The College Football Playoff for the 2021 season was announced earlier Sunday with Alabama, Michigan, Georgia and Cincinnati making the four-team field in that order. The Crimson Tide will face the Bearcats, the first Group of Five team in history to make the CFP, in the Cotton Bowl semifinal, while the Wolverines and Bulldogs will meet in the Orange Bowl semifinal. Here's a look at the playoff and what each team brings to the table.
With the top four teams set, our attention Sunday turned to the final CFP Rankings and the resulting New Year's Six bowl placements. While some of the spots are determined by conference assignments, such as in the Rose Bowl, others take location and matchup into consideration. With the CFP Selection Committee apt to occasionally make changes on a whim, not much could be known for sure until the announcement came down Sunday afternoon.
The one game that was cemented was the aforementioned Rose Bowl with Pac-12 champion Utah set to face Ohio State, the sixth-ranked team by the CFP and highest-ranked Big Ten team not in the playoff field. Baylor also locked up a spot in the Sugar Bowl by virtue of winning the Big 12. The Bears will face the next-highest ranked SEC team not in the playoff, Ole Miss.
Let's take a look at the playoff field and New Year's Six matchups before we get to the final CFP Rankings of the 2021 season. You can also check out the complete 2021-22 bowl schedule.
College Football Playoff
| Date | Game / Location | Time (TV) | Prediction |
|---|---|---|---|
Jan. 10 | National Championship | 8 p.m. (ESPN) | Semifinal winners |
Dec. 31 | Cotton Bowl semifinal | 3:30 p.m. (ESPN) | (1) Alabama vs. (4) Cincinnati |
Dec. 31 | Orange Bowl semifinal | 7:30 p.m. (ESPN) | (2) Michigan vs. (3) Georgia |
New Year's Six bowl games
| Date | Bowl | Time (TV) | Matchup |
|---|---|---|---|
Dec. 30 | Peach | 7 p.m. (ESPN) | (10) Michigan State vs. (12) Pittsburgh |
Jan. 1 | Fiesta | 1 p.m. (ESPN) | (5) Notre Dame vs. (9) Oklahoma State |
Jan. 1 | Rose | 5 p.m. (ESPN) | (6) Ohio State vs. (11) Utah |
Jan. 1 | Sugar | 8:45 p.m. (ESPN) | (7) Baylor vs. (8) Ole Miss |
College Football Playoff Rankings, Dec. 5
- Alabama (12-1)
- Michigan (12-1)
- Georgia (12-1)
- Cincinnati (13-0)
- Notre Dame (11-1)
- Ohio State (10-2)
- Baylor (11-2)
- Ole Miss (10-2)
- Oklahoma State (11-2)
- Michigan State (10-2)
- Utah (10-3)
- Pittsburgh (11-2)
- BYU (10-2)
- Oregon (10-3)
- Iowa (10-3)
- Oklahoma (10-2)
- Wake Forest (10-3)
- NC State (9-3)
- Clemson (9-3)
- Houston (11-2)
- Arkansas (8-4)
- Kentucky (9-3)
- Louisiana (12-1)
- San Diego State (11-2)
- Texas A&M (8-4)
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