After a thrilling championship weekend, the college football landscape has been transformed with the establishment of the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff. Oregon, Georgia, Boise State, and Arizona State have earned first-round byes, while Texas, Penn State, Notre Dame, and Ohio State will host on-campus games in the opening round. This has fans eagerly looking at early weather forecasts as they prepare for some intense matchups. Clemson, Tennessee, Indiana, and SMU complete the field, adding to the excitement.

CFP Committee's Tough Decisions

There was drama as the selection committee had to make the difficult choice between including SMU or Alabama in the final slot. Clemson's last-second 56-yard field goal victory over SMU in the ACC title game earned them an automatic bid, leaving the Mustangs hoping for a spot. In the end, Alabama, with three losses, was left out, and SMU was rewarded with the No. 11 seed. CFP committee chairman Warde Manuel explained the discussion, emphasizing the importance of strength of schedule and looking at the entire body of work for both teams.