LSU, Ohio State, Clemson, Oklahoma Selected to College Football Playoff

Sports Illustrated

After a championship Saturday that largely went to script, there wasn't much suspense as to who would make this year's College Football Playoff. As expected, the committee named LSU, Ohio State, Clemson and Oklahoma to the 2019-20 playoff, with LSU earning the coveted top seed.

No. 1 LSU will play No. 4 Oklahoma in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at 4 p.m. ET. While No. 2 Ohio State will play No. 3 Clemson in the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl at 8 p.m. ET. Both games will take place on Dec. 28, 2019.

The Tigers enter the playoff 13–0 for the first time since 2011, having knocked off all four of their prime SEC foes—Alabama, Auburn, Florida and Georgia. LSU beat Georgia 37–10 on Saturday to take home its 12th SEC title. After once being overlooked at Ohio State, LSU quarterback Joe Burrow has emerged as the Heisman Trophy frontrunner and will look to knock off his former team in the national championship if both LSU and Ohio State advance.

The Buckeyes enter the College Football Playoff 13-0 for the first time since the 2002 national title team. En route to the Fiesta Bowl, Ohio State picked up key wins against Wisconsin twice, Penn State and Michigan. Like LSU, the Buckeyes are led by one of the country's best players as defensive end Chase Young has put together one of the most dominant defensive seasons in recent years.

Clemson enters the playoff on a 28-game winning streak and winners of five-straight ACC titles. Dabo Swinney's team is potentially the most talented No. 3 seed in the playoff's brief history and quarterback Trevor Lawrence is one of the toughest players in the country to stop. The Tigers will prepare for the Peach Bowl after a blowout 62–17 win over Virginia. Clemson and Ohio State last met in 2016 when the Tigers thrashed OSU 31–0 in the College Football Playoff semifinal.

Oklahoma enters the College Football Playoff looking to win its first playoff game in its fourth-ever appearance. The Sooners entered championship weekend needing a win over Baylor to advance to the final four, and edged the Bears, 30–23, in overtime.

OU has lost in the semifinal game in each of the last two seasons, but Alabama transfer Jalen Hurts will look to lead his new team to its first title game in the playoff era.