2:30 PM ET This is the space where a hot take was supposed to live. Since the College Football Playoff committee released its first rankings on Nov. 2, we’ve been sharpening our knives, waiting to climb atop a soapbox and defend the latest aggrieved party — Cincinnati, Oklahoma State, heck, even Notre Dame managed to
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12:28 PM ET GRAPEVINE, Texas — Two SEC teams and the first Group of 5 team in the history of the College Football Playoff will play for the national title, as the CFP selection committee revealed No. 1 Alabama, No. 2 Michigan, No. 3 Georgia and No. 4 Cincinnati as its top four teams on
12:29 PM ET So much for a complete transformation in the College Football Playoff. With CFP mainstays Clemson, Ohio State and Oklahoma not advancing to their respective conference championship games, and Alabama looking rather ordinary over the last month of the season, there seemed to be a good chance we would have four not-so-familiar participants
11:46 AM ET Associated Press Alabama will head into the postseason the same way it started the regular season: No. 1 in the nation. The Crimson Tide reclaimed the top spot in The Associated Press college football poll Sunday after beating previously top-ranked Georgia. The defending national champions were No. 1 for the first six
10:12 AM ET Associated Press CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Wake Forest football coach Dave Clawson says the NCAA needs to review its rules on whether quarterbacks should be allowed to “fake slide” after escaping the pocket. Clawson’s statement came after his team’s 45-21 loss to Pittsburgh in the ACC championship game Saturday night in which Panthers
8:22 AM ET Oklahoma has targeted veteran Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables as the Sooners’ next head football coach, and the two sides hope to have a deal finalized as early as Sunday, sources told ESPN. Venables has been a major part of Clemson’s championship run under Dabo Swinney and has a long history at
2:48 AM ET In Lucas Oil Stadium, where Jim Harbaugh spent four years with the Indianapolis Colts, where his name is displayed on the ring of honor and his picture on the walls in the press box, Harbaugh won his first Big Ten Championship as Michigan‘s head coach. The 42-3 win over Iowa on Saturday
1:00 AM ET ATLANTA — The last one out of a jubilant Alabama locker room, Nick Saban walked slowly out of the Mercedes-Benz Stadium corridor nodding his head like a proud father. Proud of his football team. Proud of the way his football team has fought to get to this point despite some un-Alabama-like moments
10:04 PM ET ESPN staff In the last edition of playoff picks before the College Football Playoff field is announced, we got plenty of upheaval and change. How will Saturday’s top games affect the College Football Playoff chase? What are the current odds for the top four? The Allstate Playoff Predictor has the answers. Check
6:34 PM ET ATLANTA — Alabama receiver John Metchie III is expected to miss the College Football Playoff after suffering what Tide officials believe to be a torn ACL in his left knee in Saturday’s 41-24 victory against Georgia in the SEC championship game, sources told ESPN. Metchie missed the second half after injuring his