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The college football regular season has come and gone and the conference champions have been crowned. Now, the attention turns to the postseason with a loaded slate of bowl games set to grace our television sets this holiday season.
There may not be a more anticipated season in college football history. In addition to the usual schedule of bowl games, this year ushers in the first season of the 12-team College Football Playoff era. What was once tabbed the New Year’s Six will now be part of the new playoff system after the first-round games have been played at home sites.
Fresh off a win in the SEC Championship Game, Georgia (11-2) earned the No. 2 seed with Mountain West champion Boise State (12-1) and Big 12 champion Arizona State (11-2) rounding out the top four seeds — all conference title holders receiving first-round byes as part of the new 12-team format.
Clemson (10-3), the lone Power Four champion not to receive a bye, picked up the No. 12 seed and will open the first round playing at No. 5 seed Texas (11-2). All first-round games will be held at the sites of the lower-seeded teams placed higher in the final CFP Rankings.
Rounding out the first-round matchups, No. 8 seed Ohio State (10-2) will host No. 9 seed Tennessee (10-2), No. 6 seed Penn State (11-2) welcomes No. 11 seed SMU (10-2) and No. 7 seed Notre Dame (11-1) will see No. 10 seed Indiana (11-1) come to town.
Quarterfinal and semifinal games will be held at traditional New Year’s Six bowl sites. The Rose Bowl will host Oregon and the winner of Tennessee-Ohio State,…
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