In a college football season unlike any other, there is still some familiarity in college football school.
Alabama, Clemson and Ohio State return to the PCP semifinals. At least two of those three schools have played in all CFPs since the playoffs were created in 2015.
In the semifinals, the three pursuers join Notre Dame. The Irish (10-1) are losing their only defeat of the season to Clemson in the ACC Championship match. Notre Dame, traditionally independent of football, competed as an ACC team for the first time this season as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
Alabama and Notre Dame will meet at The Rose Bowl Game Presented by Capital One on Jan. 1 at 4 p.m. ET, followed by Clemson and Ohio State at the Allstate Sugar Bowl at 8 p.m. Both games will air on ESPN.
In the history of college football playoffs, no single-loss SEC team has ever been left out, until this year.
Texas A&M is looking away despite an 8-1 season that meant the Aggies ’only loss to Alabama in the second week of the season.
“Seven straight SEC wins,” coach Jimbo Fisher said after Saturday’s win in Tennessee. “Some schools don’t even play seven games.
“I don’t care what league you’re in. If you pick the top four teams, we’ll be one of them.”
Selection committee chairman Gary Barta, Iowa’s athletic director, said Notre Dame’s extra win against a ranked opponent pushed the Irish above.
Instead, the Aggies ranked No. 5 ahead of No. 6 champion and Big 12, Oklahoma. The Sooners (8-2) jumped undefeated in Cincinnati (8-0) from the American Athletic Conference.
Although Crimson Tide and Fighting Irish will play in the Rose Bowl Game, they will not be heading to California this year. This game has moved from Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California, to AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, due to the growing number of COVID-19 cases in Southern California, along with the inability of families of players and coaches to attend. due to state restrictions during the pandemic.
“We’re so excited that everyone involved understands the importance it had and we’re grateful to the Rose Bowl for making that change,” Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly told ESPN. “I know it was difficult … I am very grateful that everyone was able to sit down and think about it [and decide] that this made sense to get families involved in the game. It wasn’t really about the fans, because our guys have done well without fans, but it was really about the families. “
The Tide (-17.5) and Tigers (-6.5) have opened as favorites at Caesars Sportsbook by William Hill in both semifinal games.
“We understand that if we don’t play at our level, we could be defeated pretty badly,” Kelly told ESPN. “Our boys recognize what they will have to do in relation to the mental preparation of playing for a great football team in Alabama. We are now much better prepared than in 2012 in terms of the physicality of the two lines. I think yes the ability to move football, no doubt … We have been humiliated by the way we play, and this team has always come back with its resilience and advantage. “
Alabama had the most direct path to the playoffs. The Crimson Tide scored 11-0 and won another SEC championship. Alabama only had one game canceled this season, although coach Nick Saban tested positive for COVID-19 and had to miss the 42-13 Iron Bowl victory at Auburn.
Clemson is 10-1, with his only loss to Notre Dame in a game the Tigers played without quarterback Trevor Lawrence after testing positive for COVID-19. Clemson was able to avenge that loss as a healthy Lawrence led the Tigers to an ACC title match over the Irish in Saturday’s rematch.
And then there were the Buckeyes, whose season didn’t start until Oct. 24, as the Big Ten reversed their decision not to play football. Despite canceling three games due to COVID-19 problems, Ohio State was dominant throughout the season, scoring less than 38 points just once en route to a 6-0 season that resulted in another Big Ten championship.
The national college football playoff championship presented by AT&T will be played on January 11 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.