Cincinnati gets in with Alabama jumping Georgia for the number one spot

The final rankings of the College Football Playoff have been revealed and the matchups are set. While there was some movement inside the top four, the teams that were inside the top four last week are still in the top four this week.

The Semi-final matchups will be top-ranked Alabama going up against fourth-ranked Cincinnati in the Cotton Bowl. While second-ranked Michigan will take on third-ranked Georgia in the Orange Bowl.

Alabama finds themselves in a familiar position, finishing the season as the top ranked team in the nation. However, the Tide can feel a little lucky as they were just as close to being out of the Playoff entirely.

A four-overtime win over Auburn kept them alive, but they left no doubt to the committee after a 41-24 drubbing over then number one Georgia in the SEC Championship game. The Tide pretty much dominated that game from start to finish and it isn’t surprising that they jumped Michigan for that number one spot.

Cincinnati comes into the Playoff as the only undefeated team in college football. However, their spot never seemed secure and were always going to need some help to get into the Playoff.

The Bearcats locked in their Playoff spot after a 35-20 win over Houston in the AAC Championship Game. They also got some help from Baylor who beat fifth-ranked Oklahoma State in the Big 12 Championship Game.

This is a big opportunity for Cincinnati as some people believe that a non-power five school shouldn’t have the chance to compete for a national title. They can silence the haters if they knock off the best college football program of the last decade-plus.

Michigan is coming into the Playoff as hot as a team can be. They have won five straight games, while coming off two massive wins. They beat their rival Ohio State, and then followed it up with a dominant 42-3 win over Iowa in the Big 10 Championship Game.

Georgia spent the season as the best team in college football by a wide margin, as they didn’t give up more than 17 points all year until giving up 41 to Alabama in the SEC Championship game. Now they find themselves going up against a red-hot Michigan team that can match them defensively.

With the matchups set for New Year’s Eve, this year’s College Football Playoff has the makings to be an exciting one.