December 8th 2024.
The College Football Playoff selection committee had a tough decision to make after Clemson's thrilling victory over SMU in the ACC championship on Saturday. With Clemson securing the final conference championship spot, the committee was faced with choosing between SMU and Alabama for the last at-large spot in the playoffs.
The stakes were high for both the 2024 CFP field and the future of the event. Clemson's nail-biting win, thanks to a 56-yard field goal, came just moments after Oregon secured the No. 1 overall seed in the 12-team event with a close victory over Penn State in the Big Ten title game. As the top seed, Oregon was assigned to the Rose Bowl, while SEC champion Georgia was assigned to the Sugar Bowl.
The remaining three teams in contention for the final two byes were Clemson, Boise State, and Arizona State, who had all clinched their respective conference championships. One of these teams would have to hit the road in two weeks to face tough opponents like Texas, Penn State, or Notre Dame.
But the real dilemma for the committee was whether to choose SMU or Alabama for the final at-large spot. SMU had been ranked No. 8 in the committee's rankings, while Alabama trailed behind at No. 11. The question was, would the committee punish SMU for their loss in the ACC championship, or exclude Alabama, who had a tougher schedule and more quality wins?
The decision would have major implications, not just for this year's playoffs, but for the future of the sport as well. In fact, some even speculated that if the SEC and Big Ten didn't get their way, they would push for changes in the format starting in 2026, potentially limiting access for other conferences.
Amidst the debate over SMU and Alabama, the 12-team field was already set, with only the seeding left to be determined before the official announcement on Sunday. The top four seeds were expected to be Oregon, Georgia, Boise State, and Arizona State, with the next four being Texas, Penn State, Notre Dame, and either Ohio State or Tennessee.
Arizona State's win over Iowa State in the Big 12 championship also brought some clarity to the Pac-12's bowl selection process. With Oregon and Arizona State both heading to the CFP, the other eligible teams would move up two spots in the selection order. The Alamo Bowl was expected to choose Colorado, who tied for first in the Big 12 but lost the tiebreaker. They would likely face either Iowa State or Brigham Young. The Holiday Bowl, with the second pick, would invite Washington State, who was protected by the Pac-12's one-loss-down rule. This meant they had to be selected ahead of any team with two or more losses. Their opponent would be from the ACC.
The Las Vegas Bowl was expected to choose the USC Trojans, who had a dramatic victory over LSU in Sin City to start their season. They would likely face a team from the SEC, potentially former USC coach Lane Kiffin's Mississippi team. The Sun Bowl, with the fourth pick, was expected to select Washington, who hadn't played in El Paso since 2002. Their opponent would also be from the ACC. This left the LA Bowl with Cal, who had a large alumni base in Southern California and hadn't played at USC or UCLA during the regular season. They would face a team from the Mountain West.
The official bowl pairings would be announced on Sunday afternoon, following the reveal of the CFP teams. Fans eagerly awaited the decision, and the anticipation only grew as the clock ticked closer to the announcement. As always, there would surely be some surprises and controversies, but that was just part of the excitement of college football.
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