College Football Playoff rankings: Does Alabama or Michigan deserve the No. 1 seed?

The College Football Playoff final rankings will be released around 12 p.m. ET on ESPN, and there’s no mystery to the top 4 teams.

The biggest topic headed into the final rankings are which team deserves the No. 1 seed — Alabama or Michigan? It’s an important No. 1 seed, because the No. 2 seed will likely have to play Georgia.

College Football Playoff Rankings final projection — How we think it’ll look:

1. Alabama Crimson Tide
2. Michigan Wolverines
3. Georgia Bulldogs
4. Cincinnati Bearcats

The one-loss SEC Champion Crimson Tide hammered Georgia in the championship game 41-24, and it caps off another great season (and championship) for Nick Saban and the Tide. Headed into championship weekend, Alabama was ranked No. 3 behind No. 1 Georgia and No. 2 Michigan. Alabama’s only defeat came to Texas A&M.

The one-loss Big Ten Champion Michigan had a marvelous season under Jim Harbaugh, and it destroyed Iowa in the conference championship game 42-3. The Wolverines only lost to ranked Michigan State during the regular season 37-33.

Michigan does have an argument to be the No. 1 seed Sunday, but that would potentially mean that Alabama and Georgia would have a rematch in the College Football Playoff semifinal game. IF the committee did put Alabama at 2 and Georgia at 3, that would also mean college football would avoid another all-SEC final, which might be attractive to the committee and fans.

Media members weighed in on the top 4 projection ahead of Sunday:

How it should be tomorrow:

1. Alabama
2. Michigan
3. Georgia
4. Cincinnati

If I’m Alabama, I’d want to play in the heat at the Orange Bowl.

So:
Cincinnati vs. Alabama in Miami
Michigan vs. Georgia in Dallas

Two new teams in the CFP! Let’s get ready to rumble!

— Greg McElroy (@GregMcElroy) December 5, 2021

I’ll be stunned if it isn’t 1 Alabama vs 4 Cincinnati and 2 Michigan vs 3 Georgia in the playoff.

— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) December 5, 2021

MY @CFBPlayoff rankings:

1) Alabama
2) Michigan
3) Georgia
4) Cincinnati

5) Baylor
6) Ohio State

— Cole Cubelic (@colecubelic) December 5, 2021

SDS Staff

Saturday Down South reports and comments on the news around the Southeastern Conference as well as larger college football topics.