Some of it may be overboard, dancing on the grave of a not-dead patient by SEC haters who finally see their chance. Some of it is a chance to vent back at the loud pro-SEC voices, at ESPN and elsewhere. And a lot of this may be premature. New arrival Texas could still bring the SEC its sixth national title in eight years.

Either Marcus Freeman or James Franklin will become the first Black head coach to make an FBS national championship game, and other story lines to watch.

It will be a final four filled with blue-blood programs playing for a shot at the national championship on Jan. 20 in Atlanta.

With just four teams remaining in the CFP field, how do we rank the potential showdowns for the national title?

Ohio State's journey through the College Football Playoff has been exciting. It has also taught us lessons about the new postseason format.

In the first round of the College Football Playoff, the teams seeded 5-8 all won. In the second round, they all won again.

Most expected two blowouts in the quarterfinal round of the College Football Playoff. The routs, however, were anticipated in the Fiesta Bowl and Peach Bowl. Instead, the Rose Bowl between (8) Ohio State and (1) Oregon turned into one of the biggest mismatches of the entire CFP.

The College Football Playoff, in its first year with a 12-team field, began Dec. 20 and ends Jan. 20, 2025. Find a full schedule and all results here,