CFP's Featured Four Squeezes the Big XII
Return with us now, to those thrilling days of yesteryear.
Like 2013, when the Power Five poobahs figured they had this college football championship thing all figured out.
Yesiree, five conferences and four bracket spots.
- The SEC probably figured it had a shot at two of them;
- The Pac-12 didn't give a damn, as long as the check cleared;
- The ACC ... well, yeah;
- The Big Ten had the Chicago, New York, and Boston TV markets -- such as they were -- in its back pocket; and
- The Big XII, somehow, didn't see it coming.
Going into Sunday morning, it was pretty much known that Alabama, Oregon, and Florida State were going to be chosen as part of the first college football playoff, but the big question everyone wanted to know was who was going to be the fourth.
Elmo knew. Big Bird and the Cookie Monster knew. But the Big XII and commish Bob Bowlsby?
Not quick enough, dudes.
So the big New Years Day doubleheader is set with Alabama hosting Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl and Oregon hosting Florida State in the Rose Bowl.
Alabama garnered the top seed by winning the SEC title, 42-13 over Missouri ...
... while Oregon took the second seed with an easy 51-13 victory over Arizona.
Both the Tide and Ducks will be playing closer to home and hope use that to their advantage in the semi-finals. Florida State, the only undefeated team in the country, had too many close calls, including in the ACC title game against Georgia Tech.
The Noles must start their title defense a long way from home this time around.
Ohio State may have been concerned about the general media's opinion about the Big Ten, but with factors like the SEC East falling virtually en masse to ACC teams, and Oklahoma State laying 21 fourth-quarter points on Oklahoma, new perspective was afforded the Buckeyes, as they came from way back after an early season upset loss at home to Virginia Tech.
Even though they were down to their third string quarterback, Cardale Jones, by the time they got to the championship game, Ohio State just kept on keeping on.
Baylor and TCU get consolation prizes in the form of Cotton Bowl and Peach Bowl bids. Baylor will face Michigan State while TCU will battle Mississippi.
Action off the field over the holidays will be just as furious as that between the lines. The clamor for an expansion to eight teams will no doubt grow louder. Whether that happens or not, the Big XII is already reassessing everything. They definitely don't want another Sunday like the one they just had.