As the College Football season ends, the 4 teams in the College Football Playoffs have been announced. With a #1 Georgia loss against #8 Alabama in the SEC Championship, their first loss since 2021, and after winning 2 national championships in back-to-back years, the Bulldogs have been pushed out of the playoffs. 

With the #1 seed, Michigan, the Wolverines have gone undefeated all year with a huge win against their rival, at the time #2 Ohio State. Even with head coach Jim Harbaugh suspended for 3 games, they still pulled off a 13-0 season.  

The #2 seed is Washington, also going undefeated with a 13-0 season. To secure their spot in playoffs, they defeated Oregon in the PAC-12 Championship, 34-31. Star quarterback, Michael Penix Jr. has balled out this season, throwing for 4,218 yards, 33 touchdowns and just 9 interceptions. Though putting up Heisman- level numbers, he came runner up in the award, losing to LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels. 

#3 seed, the Texas Longhorns, the metaphorical dark horse of the playoffs. Being ramped up for Week 2, playing the #2 seed Alabama, the Longhorns knocked off the Crimson Tide at Bryant-Denny. Their only loss was to Oklahoma, giving them a regular season record of 12-1. 

And with the controversial #4 seed, the Alabama Crimson Tide. With a devastating loss against Texas Week 2, Alabama used that game as motivation for the rest of the season. Week 3 comes and starting QB Jalen Milroe is benched against USF, barely pulling off the win 17-3. After a magical win against Auburn, the last week comes to play #1 Georgia, pulling off the win 27-24. After winning the SEC Championship, Nick Saban fuels the teams fire through the motivating factor of “wanting to prove who they were because of the criticism that they got”.  

The playoff schedule will be as follows: #1 Michigan vs #4 Alabama on Monday, January 1, at 5:00 p.m. #2 Washington vs #3 Texas is on Monday, January 1, at 8:45 p.m., both games being on ESPN. The winners of these games will go on to play in the National Championship on Sunday, January 8, crowning the last champion in the 4-team playoff format.