Alabama Sneaks Past Ohio State To Make College Football Playoff

Clemson, Oklahoma, and Georgia "took care of business in their respective conference championship games" yesterday and "received berths" in the College Football Playoff. Additionally, Alabama was "selected as the fourth team, over Ohio State." No. 1 Clemson will face No. 4 Alabama in the Allstate Sugar Bowl, and No. 2 Oklahoma will play No. 3 Georgia in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1, as announced today by the CFP selection committee. The semifinal winners "will play for the national title on Jan. 8 in Atlanta." OSU "held on to beat Wisconsin 27-21 in the Big Ten championship game," but the team "had a 31-point loss to unranked Iowa on its resume" that ultimately led to its omission (ESPN.com, 12/3).

The Athletic’s Stewart Mandel tweeted, “That’s two years in a row that many pushed for a two-loss conference champ only for the committee to pick a one-loss non-champ. Both years the two-loss team had a blowout loss. Lesson learned.” Sports reporter Bonnie Bernstein wrote, “The most emphatic statement the #CFBPlayoff just made, putting Alabama at #4... They want the four BEST, not deserving, teams in the Playoff. Yahoo Sports’ Dan Wetzel wrote, “Georgia-Oklahoma followed by Alabama-Clemson. Incredible double header. Playoff isn't perfect but it's pretty awesome still.” The Oklahoman’s Jacob Unruh: “Ohio State beat No. 6 Wisconsin on a neutral field, but stays outside of playoff. Sure. That makes sense.”

ESPN's Heather Dinich reported that three CFP committee members had to recuse themselves during different portions of the decision making process. Dinich: "Frank Beamer is recused from Georgia because his son, Shane, is on staff there." Clemson AD Dan Radakovich and Ohio State AD Gene Smith were "recused from talking and voting" about their schools ("SportsCenter," ESPN, 12/3).