The college football regular season is officially over and we now look forward to the continuation of postseason play. The Cup season is about to begin, as well as the Division 1 playoffs, all of which could be set when we close out the conference finals this weekend.
In more detail, some scenarios would actually lock down the championship playoff bracket. Instead, almost every conceivable result for the pairings at Cuisinart was achieved, meaning that today's announcement of the final 12 teams to play for the title was as vague as can be. So let's create some drama and look first at the results, then at the AP Top 25, and then look at the decisions made by the playoff committee to seed the championship bracket.
BIG 10 CHAMPIONSHIP
Indiana 13 – Ohio State 10
There were a lot of questions about how the Hoosiers would actually be able to match up against a top-ranked team, and the Buckeyes were a bit of a mystery with few real powerhouse matchups this year. After all, they played so close that many of those questions remain. The score in the penalty box was tied, and the difference came down to a missed field goal late in the game. The only solution is that Indiana is the real deal.
SEC CHAMPIONSHIP
Georgia 28-Alabama 7
It was a stifling performance by Georgia as the score does not reflect the level of suppression the Bulldogs achieved. Georgia didn't have to play from behind as they found the end zone once in each quarter. The Dawgs held the lead for more than 13 minutes, and Alabama had no ground play at all. They combined for -3 yards, with Daniel Hill leading all rushers with just 11 yards. Alabama's dominance so easily raised questions about the Crimson Tide making the playoffs.
BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP
Texas Tech 34 – BYU 7
The Red Raiders had an impressive record all season and tied the NCAA for most games won by 20 points. The strength on both sides of the game was on display as the Cougars scored in the opener and then faded for the rest of the game. Once Tech took control, there were four turnovers in the second half. The treatment forced BYU out of the postseason bubble as Tech rightfully earned a first-round bye in the playoffs.
ACC CHAMPIONSHIP
Duke 27 – Virginia 20
With things already going downhill with playoff seeding in a tight spot, the Blue Devils had to make matters worse with an upset. Leading for most of the game, Duke saw Virginia's late drive end with a tying touchdown. After the overtime score, the Blue Devils secured the win with a steal, and their status as unranked conference champions meant the ACC could very well make the playoffs without a team.
AMERICAN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP
Tulane 34 – North Texas 21
This would result in a likely bet on the winner, so the competition was real. Drew Mestemaker had another impressive statistic while throwing for the Green Wave, but one detail made all the difference: Three interceptions and two extra points recovered by the Green Wave changed the outcome. So the North Texas dream is shattered.
SUN BELT CHAMPIONSHIP
James Madison 31 – Troy 14
Just after being ranked for the first time last week, the Dukes seemed poised for a Group of Five seeding as they literally swept the Trojans. QB JM Alonza Barnett didn't even throw for 100 yards and nearly matched that on the ground with 85 yards and a score. Meanwhile, running back Wayne Knight was all over the place, throwing for 212 yards in the game.
Another confusion for the playoff committee was the final regular season poll, as there was intrigue in how the schools were organized after the conference trophies were handed out.
AP RANKINGS TOP 25
1. Indiana
2. Ohio State
3. Georgia
4. Texas Tech
5. Oregon
6. Ole Miss
7. Texas A&M
8. Holy Milk!
9. Notre Dame
10. Miami
11. Alabama
12. BYAU
13. Vanderbilt
14. Texas
15. Utah
16. USC
17. Tulane
18. Michigan
19. James Madison
20. Virginia
21. Arizona
22. Navy
23. North Texas
24. Georgia Tech
25. Missouri
PLAYOFF RATINGS
(Schools get first round, for now)
#1 Indiana
#2 Ohio State
#3 Georgia
#4 Texas Tech
First round matches in which the higher seeded team plays a home game.
#12 James Madison vs. #5 Oregon – Dec. 20, 7:30 p.m., TNT/HBO Max (winner: Texas Tech)
No. 11 Tulane vs. No. 6 Ole Miss — Dec. 20, 3:30 p.m., TNT/HBO Max (winner: Georgia)
No. 10 Miami No. 7 Texas A&M – Dec. 20, 12 p.m., ESPN/ABC (winner plays Ohio State)
No. 9 Alabama vs. No. 8 Oklahoma – Dec. 19, 8 p.m., ESPN/ABC (winner plays Indiana)
Nearby: Notre Dame, Texas, Vanderbilt.
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