Big 12 Misses College Football Playoff for First Time in Four Seasons
It wasn’t unexpected following Oklahoma’s 27-21 win over Iowa State in the Big 12 Championship Game, but for the first time in four seasons, the Big 12 has been left out of the College Football Playoff.
It was always a longshot for the Big 12, as Iowa State and Oklahoma each entered the Big 12 Championship Game with two losses, and the College Football Playoff committee has never selected a two-loss team to make the Final Four.
The College Football Playoff committee announced its Final Four on Monday and it includes:
- Alabama
- Clemson
- Ohio State
- Notre Dame
There will certainly be plenty of conversation around this year’s selections, as Ohio State played a total of six games, and when Notre Dame played Clemson with its star quarterback in Trevor Lawrence, it got smoked and did not win a conference title, which the committee has insisted is an important data point going back to 2014 (just ask Baylor, TCU fans).
The Big 12 had participated in the College Football Playoff each of the last three seasons when Lincoln Riley led three different quarterbacks to the Playoff, in Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray and Jalen Hurts. However each of those teams lost in the semifinals.
Georgia beat Oklahoma 54-48 in double overtime in 2017, then it was Alabama over the Sooners 45-34 and last season the LSU Tigers rolling to a 63-28 win against OU. Oklahoma also made the Playoff back in 2015, when it lost to Clemson 37-17.
As for this season, it looks like another familiar face will end up winning the National Championship. Alabama or Clemson have won four of the last five National Championships since the College Football Playoff was implemented back in 2014. The only other two programs to win since the Playoff was started was Ohio State back in 2014 and LSU last season.
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