This year’s College Football Playoff field represents major change for the sport - The Dallas Morning News

Even though the College Football Playoff selection process lacked drama or controversy Sunday, the resulting four-team field represents major change for the sport.

It centers on the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic at AT&T Stadium, which is hosting No. 1 Alabama (12-1) and No. 4 Cincinnati (13-0) in one playoff semifinal Dec. 31. The Capital One Orange Bowl has the other semifinal, pitting No. 2 Michigan (12-1) and No. 3 Georgia (12-1).

The national championship game will be played Jan. 10 in Indianapolis.

Elsewhere, Baylor and Oklahoma State each landed in New Year’s Six Bowls, with Texas A&M (TaxSlayer Gator), Texas Tech (AutoZone Liberty) and Oklahoma (Valero Alamo) also bowl bound. Maybe no matchup outside the playoff will generate more buzz than Tech facing Mississippi State and former coach Mike Leach.

In its eighth year, this CFP field is different. As they used to sing on Sesame Street, one of these things is not like the others.

That would be American Athletic Conference member Cincinnati, the first Group of Five representative to crack the playoff final four. Until now, the playoff had been reserved for the best teams from the biggest conferences, differentiated only by how blue their blood was. Nobody is a bigger blue blood than Alabama, which has won six national titles under coach Nick Saban since 2009.

While this isn’t the equivalent of a No. 1 vs. 16 matchup in the NCAA basketball tournament — Cincinnati is too good — it certainly brings the Cinderella element that the playoff had lacked.

“That’s kind of a cool matchup, in my mind,” Cotton Bowl Classic chairman Bry Patton said. “I know a lot of people probably would say it’s a David vs. Goliath scenario. But we all recognize in football everything happens on the field.”

Cincinnati represents a breakthrough, winning at Notre Dame early and then going undefeated through the American. A late-season win over SMU was cited several times during the process by selection committee chairman Gary Barta.

American Commissioner Mike Aresco has lobbied tirelessly for playoff inclusion for his conference.

“I had my doubts as to whether we would ever get that, but I was hopeful,” Aresco said in a phone interview Sunday. “I always felt that there would be an opportunity. You just never know. You had to keep at it. And I had to keep making my points about how good I thought we were, how good I thought our teams were.”

Saban acknowledged that the change was a positive for the sport.

“Look, I think it’s good that we have a balance in college football in terms of people who can be successful,” Saban said while bemoaning the influence of the playoff. “I think it’s good for the fans that they all have hope that their team has an opportunity to get in the College Football Playoff.”

While technically a neutral-site game, Arlington has become Alabama’s home away from home.

Alabama played at AT&T Stadium as recently as last season, beating Notre Dame in the pandemic-relocated Rose Bowl en route to a national championship. The Crimson Tide have also made three appearances in the Allstate Kickoff Classic at AT&T Stadium, winning in 2012, ‘15 and ‘16. Alabama’s last appearance in the Cotton Bowl was a shutout win over Michigan State in 2016, which also doubled as a playoff semifinal.

The Big 12 missed the playoff for a second consecutive season and fourth of the eight years of the CFP. It will still get a boost to the bottom line with two teams in New Year’s Six games.

In a small way, the Big 12 still has a rooting interest in the playoff. Cincinnati will be joining the Big 12 by 2024.

At No. 5 in the penultimate rankings, Oklahoma State (11-2) had a chance to make a strong case for playoff inclusion. Instead, the Cowboys fell to Baylor 21-16 in the Big 12 title game. Oklahoma State still landed a spot in the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl against Notre Dame (11-1) and new coach Marcus Freeman.

No. 7 Baylor (11-2) had wins over Oklahoma and BYU as well as Oklahoma State on its résumé. A damaging late-season loss at TCU (5-7) probably was too much for the Bears to overcome. Barta addressed Baylor’s spot behind Ohio State in the final rankings.

“Baylor absolutely gets credit for their win, their championship win,” Barta said. “They have wins over top-15 teams. One of the things the committee did talk about, and that was the loss to TCU. That definitely came up in the conversation. When the vote occurred, all those things were discussed, and based on those types of factors, the committee just felt that Ohio State was a better football team than Baylor.”

The Bears were realistic about their chances and will face Mississippi in the Allstate Sugar Bowl. It’s Baylor’s second appearance in the Sugar Bowl in three years.

There were no watch parties in Waco. Coach Dave Aranda was on a recruiting trip. He phoned into the Sugar Bowl media teleconference from a Burger King in Dallas.

