COLUMBUS – College football always needs an argument when it comes to the postseason.
This year, it was whether LSU or Ohio State should be the top seed in the four-team playoff.
In the end, it was LSU who won that debate, taking the top spot in the College Football Playoff rankings from the Buckeyes, who had been ranked No. 1 going into the final weekend.
Playstation Fiesta Bowl
(2) Ohio State (13-0) vs. (3) Clemson (13-0)
Glendale, Ariz; Sat., Dec. 28 (8:00 p.m./ESPN)
Click here for ticket information
Ohio State head coach Ryan Day said minutes after the Buckeyes’ come-from-behind win over Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship Game Saturday night that he believed his team was worthy of the top seed but had moved on by the time he spoke to reporters following the release of the playoff selection committee’s final standings Sunday.
“I get it. It’s not an easy decision. Nothing but respect for the committee. I know they have a hard decision to make. I thought we made our case, but it’s time to move on,” Day said.
Despite persistent calls for expansion of the final playoff field, four spots were enough to accommodate the teams worthy of a crack at the national championship this season.
Ohio State (13-0) will play ACC and defending national champion Clemson (13-0) in the Fiesta Bowl in suburban Phoenix on Dec. 28. Earlier in the day, LSU (13-0) will head to Atlanta to face the Big 12 champion Oklahoma Sooners (12-1) in the Peach Bowl. The national championship is set for Jan. 13 in New Orleans.
Day gave LSU its due and welcomed the challenge of facing Clemson, who defeated Ohio State in a 2016 national semifinal, also at the Fiesta Bowl.
“At the end of the day, you’ve got to beat the best to go win the National Championship, and certainly Clemson is that,” he said.
This will be the Buckeyes’ ninth appearance at the Fiesta Bowl where they are 5-3 all-time. It will also be the Buckeyes’ fourth bowl game versus Clemson. The Tigers have beaten Ohio State in all three previous meetings dating back to 1978.
Clemson claimed its fifth consecutive ACC title on Saturday night with a 62-14 win over Virginia. The Tigers are on a 28-game winning streak, boasting the nation’s No. 4 scoring offense and No. 1 scoring defense.
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Priority ordering for donor groups, season ticket holders, and Varsity O Football members will conclude Tuesday for the Fiesta Bowl and Dec. 17 at 5:00 p.m. for the National Championship game.