It has been a long-awaited event, and on Sunday, the new 12-team College Football Playoff was officially released. The biggest question entering the final selection show was who would be the final team to get an at-large bid. Alabama or SMU?
The debate was one that spraked a ton of conversation, especially after the Mustangs, in their first season in the ACC, lost 34-31 to Clemson in Satruday night's championship game in Charlotte. Going into the game, it would not have been surprising to see SMU get blown out by the Tigers and it would make the decision easier for the CFP committee to knock them out and slide a 9-3 Crimson Tide team into the field with the final spot.
After falling behind by 17 points, it appeared that the committee would have an easy decision, but the Mustangs roared back in the fourth quarter to tie the game with 16 seconds left, before a big kick-off return by Clemson and one pass completion downfield set the stage for a game-winning field goal as time expired. That was the worst-case scenario for the committee, but in the end, they got it right.
College Playoff Football committee gets 12-team field correct
Going into championship weekend, SMU coach Rhett Lashlee was outspoken about his Mustangs being ranked No. 8 in last week's rankings and comfortably in the field. A loss to Clemson, especially a blow-out loss, might have moved Alabama ahead of them and sent a bad message, be safe in the field one week, but knocked out if you close your conference title game. You can make the case that the Mustangs' rally solidified their spot in the field, but truth be told, SMU deserved to be in.
They went undefeated in the ACC in their first season, something Miami or Clemson couldn't do. They took care of the business they had to and Alabama didn't by losing at Vanderbilt and Oklahoma this season. If Alabama had been picked over SMU, it would have been sending a message that playing in a conference championship game doesn't hold as much weight as it should and you would be penalized. SMU deserved the spot, regardless of strength of schedule, and got it and the message was sent loud and clear.