Cotton Bowl
In the final analysis, the stench from the Iowa stink bomb was still overpowering a month later.
Ohio State’s resume was strong, capped by a Big Ten championship game victory over undefeated Wisconsin. But the College Football Playoff selection committee 8:30 p.m., Dec. 29 TV: ESPN
could not — or would not — overlook the Buckeyes’ 55-24 loss to Iowa on Nov. 4 in granting the fourth and final playoff spot to Alabama on Sunday.
The Crimson Tide doesn’t have Ohio State’s marquee wins, but the committee believed Alabama was the stronger team. So instead of a rematch against Clemson in the playoff semifinals, the Buckeyes (11-2) will head to the Cotton Bowl to play Pac-12 champion Southern California on Dec. 29. Oklahoma vs. Georgia 5 p.m., Jan. 1 TV: ESPN Clemson vs. Alabama 8:45 p.m., Jan. 1 TV: ESPN
A generation ago, a matchup between conference champions Ohio State and Southern California would have taken place in the Rose Bowl and been treated as the pinnacle of a season. Now it is merely an attractive consolation prize.
The game will be played at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, the site of Ohio State’s 2014 championship game win over Oregon.
The eighth-ranked Trojans (11-2) won the Pac-12 championship on Friday with a victory over Stanford. USC coach Clay Helton was excited about playing Ohio State, even calling Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer a legend.
“This is a classic matchup between two legendary programs,” Helton said.
The Buckeyes were not together as a team when the Alabama logo was unveiled in the No. 4 spot of the playoff bracket shortly after 12:30 p.m.
“I sunk in my chair at home,” Meyer said, “because I really thought we were in. I kind of looked at it and stared at it for a minute.”
Linebacker Chris Worley couldn’t bear to watch. His father, in the room next door, told him.
“For anyone who puts
in the type of work that we do throughout the whole year and not get that call, you definitely are devastated,” Worley said. “But at the same time, we still are so fortunate to be playing for so much.”
Quarterback J.T. Barrett said he believes the Buckeyes are one of the four best teams in the country.
“I am hurt by us not getting in,” he said. “It’s going to sting for a minute. But at the end of the day, you do what you’re supposed to do.
“We were supposed to go beat Wisconsin in the Big Ten championship, and we were able to do that. And it was up to the committee to make the decision.”
On Tuesday, when the next-to-last playoff rankings were
announced, selection committee chair Kirby Hocutt said there was “very little separation” between No. 4 Alabama and No. 8 Ohio State. The Buckeyes’ win over then-No. 4 Wisconsin obviously was not enough to erase that gap.
Hocutt said the committee discussed the merits of Ohio State compared to Alabama on Saturday night after the Big Ten championship and came to a consensus that the Crimson Tide were the superior team. They debated again Sunday morning for more than an hour.
“The committee discussed both teams in depth and detail,” Hocutt said. “We challenged ourselves and played the devil’s advocate to make sure we thought through this from every direction. We know how important it is to get it right, and that’s what we did. The committee’s conclusion that Alabama is the fourth-best team in the nation was widespread and strong. It was unequivocal.”
When Hocutt was asked if the committee couldn’t get past Ohio State’s loss to Iowa, he replied, “You’re exactly right.”
Though Meyer was disappointed with the verdict, he seemed at peace with it. He didn’t question the committee’s judgment.
“It’s going to sting for a while, and then get around those you love and care about and move on,” Meyer said.