The excitement in Atlanta is buzzing as the NCAA sports scene heats up with the announcement of the official 12-team College Football Playoff bracket. On Sunday, December 8, fans learned which teams will compete for college football’s national championship.
This season, Oregon stands out as the No. 1 seed, earning a valuable bye in the first round. In addition to Oregon, Georgia, Boise State, and Arizona State have also secured byes, making them the top four seeds due to their impressive conference champion standings, regardless of their position in the final top 25 rankings.
Conference champions are crucial in this postseason picture. Notably, Boise State, which dominated the Mountain West Conference, is ranked ninth but holds the third-highest conference champion rank. This enables them to skip the first round, despite technically being lower in the overall standings. Meanwhile, Arizona State, although ranked twelfth, emerged as the fourth-highest conference champion, securing the final bye.
The first round of the playoffs will take place on December 20 and 21, leading into four exhilarating quarterfinal matches on December 31 and January 1. The games will be held at prestigious bowl venues: the Fiesta Bowl, Rose Bowl, Peach Bowl, and Sugar Bowl. These locations are based on historical relationships and seeding alignment, ensuring an exciting atmosphere for players and fans alike.
As the playoffs progress, the winners of the quarterfinals will face off in the semifinals at either the Orange Bowl or Cotton Bowl on January 9 and 10. The stakes will be high, as the top seeds will clash, setting the path toward the national championship game set for January 20 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Penn State has surprised the college volleyball world by pulling off a stunning reverse sweep against Nebraska. Meanwhile, Louisville made headlines by defeating Pittsburgh to claim a spot in the national title match, adding to the thrilling close of the NCAA season.
With the playoffs around the corner, anticipation fills the air for teams and fans. Get ready, because this is shaping up to be a memorable postseason!
