CFP semif inals feature familiar four
Blue bloods Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State and Notre Dame receive berths in the playoff.
A season f illed with uncertainty brought on by the pandemic will end with a perfectly predictable College Football Playoff.
Alabama vs. Notre Dame. Clemson vs. Ohio State. Four of the bluest of blue bloods and the teams that have comprised the top four in the rankings for nearly two months. Notre Dame was picked Sunday over Texas A& M for the final spot, ending what little drama there had been.
“It’s been a unique season in so many ways,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said.
Not when it comes to the teams playing for the national championship.
The top four teams in the selection committee’s f irst rankings of the season were the same teams at the end, just in different order. Alabama, Notre Dame, Clemson and Ohio State have also held the f irst four spots in the AP top 25 since Oct. 25.
All four have been there before. The Fighting Irish and Crimson Tide will meet Jan. 1 at AT& T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, after a late pandemic- related relocation from the Rose Bowl. The Tigers and Buckeyes are set to play the same day at the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans.
Opting out and out of options
No one lobbied harder to play this season than Nebraska. On bowl selection day, the Cornhuskers ( 3- 5) decided to wrap up the season. In fact, more than 20 Bowl Subdivivion teams chose not to accept an invitation to a bowl.
Nebraska joined Arizona State, Boise State, Boston College, Georgia Tech, Kansas State, Louisville, Penn State, Pittsburgh, San Diego State, SMU, USC, Stanford, UCLA, Utah, Virginia, Virginia Tech and Washington. For the Hokies, the decision ended a 27 straight bowlgame run.
Some of the canceled bowl games — 15 in all, including three on Sunday alone — included the Bahamas Bowl, Celebration Bowl, Hawaii Bowl, Holiday Bowl, Las Vegas Bowl, LA Bowl, Pinstripe Bowl, Quick Lane Bowl, Redbox Bowl and Sun Bowl. The Military Bowl remained in limbo late Sunday.
Bowl day oddities
While team after team opted out of bowl games, Army found itself in a different sort of situation — left out. The Black Knights have a 9- 2 record and a nearly two- month- long commitment to the Independence Bowl. They seemed all set. But when the Dec. 26 game in Louisiana was called off Sunday night because there was not an available team to play, it suddenly left Army on the outside of the postseason landscape.
A sliver of hope remains: The Black Knights could be in line should some bowlbound team f ind itself dealing with COVID- 19 issues. Adding to the insult, because bowl contracts are still in effect, a South Carolina team with a woeful 2- 8 record is going to the Gasparilla Bowl.
Surprise opponent
Texas- San Antonio was set to play in the Frisco Bowl when Southern Methodist withdrew and the bowl was scrubbed. So Texas- San Antonio accepted an invitation to the First Responder Bowl, where the Roadrunners found out they will face No. 16 Louisiana- Lafayette.