No one can predict what the college football playoff will look like at the end of a season. This year was no exception.
Let's start with the two SEC powerhouses, Alabama and Georgia. These two schools were 2 of the top 3 favorites to make it into the playoff at the start of the season. Had only one loss this season, coming at the hands of Texas A&M. This loss was not indicative of the rest of their season. The Crimson Tide would go on to win the SEC West and the SEC championship over the SEC East champions, Georgia. The Bulldogs remained undefeated all the way up to the SEC championship game against Alabama. Their incredible defense, led by Jordan Davis, is what carried them through their incredible 2021 campaign.
Now onto the two underdogs, Michigan and Cincinnati. According to ESPN, both schools had less than a 1% chance to get into the playoff at the start of the season. Obviously they proved their doubters wrong.
Michigan always seems to sit in the top 10 late in the season and fall off in their big rivalry games to Ohio State and Michigan State. The Wolverine lost to Michigan State when the Spartans were ranked 3 in the nation but other than that, Michigan has been lights out, beating Ohio State for the first time in 8 matchups and going 12-1.
Cincinnati has proved everyone, including myself, wrong. They have become the first group of 5 team to advance to the playoff since its inception in 2014. The Bearcats went 13-0 this season and have only lost 1 game in the last two seasons combined. That is impressive to say the very least. Their staple win in 2021 has to be their 24-13 win at Notre Dame. Having been to Notre Dame stadium, I can tell you that is no easy stadium to play in as the away team. It’s cold and loud. Cincinnati will rely heavily on quarterback, Desmond Ridder, to carry them to the national championship.
We just have to wait and see what happens in the semifinal games which will be on Friday, December 31st on ESPN.
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