College football enthusiasts have been on the edge of their seats for months as the College Football Playoff selection committee finally announced the 12-team field. After a grueling season of on-field battles and behind-the-scenes politicking, the stage is set for an epic postseason showdown. Let's take a closer look at the bracket and the teams that have made it in.

SMU's Playoff Inclusion: A Surprise Decision

The biggest question entering Sunday was who would earn the final at-large spot between Alabama and SMU. SMU (11-2) managed to secure a spot in the field despite losing 34-31 to Clemson in the ACC championship game on the last-second field goal. Alabama (9-3), on the other hand, was left out after not making its conference title game. This decision has sparked intense debates among fans and experts alike. The Mustangs will now head to Penn State to take on the Nittany Lions in the first round.

First-Round Byes

The top four seeds in the bracket will receive first-round byes. Oregon (13-0, Big Ten champion) and Georgia (11-2, SEC champion) are the top two seeds, while Boise State (12-1, Mountain West champion) and Arizona State (11-2, Big 12 champion) round out the byes. These teams have proven their dominance throughout the season and will enter the playoffs with a significant advantage.

First-Round Matchups

No. 12 Clemson (10-3, ACC champion) will face off against No. 5 Texas (11-2, at-large) on December 20 at 8 pm ET. No. 11 SMU (11-2, at-large) will take on No. 6 Penn State (11-2, at-large) on December 21 at noon ET. No. 10 Indiana (11-1, at-large) will battle No. 7 Notre Dame (11-1, at-large) on December 21 at 4 pm ET, and No. 9 Tennessee (10-2, at-large) will meet No. 8 Ohio State (10-2, at-large) on December 21 at 8 pm ET. These matchups promise to be thrilling and will determine which teams advance to the next round.

Odds to Win the National Title

Here are the odds for each team to win the national title (via BetMGM):Oregon: +325Georgia: +350Texas: +375Ohio State: +450Penn State: +700Notre Dame: +1200Tennessee: +2500SMU: +3500Clemson: +4000Arizona State: +4000Indiana: +5000Boise State: +5000The teams with the shorter odds are considered the favorites to win it all, but anything can happen in the playoffs.

Committee Values Strength of Schedule

In response to Nick Saban's tirade about the importance of strength of schedule, CFP chair Warde Manuel made it clear that they do take it into consideration. This decision has sparked discussions among fans and experts about the role of strength of schedule in the playoff selection process.

SMU's Title Game Performance Helped

CFP chair Warde Manuel said the committee had "quite a debate" over Alabama and SMU. "The way SMU played in that (ACC title) game, losing on a last second FG. We felt like in this case SMU had the nod above Alabama, but it’s no disrespect to Alabama’s strength of schedule." This decision shows the importance of a team's performance in key games.

Quarterfinals and Semifinals on Campus

There has been some discussion about moving the quarterfinals and semifinals to campus sites to give the teams a home-field advantage. Oregon got no reward for going 13-0 and being the No. 1 seed as they will face the Tennessee-Ohio State winner at a neutral site. However, an easy fix would be to move these games to campus.

Other Notable Moments

Shortly after it was announced that Clemson will play in Austin, Texas in the first round, Dabo Swinney exclaimed: "I’m gonna meet Matthew McConaughey!" This moment added some humor to an otherwise intense playoff season.Nick Saban still stumping for Alabama, saying that strength of schedule should be a factor but that you can't put a 9-3 team ahead of an 11-1 team just because they have a harder schedule. There is a lot of debate about the role of strength of schedule in the playoff selection process.A reminder that the strength of schedule argument is largely on realignment and by association commissioners and rightsholders who consolidated leagues and made it certain that HALF the teams in a league wouldn't play each other. This leaves a schedule that is an annual crapshoot in...Indiana will play at Notre Dame in South Bend, a clash of Indiana-based teams. Tennessee will play Ohio State in Columbus, and the Vols will be sour about not getting a home game. Penn State, Notre Dame, and Ohio State are all ranked 6-8 and will host playoff games in their home stadiums. Texas lands at No. 5 and will face Clemson.In conclusion, the College Football Playoff bracket is set and the stage is set for an exciting postseason. The teams have proven their worth and will now battle it out for the national championship. Stay tuned for more updates as the playoffs unfold.