Today marks a crazy day in the College Football Playoff era. For the first time since 2014, Clemson and Oklahoma will not play in their respected conference championship games, while Ohio State will fail to win the Big Ten for the first time since 2016.
If Georgia can do what is expected in the SEC Championship Game and beat Alabama, then it will mean for the first time in its eight-year history, the CFP will not have an Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State or Oklahoma team in its four-team field.
In fact, there is a great possibility that Georgia will be the only team in the playoff with any experience in the CFP.
How crazy is that? No Alabama. No Clemson. No Ohio State and No Oklahoma in the CFP. Those three teams have a combined 20 appearances in the CFP, with Alabama and Clemson combining for five national championships, nine championship game appearances and 14 wins overall.
In other words, the CFP has been dominated by Alabama and Clemson, while the Buckeyes have made a few cameos with three victories.
But this is a different year. Like I already said, Clemson, Ohio State and Oklahoma are likely done in the playoff race, while Alabama is close to being eliminated as well.
How crazy is Championship Saturday going to be today? Besides Georgia and Alabama meeting in the SEC Championship game, again, the ACC will have a first-time matchup in its. Wake Forest will play Pittsburgh at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.
In the Big 12, Oklahoma State is playing Baylor for all the marbles, while Michigan is playing Iowa in the Big Ten Championship. I bet you cannot find three people who picked those matchups back in July.
It just seems weird, but at the same time, I guess it is good for college football.
Though Clemson playing for a title every year is something we have all grown accustomed to, I can understand why college football fans are burned out on the Tigers and Tide always being there.
Today’s championship games will offer us a little intrigue than it has in year’s past. The ACC, the Big 12 and the Big Ten are guaranteed to have a new champion, while the SEC will likely have one that is not named Alabama or LSU.
So, sit back, kick the feet up, maybe have some wings and pizza and enjoy this rare Championship Saturday in college football. I got a feeling it is going to be one heck of a Saturday.
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