The 2023-2024 College Football Playoff begins Monday with the annual semifinal games.
After much controversy surrounding the selection of the four teams competing in the final four-team playoff field before it expands to 12 teams next season, these are the matchups on which the College Football Playoff Committee decided:
CFP Semifinal at the Rose Bowl Game — Pasadena, CA
No.1 Michigan (13-0, Big Ten) vs. No.4 Alabama (12-1, SEC), 4 p.m. CT, ESPN
Michigan ascended to the nation’s top ranking after Alabama’s upset of No.1 Georgia in the SEC Championship. The Wolverines will make their third consecutive playoff appearance after winning their third straight Big Ten title, however, they have yet to win a playoff game. The team has an elite defense with a well-balanced offense but has yet to face a challenge this significant all season.
Meanwhile, Alabama recovered from a slow start to the season to win 11 games in a row and the SEC Championship. The defense has been one of the nation’s superior units all season, and quarterback Jalen Milroe’s late-season rise has allowed the offense to peak at the right moment. Head coach Nick Saban has developed a reputation as one of the greatest coaches in the history of the game, and he is getting another chance to leave his mark against Michigan.
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CFP Semifinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl — New Orleans, LA
No.2 Washington (13-0, PAC-12) vs. No.3 Texas (12-1, Big 12), 7:45 p.m. CT, ESPN
The second semifinal features a rematch of last season’s Valero Alamo Bowl.
Led by Heisman contender Michael Penix Jr. at quarterback and a plethora of NFL talent at receiver, the Huskies have built a juggernaut of an offense and played their way to a 13-0 record and PAC-12 Championship despite some occasional mid-season struggles and having to face an excellent Oregon team twice.
Texas has won 12 games for the first time since 2009 and its first conference championship since the same season, leaving the Big 12 as the top dog as it heads to the SEC. The Longhorns survived some scares this season but are more than capable on both offense and defense and already have a win over Alabama this season. Still, the program strives to compete for championships, and winning a national title would be a great way to end things as a Big 12 school.
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The winners of each game will face off in the National Championship game at Houston’s NRG Stadium on Monday, January 8.
