By: Megan Saul
Media Production Editor
The College Football Playoff Selection Committee announced the top four college football teams of the 2023 season on Dec. 3. The top four teams, Alabama, Texas, Oklahoma, and Michigan, will continue playing for a chance to win the championship.
The fourth-ranked team this year is the University of Alabama which has a record of 12-1. The sole loss was a close game, 31-32, against LSU. Nick Saban has coached Alabama since 2007, and the team is led by quarterback Jalen Milroe. They won their last game against Georgia, the former number one seed to win the Southeastern (SEC) conference.
The University of Texas at Austin earned the number three seed and also has a record of 12-1. The Longhorns, coached by Steve Sarkisian, won the Big 12 Football Championships in a game against Oklahoma State. Texas won this game 49-21. The starting quarterback, Quinn Ewers, played outstandingly, breaking the Big 12 Championship passing yards record. He shared in an ESPN broadcast, “I grew up wanting to be a Texas Longhorn, and to come here and for us to make a statement for this really historic program, it’s truly a blessing and an honor.”
The second-ranked team, The University of Washington, has gone undefeated during the 2023 season, achieving a record of 13-0. The Huskies won the Pac-12 championships against Oregon 34-31. Washington is led by both Coach Kalen DeBoer and quarterback Michael Penix. Jr. who is confident in his team’s abilities, as expressed when he shared in a postgame press conference, “I think we just always draw on our experiences, and I mean there is a deep, deep, deep belief right now in our football team that when the moments get tough we can really hone in and guys will just do their job, not get overwhelmed and go execute.” They will meet the Longhorns in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1.
The number one ranked team for the college football playoffs is Michigan University, which also achieved a record of 13-0. Michigan has won the Big Ten title for the past three consecutive years. This year, Michigan shut out Iowa by a score of 26-0. Jim Harbaugh, the Michigan coach, returned to the sidelines for this game after his three-game suspension for sign stealing. The Wolverines have many star players including the quarterback J.J. McCarthy and running back Blake Corum who brought them to victory. As the number one seed, the Michigan Wolverines are expected to take home the College Football Playoff National Championship Trophy on Jan. 8, but must beat Alabama in the Rose Bowl first.
Many of the remaining teams that did not make it to the final four will also be competing in bowl games. Make sure to watch the remaining games to see which team is the College Football Champion!
(Sources: College Football Playoffs, ESPN, Sports Illustrated)