One key question is quarterback. Backup Blake Shapen led victories over Texas Tech and Oklahoma State with starter Gerry Bohanon sidelined by a hamstring injury. Bohanon could be ready for the bowl, Aranda said.

“If he continues with the improvement that he has made, I would think that he would play,” Aranda said.

The Bears potentially square off with a familiar face. Mississippi offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby is a former Baylor assistant as well as Art Briles’ son-in-law.

2021 Cotton Bowl Classic

No. 1 Alabama

Record: 12-1

Schedule/results: Beat Miami (FL) 44-13; beat Mercer 48-14; beat No. 11 Florida 31-29; beat Southern Mississippi 63-14; beat No. 12 Mississippi 42-21; lost to Texas A&M 41-38; beat Mississippi State 49-9; beat Tennessee 52-24; beat LSU 20-14; beat New Mexico State 59-3; beat No. 21 Arkansas 42-35; beat Auburn 24-22 (4OT); beat No. 1 Georgia 41-24.

Why they made it: After the stunning upset loss at Texas A&M and escapes against Florida, LSU, Arkansas and Auburn, the Alabama team everybody expected to see showed up in the SEC championship game. The 41-24 victory over No. 1 Georgia left no doubt what the Crimson Tide can do when they play their best. The performance came against a defense viewed as invulnerable and without receiver John Metchie in the second half because of a serious knee injury.

Coach speak: “I think the big thing for our players is to know that things aren’t going to get easier. They’re going to get much more difficult. … We certainly think Cincinnati belongs in the playoffs.” — Alabama coach Nick Saban on ESPN.

Championship history: We don’t have enough space. With all due respect to legendary Bear Bryant (six national championships) and Gene Stallings (1992 national title), Nick Saban has defined Alabama’s modern title history as the most successful coach of this century. Since beating Texas in the Rose Bowl to win the 2009 championship, Alabama has won six national titles, most recently last season.

Wow factor: Alabama’s assemblage of talent begins with sophomore quarterback Bryce Young. It doesn’t end there, either. Young, the heavy favorite to claim the Heisman Trophy next weekend, torched Georgia for 421 yards and three touchdowns. He’s thrown for 4,322 yards this season with 43 touchdowns and just four interceptions. Brian Robinson (1,071 yards, 14 TDs) leads the running game. Edge rusher Will Anderson is incredibly disruptive, leading the nation in sacks at 15.5. Defensive back Jordan Battle has returned two interceptions for touchdowns.

Did you know? Alabama has never lost a game at AT&T Stadium in five appearances. The Crimson Tide won the 2015 Cotton Bowl, is 3-0 in the season-opening Kickoff Classic and defeated Notre Dame last season in the Rose Bowl, which was played in Arlington because of pandemic concerns in California.

— Chuck Carlton

No. 4 Cincinnati

Record: 13-0

Schedule/results: Beat Miami (OH) 49-14; beat Murray State 42-7; beat Indiana 38-24; beat No. 6 Notre Dame 24-13; beat Temple 52-3; beat UCF 56-21; beat Navy 27-20; beat Tulane 31-12; beat Tulsa 28-20; beat South Florida 45-28; beat SMU 48-14; beat East Carolina 35-13; beat No. 21 Houston 35-20

Why they made it: Finally. A non-Power Five team has cracked the College Football Playoff. How did it happen? In a season of chaos, the Bearcats did what no other team could and remained unscathed, finishing a perfect 13-0 despite challenges from Navy, Tulane and Tulsa along the way. In addition, returning plenty of talent from a team that nearly beat Georgia in the Peach Bowl last season was validating.

Coach speak: “We know it’s going to be an incredible challenge for us and I think that’s what gives us the best opportunity. Our guys have done nothing but step up for challenges.” — Cincinnati coach Luke Fickell on ESPN.

Championship history: Cincinnati, bound for the Big 12 soon, won its second straight American Athletic Conference championship this season. The Bearcats have won eight conference titles since 2002; before that, they had won eight previously, starting with a conference title in 1933. This is the first College Football Playoff appearance for Cincinnati and for any non-Power Five team.

Wow factor: The storyline is perhaps the biggest, well-known wow factor about Cincinnati, but the Bearcats are more than underdogs. Fickell won AAC Coach of the Year for the second straight season. Quarterback Desmond Ridder did the same with the conference’s Offensive Player of the Year Award. Six players will be playing in the annual Senior Bowl, the most well-renowned All-Star game for NFL draft prospects.

Did you know? Cincinnati might have the best cornerback duo in the country with Coby Bryant and Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner. The shutdown corners lead a defense that is third-best in the country in terms of passing yards allowed this season.

— Joseph Hoyt

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