CFP committee sets field, picks SMU over Alabama
Oregon, Georgia, Boise State, and Arizona State are officially the first-round byes in the inaugural edition of the 12-team College Football Playoff.
The Ducks and Bulldogs were ranked No. 1 and 2, respectively, in the final list. The Broncos, meanwhile, came in at No. 9 and the Sun Devils slotted in at No. 12. However, because the top four conference champions receive byes, Boise State and Arizona State will rest for the opening round.
The biggest drama of the release show came at the bottom: With SMU and Alabama battling for the final at-large spot, the committee chose the Mustangs despite their loss to 12th-seeded Clemson in the ACC title game.
First-round matchups
Game 1: No. 10 Indiana at No. 7 Notre Dame (Dec. 20, 8:00 p.m. ET)
The battle of Indiana takes center stage for the first CFP quarterfinal with the Hoosiers traveling three hours to face Notre Dame. Curt Cignetti has completely turned his club around in his first season in Bloomington, registering the first 11-win campaign in Indiana's history. But it'll be a tall task to take down arguably the hottest team in the country, the Fighting Irish. Marcus Freeman's program has run through the entire schedule after a stunning Week 2 loss to Northern Illinois, ripping off 10 straight wins and outscoring the competition 441-134 over that span.
Game 2: No. 11 SMU at No. 6 Penn State (Dec. 21, 12:00 p.m. ET)
It was probably a nerve-racking 12 hours for SMU after the ACC title game loss, but the committee still deemed the Mustangs worthy of a CFP slot on Sunday. The joy will likely be short-lived, though - Rhett Lashlee's program is staring down a daunting road trip to Penn State. SMU's explosive offense will be in tough against Happy Valley, one of the top defensive units in the country. The bracket sets up well for Penn State should it beat SMU with Boise State on deck in the Fiesta Bowl.
Game 3: No. 12 Clemson at No. 5 Texas (Dec. 21, 4:00 p.m. ET)
Clemson's dramatic last-second field goal to beat SMU secured the former a playoff spot, but the committee didn't move the Tigers past the 12-seed on Sunday. That forces Dabo Swinney to head west for a matchup with Texas in Austin. The Longhorns posted 11 wins on the campaign but lost twice to Georgia - the only two top-25 games on their schedule. Clemson has lost both its matchups with SEC opponents this season, including a 34-3 beatdown by Georgia in the opening week.
Game 4: No. 9 Tennessee at No. 8 Ohio State (Dec. 21, 8:00 p.m. ET)
The blockbuster matchup of the opening round is undoubtedly a big-brand contest between Tennessee and Ohio State. While Volunteers fans will be disappointed they aren't hosting, they should feel good about the fact the Buckeyes lost to Michigan the last time they played at home. Both teams field top-10 defensive units and offensive attacks that have underwhelmed at times despite rostering significant talent.