The selection committee preferred the Mustangs (11-2), losers of a heartbreaker in the Atlantic Coast Conference title game, who had a far less difficult schedule than Alabama (9-3) of the SEC but, ultimately, still one fewer loss. The Crimson Tide have won the CFP times since the format was introduced in 2014, most recently in the 2020 season. The first-of-its-kind 12-team bracket marks a new era for college football.
We just felt, in this particular case, SMU had the nod above Alabama, said Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel, the chair of the selection committee. But it's no disrespect to Alabama's strength of schedule. We looked at the entire body of work for both teams. The tournament starts on 20 and 21 December with four first-round games involving the teams seeded No 5-12.
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