The 2015-16 College Football Playoff Semifinal pairings have been announced. Clemson, the top-ranked team, will play No. 4 Oklahoma in the Capital One Orange Bowl.
Alabama, the No. 2 team, will play No. 3 Michigan State in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl.
“We now have the full body of work to evaluate all of the teams,” said selection chairman Jeff Long. “The committee viewed Clemson and Alabama as clear-cut. We had a lengthy discussion about Michigan State and Oklahoma. The committee saw those two teams as very closely matched. They are both conference champions and both 4-0 against top 25 teams. Ultimately Michigan State’s two wins against top ten teams gave them the edge.”
The College Football Playoff Selection Committee will announce the four remaining bowls in the “New Year’s Six” around 3pm ET. Those bowls are as follows: Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, BattleFrog Fiesta Bowl, Rose Bowl, and Allstate Sugar Bowl.
The remaining bowls will be announced throughout the day and finalized by this evening.
Capital One Orange Bowl
Thursday, Dec. 31, 2015 – 4 or 8pm ET, ESPN
(1) Clemson vs. (4) Oklahoma
Goodyear Cotton Bowl
Thursday, Dec. 31, 2015 – 4 or 8pm ET, ESPN
(2) Alabama vs. (3) Michigan State