SMU captured the last open spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff, bumping Alabama to land in a bracket that placed undefeated Oregon at No. 1.
, edging Alabama to land in a first-of-its-kind, 12-team bracket that placed undefeated Oregon at No. 1.losers of a heartbreaker
“We just felt, in this particular case, SMU had the nod above Alabama,” said Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel, the chair of the selection committee."But it’s no disrespect to Alabama's strength of schedule. We looked at the entire body of work for both teams." The lasting memory from the inaugural bracket reveal will involve the decision that handed the ACC that second bid.
This season, for instance, the Tide had the 16th toughest schedule and went 3-1 against teams in the top 25. SMU’s numbers: 60th in strength of schedule and 0-2 against the top 25. Conference commissioners OK’d the idea of giving conference champions preferable treatment in this first iteration of the 12-team playoff. There’s a good argument that needs to change.
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