College football media reacts to final 2021 CFP rankings
The 2021 College Football Playoff rankings have been released and folks across the country are fired up about what’s to come.
And then there were four. After an unforgettable weekend of championship showdowns in the college football world, the College Football Playoff has released its final rankings and four teams remain in the hunt to take home the national championship.
To no one’s surprise, Alabama captured the No. 1 spot after they dominated Georgia in the SEC title game. Georgia was a perfect 12-0, but Bryce Young and the Tide put on a show to hand the Dawgs their first loss of the year and win the SEC championship.
Alabama holds the No. 1 spot in the College Football Playoff rankings
While Georgia did lose that contest going up against Alabama, that doesn’t mean the national title hopes are dead for Kirby Smart and his players. Georgia is at No. 3, as they’ll be taking on No. 2 Michigan in the Orange Bowl. No. 1 Alabama will be facing No. 4 Cincinnati in the Cotton Bowl.
"I feel like we could have a national championship game without Alabama or Georgia." #CFBPlayoff
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) December 5, 2021
– @JessePalmerTV 👀 pic.twitter.com/ESzJaRXir6
The Final Four… pic.twitter.com/flh7w3U6c9
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 5, 2021
1. Alabama
— Matt Lombardo 🏈 (@MattLombardoNFL) December 5, 2021
2. Michigan
3. Georgia
4. Cincinnati
Committee has made some really curious, peculiar choices with the rankings throughout the season, but absolutely nailed the four. #CFBPlayoff
What a showing for upper Midwest football. No. 6 OSU, No. 5 Notre Dame and also No. 4 Cincinnati and Michigan. Big Midwest muscle flex.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) December 5, 2021
Isn’t that better than a semifinal? If they earn their way in, so be it. https://t.co/Wr2LmIZw7Y
— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) December 5, 2021
Projected @CFBPlayoff semifinal spreads from @_Collin1
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) December 5, 2021
No. 1 Alabama -12½ No. 4 Cincinnati
No. 3 Georgia -9 No. 2 Michigan
Cincinnati made it! Anyone who acts like there was not a persistent lockout attempt until now is being disingenuous
— Alex Kirshner (@alex_kirshner) December 5, 2021
wait why are the College Football Playoff games on New Year’s Eve this year, I thought we decided we weren’t doing that anymore
— Rodger Sherman (@rodger) December 5, 2021
Alabama will certainly be a massive favorite going up against Cincinnati. Meanwhile, for Georgia, they’ll hope to wipe away the tough memories from the loss to ‘Bama and takedown Jim Harbaugh’s guys. We really could end up seeing Georgia and Alabama face off once again for all the marbles.
As for Notre Dame and Ohio State, they finished No. 5 and No. 6, respectively. Both schools had small hope entering the weekend to claim a final four spot, but things just didn’t work out for them in this case. Now, they’ll have to watch from their couches as Alabama, Michigan, Georgia and Cincinnati look to get that job done later this winter.
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