Alabama, Michigan, Georgia and Cincinnati are picked for the College Football Playoff, while Notre Dame is No. 5 in the final rankings

Georgia (12-1) managed to stay in the field as the third seed, becoming the second team to lose its conference title game and make the playoff. Notre Dame did the same thing last season, when it lost a rematch with Clemson in its one season playing in the Atlantic Coast Conference, a move prompted by pandemic-altered schedules.