Q&A: Who will play in the CFP semifinals? Will Caleb Williams still win the Heisman?
Once No. 4 USC was routed in the second half Friday night by Utah in the Pac-12 championship game, it became immediately clear which four teams would make the College Football Playoff and compete for a spot in the national title game at SoFi Stadium.
No matter what happened Saturday, No. 1 Georgia, No. 2 Michigan, No. 3 Texas Christian and No. 5 Ohio State would finish the regular season as the only teams nationally unbeaten or with one loss. A two-loss team has never made the CFP field.
The only thing left to determine is seeding. After TCU’s 31-28 overtime loss in the Big 12 championship game to Kansas State, the Horned Frogs have opened themselves up for debate about whether they should remain ahead of Ohio State, which did not play Saturday after losing to the Wolverines, 45-23, in Columbus last weekend. It is likely the CFP selection committee will avoid a semifinal rematch between Michigan and Ohio State and keep TCU at No. 3. But it’s at least a question now.
Here are answers to other key college football questions:
When will we learn who made the CFP semifinals?
The College Football Playoff selection committee will reveal the top of the bracket Sunday at 9 a.m. PST on ESPN.
What about the rest of the New Year’s Six bowls?
ESPN will reveal the final CFP top 25 rankings and pairings for all New Year’s Six bowls at 11:30 a.m. PST. Announcements for the non-playoff bowls tend to get announced during the broadcast, with the final lineup set by early afternoon.
What bowls will USC and UCLA play in?
USC will likely land in the Cotton Bowl, facing off against Tulane. UCLA’s outlook is a bit more murky, but the Sun Bowl remains a potential destination.
Will Caleb Williams still win the Heisman Trophy?
Entering Friday night, it felt as if Caleb Williams had the Heisman Trophy locked up. After passing for 363 yards and three touchdowns and playing the entire second half with an injured hamstring, the only thing Williams didn’t do was lead the Trojans to a heroic win. He once again proved that he would be a worthy Heisman winner.
Saturday morning, TCU quarterback Max Duggan made his move, willing the Horned Frogs back from another second-half deficit to send the game to overtime. But the fact that Duggan could not finish it off in overtime makes it unlikely he will be able to garner the late votes to overtake Williams.
How do I get tickets to see the CFP title game at SoFi Stadium?
The majority of game tickets are allocated to the two participating institutions and sold directly through each school. Many others will be available on the secondary market.
The College Football Playoff lists official ticket options on its website.
Questionable decisions by Lincoln Riley do not help USC overcome an injury to Caleb Williams in a surprising loss to Utah in the Pac-12 title game.
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