Conference championship Saturday has come and gone. Now the real show begins.
After four-plus months of on-field results and politicking by coaches, athletic directors and fans, the College Football Playoff selection committee will decide which 12 teams will make the field on Sunday.
We know which teams will likely have byes: Oregon, Georgia, Boise State and Arizona State all won their conference title games and figure to be ranked ahead of three-loss ACC champion Clemson. But there’s plenty of intrigue around the last team in the field and which teams will host playoff games as well in the first iteration of the 12-team format.
The committee’s biggest dilemma is whether SMU or Alabama will get the last spot. The Mustangs battled back against Clemson to tie the game with less than 30 seconds to go before losing on a 56-yard field goal with no time left. The loss drops SMU to 11-2 and the Mustangs will assuredly fall from No. 8 in the rankings. But will they fall out of the playoff?
Follow along below as we break down the College Football Playoff picture and react to the final rankings as they’re announced.
