The initial College Football Playoff rankings for the 2020 season were released Tuesday night, with Alabama debuting in the top spot with Notre Dame at No. 2. Some might have been shocked to see a one-loss Clemson team in the third spot, but committee chair Gary Barta said that the Tigers’ dominance and Ohio State’s (No. 4) schedule all played a role.
The College Football Playoff matches the No. 1 ranked team vs. No. 4, and No. 2 vs. No. 3 in semifinal games that rotate annually among six bowl games – the Goodyear Cotton Bowl, PlayStation Fiesta Bowl, Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, Capital One Orange Bowl, Allstate Sugar Bowl and Rose Bowl Game.