the Cotton Bowl and Wolverines vs. Bulldogs in the Orange Bowl.
In truth, that is the least suspenseful choice present in, perhaps, the eight years of the occasion. There isn’t a battle for No. 4. There isn’t that tight of a battle for the highest seed. You possibly can’t have a rematch. It’s a reasonably straightforward prime 4.
It’s not all the time been this manner, of course. Simply final yr, 8–1 Texas A&M was left at residence in favor of 10–1 Notre Dame. In 2019, one-loss Oklahoma beat out two-loss Georgia. The yr prior, 12–1 Ohio State and 12–0 UCF had been ignored for 12–1 Oklahoma. In 2014, Ohio State obtained in over a pair of 11–1 Large 12 groups, TCU and Baylor.
There is no such thing as a drama this yr. No nervousness.
These ignored in 2021 don’t have an actual professional argument. An 11–1 Notre Dame misplaced at residence to the presumed No. 4 seed, Cincinnati. And 11–2 Baylor misplaced a sport to five–7 TCU.
As wild as it’s, chaos ensued Saturday. Nevertheless it led to, of all issues, calm.
Extra College Football Protection:
• Georgia’s Narrative Resets After One other Loss to Bama
• Alabama’s O-Line Got here Up Big vs. Georgia
• Dave Aranda’s Meteoric Rise Hits a New Peak
• Contained in the Wild Week That Could Change CFB Endlessly
