By: Brendan Dyer

For the first time in history, the NCAA has introduced a playoff in College Football.  For many, the bowl games were getting old, especially because they didn’t give many teams a chance at a national title.  Usually, the top two teams always play in the National Championship and the rest of the teams would just play in bowl games, which were not nearly as important.  Many thought that this didn’t seem to be a fair or even mildly entertaining way to reveal the top team in the nation.  Accordingly, this year the NCAA decided to make a four-team playoff, along with bowl games. While four teams may not appear to be a lot–and some will argue that this still doesn’t give everyone a chance at a championship–it is a start.

This year, the battle for the spots in the top 25 changed dramatically.  “Ole Miss” looked promising early on, and many analysts thought that they had a good chance to be in the top four until they lost two straight games weeks eight and nine, dropping them down in the rankings and ultimately crushing their chances of making the playoff this season.  In the beginning of the 2014 season, Oklahoma was ranked number four, but are now ranked 20.  Many teams have battled all season in order to try and gain a spot in playoff. The Alabama Crimson Tide earned the top spot after dominating the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Championship game of Missouri.  They will play the Ohio State Buckeyes, which are seeded fourth.  The Buckeyes are no slouch, as they are coming off of a 59-0 rout, beating the very talented Wisconsin Badgers.  The two will meet in the first round at the Sugar Bowl.  The matchup between the second and third seeds is definitely one to keep an eye on.  It’s what most are calling “The Heisman Hopeful taking on the Heisman Winner.”  This matchup features the Oregon Ducks and their number one Heisman candidate, quarterback Marcus Mariota, against last year’s National Champion, the Florida State Seminoles, and last year’s Heisman winner, quarterback Jameis Winston, in the Rose Bowl.  Both games will be played on January 1st, 2015, and the winners will meet on January 12th, 2015 in Arlington, Texas at Cowboy Stadium.  No one can say for sure how the games will play out, but there is no doubt that the fans are in store for an unbelievable finish to what has been an amazing college football season.