Alabama was left out of the expanded playoff field in favor of the SMU Mustangs, who grabbed the No. 11 seed and will visit No. 6 Penn State in the first round. This decision comes just one year after the Tide got into the field over Florida State, who were left out despite posting a 13-0 record and winning the ACC.

The Alabama Crimson Tide got cheated out of the final spot in the Playoff. Sure, Alabama lost three games, including a loss to 6-6

The College Football Playoff Selection Committee held a teleconference after announcing its 12-team field on Sunday. Here is everything that Rich Clark, the executive director of the College Football Playoff, along with Warde Manuel, committee chair, said to the media during their press conference.

The road to the College Football Playoffs for the Alabama Crimson Tide is officially over following the results of the 12-team College Football Playoff Selectio

Oregon, Georgia, Boise State and Arizona State received first-round byes.

Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava, left, talks with running back Dylan Sampson during a game against UTEP on Nov. 23, 2024, in Knoxville, Tenn. The Vols enjoy playoff positioning if they beat Vanderbilt in the regular-season finale. / Saul Young / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The field is set, the games are scheduled, and college football fans have an absolutely scrumptious holiday buffet of playoff games set out in front of them.

The selection committee's decision to sidestep Alabama (9-3) in favor of SMU (11-2) in the final College Football Playoff Rankings was a brave call -- and the right decision -- on Selection Sunday. The report card's final grade is satisfactory after the committee avoided a disruptive precedent that would've been set had the three-loss Crimson Tide,

Big Ten champion Oregon is the top seed and Alabama was on the outside looking in when the 12-team College Football Playoff was announced on Sunday. The Ducks (13-0), No. 2 Georgia (11-2), No. 3 Boise State (12-1) and No.