POST’S PLAYOFF PICKS

PLAYOFF FOUR

Alabama, Ohio St., Michigan, Georgia CHAMPION: Alabama may have the two best players in the country and an absurdly loaded supporting class. The Crimson Tide starts No. 1 and finishes that way after key injuries derailed last year’s team in the title game.

CAN’T MISS ’EM Notre Dame at Ohio State, Sept. 3:

The season starts with an absolute blockbuster of a matchup, Notre Dame and new coach Marcus Freeman in Columbus to face loaded Ohio State. Freeman played for the Buckeyes and now starts his head-coaching career against his old team in prime time.

Texas A&M at Alabama, Oct. 8: Jimbo Fisher became the first Nick Saban assistant to defeat him last October, then the Texas A&M coach landed the No. 1 recruiting class in the country. It led to a public feud that saw the two men take shots at one another’s recruiting practices — Saban said the Aggies “bought every” recruit and Fisher responded by calling him a “narcissist” — though it has supposedly since been squashed. Get your popcorn ready.

USC at Utah, Oct. 15: USC has been anointed by some as the class of the Pac-12 following the arrival of coach Lincoln Riley and quarterback Caleb Williams, but the Trojans first have to get through Utah — the league’s South division champion three of the past four years. Williams against fellow dual-threat signal-caller Cameron Rising will be a must-watch.

Clemson at Notre Dame, Nov. 5: The also-ran status of the ACC makes this by far the best game on Clemson’s schedule. This showcase opportunity for these two playoff contenders could be a make-or-break contest, particularly if Notre Dame falls to Ohio State in its opener. Michigan at Ohio State, Nov. 26: The Game was getting stale until Michigan finally punched back last November, snapping Ohio State’s eight-game winning streak. C.J. Stroud and Co. will certainly remember that beatdown when the Wolverines visit Ohio Stadium in a showdown that is expected to determine the rugged Big Ten East winner.