The College Football Playoff is finally here, but before a single snap, the off-field drama has already kicked into high gear. The new 12-team format was supposed to bring clarity and excitement. Instead, it’s brought backroom grumbling, seeding questions, and a fresh batch of controversy that’s keeping the playoff committee in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons.
Let’s start with the Friday night opener: No. 8 Oklahoma hosting No.
9 Alabama in Norman. Now, if that matchup feels familiar, it should.
These two just played back in mid-November in Tuscaloosa, where the Sooners pulled off a gritty win over the then-fourth-ranked Crimson Tide. That marked their second win over Alabama in just over a year.
So naturally, fans and analysts alike are asking: how does this happen again? With a 12-team field to work with, how do you end up with a first-round rematch - and a third meeting in 13 months - between two of the sport’s biggest brands?
That’s not just a scheduling quirk; it’s a seeding decision that raises eyebrows. And it gets even more complicated if Alabama loses again.
The Tide entered the playoff with three losses, sparking debate over whether they even belonged in the field. If they go one-and-done, expect the noise to get louder - not just about Alabama, but about the SEC’s influence in the selection process.
Fair or not, the perception of SEC privilege is hard to shake when a three-loss team makes the cut and potentially exits early.
Meanwhile, the Rose Bowl is still holding firm to its New Year’s Day tradition, even as the playoff format shifts everything else around it. The “Granddaddy of Them All” is now a quarterfinal site, and it’ll host the winner of Alabama-Oklahoma against top-seeded Indiana, the Big Ten champion.
That’s a far cry from the classic Big Ten vs. Pac-12 showdown we’ve come to expect in Pasadena.
But in this new era, tradition takes a back seat to brackets - even if it makes the whole thing feel a bit disjointed.
The other first-round matchup stirring the pot is Saturday’s noon kickoff: No. 10 Miami heading to College Station to take on No.
7 Texas A&M. The Aggies were undefeated until a late-season stumble at Texas, a loss that knocked them down the rankings but not out of the playoff.
Texas, for what it’s worth, didn’t make the field - adding another layer of intrigue.
But the real fireworks have been coming from South Bend. Notre Dame, once again on the outside looking in, is not keeping quiet.
Athletic director Pete Bevacqua has taken issue with how the Irish were treated in the selection process, especially in comparison to Miami - a team that was left out last year and now finds itself in. The frustration stems from Notre Dame’s unique relationship with the ACC.
They’re a full conference member in every sport except football, but they do play five ACC teams every year as part of a 2014 agreement that was supposed to benefit both sides.
Bevacqua’s argument? That agreement boosts ratings and revenue for the ACC, so when it comes time to advocate for playoff spots, Notre Dame shouldn’t be treated as an outsider.
He reportedly made that case directly to ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips, who, back when he was Northwestern’s AD, was a strong proponent of promoting all 17 football programs under the ACC umbrella. That stance now looks a bit shaky given how the playoff field shook out.
If Texas A&M - who was ranked as high as No. 3 before their loss to Texas - takes care of business against Miami, it’ll only intensify the scrutiny on the ACC. After all, the Hurricanes were the league’s highest-profile playoff candidate this year, and if they flame out early, the ACC brass will have some uncomfortable questions to answer - not just from fans, but from within their own extended football family.
So yes, the games are finally here. But the College Football Playoff is already in full swing - and not just on the field.