The Playoff

The College Playoffs. ESPN image

The Wisconsin Badgers didn't get the privilege of worrying about their seed in the first-ever College Football Playoff; they didn't qualify for any bowl game, never mind the 12-team, 11-game tournament that will crown a champion from the teams selected.

For a number of years, four teams were chosen to play in a pair of semi-final games to determine who played for the trophy. That led to complaining and whining about teams who weren't invited.

The top four teams don't play during the first week: 

B1G undefeated champion Oregon is the top seed, they will play the winner of #9 Tennessee from the SEC or #8 Ohio State from the B1G.

Second seed goes to SEC champion Georgia, who will play either #10 Indiana out of the B1G or #7 independent Notre Dame.

The third seed is Boise State from the Mountain West, who will face either #11 SMU from the ACC or #6 from the B1G, Penn State.

The fourth seed goes to Big 12 champion Arizona State, they will play either #5 Texas or #12 ACC champion Clemson.

If you don't follow college football closely, you might not know some teams changed conferences before this season. The Pac-12 conference essentially dissolved when Oregon and Washington joined the B1G conference; SMU moved into the ACC  after 10 years in the America Athletic conference; Arizona State left the Pac-12, joining the Big 12; and Texas left the Big -12 for the SEC.

The Southeastern and Big Ten conferences are considered the top conferences - they sent seven teams to the Playoff.  Oregon, Ohio State, Penn State, and Indiana made it from the B1G. Georgia, Texas, and Tennessee represent the SEC. Two Atlantic Coast conference teams are in: Clemson and SMU. The last three teams are Arizona State from the Big 12, independent Notre Dame, and Mountain West school Boise State.

The Playoff required the Big Four power conference (B1G, SEC, ACC, Big 12) qualify for the Playoff along with the highest rated Group of Five conference champions also get selected (that's Boise State this year). A committee selected seven other teams then ranked them all.

The teams most likely to reach the semi-finals are Oregon, Texas, Ohio State, and Georgia. Since three are in the top of the bracket, we're likely to see Georgia play either Oregon or Texas. The Dawgs and Longhorns (Texas) have played each other twice, I'm picking the Oregon Ducks to play Georgia in the last game with the Ducks becoming an undefeated champion.

The first four games are Indiana at Notre Dame, Dec. 20 (8 EST ABC/ESPN); and a triple-header Dec. 21 starting with SMU at Penn State 12 EST TNT); Clemson at Texas (4 EST TNT); and Tennessee at Ohio State (8 EST ABC/ESPN). 

While Wisconsin isn't part of this year's party, the Badgers are ready. Last summer they installed new field turf with heating coils underneath so the field would be in good playing condition when or if the Badgers host a game. The following week games are played at traditional bowl games (Fiesta, Peach, Rose, and Sugar).

The second week has one game on New Year's Eve and the other three New Year's Day; the semi-finals are played January 9 and 10 before the championship on Monday, January 20.