And then there were four . . .

It’s College Football Postseason! Roman, our sports enthusiast, has the rundown on the conference championships leading into the bowls. — Ike Spry, Editor

By Roman Rickwood, Sports Enthusiast

Last Saturday began the first weekend of the postseason, and three out of the five conference championship games had major playoff implications. With there only being one undefeated team in the top 4, nothing was set in stone. The three important conference championships were the Big 12 Championship, the Big 10 Championship, and the SEC Championship. 

In the Big 12 Championship we had Baylor (10-2)  vs. Oklahoma State (11-1). With a win, the Oklahoma State Cowboys should have been a sure in for the playoff. But, they lost. It was a very dramatic loss. They lost on the last play of the game. They came up nine inches short, just a breath from a touchdown. 

Next we had the Big 10 Championship game between #2-ranked Michigan and the come-from-behind underdog Iowa, who looked like they were surely down and out until just the right teams lost last week. Michigan stomped Iowa, 42-3.

Then we had, what I believed to be the most competitive game, #1-ranked Georgia vs. #2 Alabama for the SEC Championship. This was the third meeting between the two teams in the last four years. Alabama was 3-0 against the Dawgs; now, they are 4-0. (Despite Georgia being favored by one touchdown.) Alabama had to win to be in the playoff. Now, they are #1 nationally. These were the three most important conference championships out of the power-five conferences. These games were very close and incredibly competitive–in the first halves. 

After this weekend the playoff rankings are now set: #1. Alabama, #2. Michigan, #3. Georgia, #4. Cincinnati. Alabama is playing Cincinnati in the Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, and Georgia is playing Michigan in Hard Rock Stadium in Miami; both games are on New Year’s Eve. My way-too-early prediction for these games is that both Georgia and Alabama will outmatch their opponents and meet again in the national-title game in Indianapolis on January 10.