Matt Fest & Matt Kolen
This year’s College Football Playoff, only the second of all time, featured blowouts and low ratings altogether. Along with a poor bowl season performance, many thought that the national championship game would be a blowout, as well.
The teams to make the College Football Playoff (CFP) are selected by a thirteen-man committee and feature the top four teams in the nation. Last year, Ohio State beat out Alabama in the national championship game to capture the first CFP national championship in an exciting game.
This year, Oklahoma was up against an undefeated Clemson team, and Michigan State had to face an Alabama team on an eleven game win streak. Clemson dominated Oklahoma in the second half, after a close first half. They pulled away and captured the 37-17 victory. Alabama completely embarrassed Michigan State, blowing them out 38-0. These scores alongside scores from other high profile bowl games, like 41-7, 45-16, 45-6, made people think that the bowl selection committee had let down fans.
However, in the national championship game on January 11 between No. 1 Clemson and No. 2 Alabama, fans were not let down. The game was very tight with Alabama pulling away in the final quarters to win 45-40 after a risking onside kick call by Nick Saban that paid off. This win was Saban’s fifth national championship, which puts him as one of the top coaches of all time.
