LSU will play Oklahoma and Ohio State will face defending national champion Clemson in the College Football Playoff. The selection committee revealed the pairings for the national semifinal. The 13-member committee chose SEC champion LSU as the top seed. The Tigers will head back to Atlanta for its playoff game to face the Big 12 champion Sooners in the Peach Bowl on Dec. 28. Big Ten champion Ohio State will ACC and defending champion Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl in suburban Phoenix that same day. The national championship game is set for Jan. 13 in New Orleans.
The College Football Playoff selection committee ranked more Group of Five schools than ever before. Five schools from outside the Power Five showed up in the final playoff rankings. That’s the most in a final poll since the system began six years ago. A spot in the New Year’s Six was assured to only one of them and it went to Memphis. The Tigers will play Penn State in the Cotton Bowl.