Sports Illustrated
It’s been nearly two months since the Fake 12-Team Playoff Selection Committee started crafting its field of one dozen teams. And finally—finally!—we had an easy week of deliberations. Outside of Oklahoma’s stumble, the field mostly stayed the same as last week.
In the biggest, new change this week, Ohio State entered our top four for the first time this season, replacing the Sooners. At various points this season, three Big Ten teams have represented the conference in the top four as champion (Michigan, Michigan State and Iowa). Now, we’ve got a fourth.
It wasn’t such a difficult decision. The Buckeyes have been on a tear since a home loss to Oregon, but they get their biggest test this weekend against Michigan State.
The committee’s toughest call this week came with the No. 12 seed. There is no real strong sixth conference champion. The committee argued over three possibilities: Wake Forest (ACC), Louisiana (Sun Belt) and UTSA (C-USA). Deliberations over the weekend took place in windy, cold State College, where you warm yourself in a lovely beer hall attached to a grocery store called A’s Pub (get the blueberry stout).
On to the bracket!
