Southern California meets Penn State in 103rd Rose Bowl

Here are the four teams in the playoff and their seeds.

That’s the reason it became impossible to imagine Penn State could hop Ohio State in the final playoff rankings that actually determine the four teams who play in it.

The Spartans still haven’t recovered from that beating. “It’s been a three-year journey for us”.

Alabama can flatten any team’s champagne. The Rose Bowl berth is another milestone in the program’s revival after the scandal surrounding former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky, who was indicted on 40 counts of sex crimes in 2011. If you haven’t been, trust me on the following: The view of the San Gabriel Mountains beats the view of concessions in the Georgia Dome.

Penn State was left out of the playoff this time, and that’s going to sting. Beat the Trojans there and it actually counts double. They start out slowly, head to the locker-room behind at the half and head coach James Franklin adjusts masterfully. Clemson tried its best to gack away a game it had controlled most of the night – with characteristic secondary breakdowns and curious Dabo coaching late in the 4th.

USC has played in far more Rose Bowls than any other team. The Associated Press named Franklin the Big Ten Coach of the Year.

The winners of each semifinal will meet for the national title January 9 in Tampa, Fla.

Since rebounding from a 39-point thumping against MI on September 24, Penn State (11-2, No. 7 CFP) has won every game, handed No. 2 Ohio State its only loss of the season and on Saturday rallied from a 21-point first-half deficit to end the Badgers’ six-game winning streak. Central kickoff in Glendale, Ariz.

That meant that the question of Ohio State vs. Penn State never truly needed to be answered.

The Big Ten had three teams in the top six of the selection committee’s final rankings, cementing its status as the best conference. The matchup of the two hottest teams in the country should offer plenty of intrigue. Penn State had come back so many times this season that they believed they could do it again, despite playing one of their worst opening halves of the season.

On Friday, Washington whipped eight-ranked Colorado to capture the Pac-12 Conference. But Iowa rallied to win three consecutive games, including key victories against MI and Nebraska to reach the Outback Bowl.

The Badgers dominated the game in the trenches, opening big holes offensively for star running back Corey Clement and bringing consistent pressure against McSorley.

The job of the CFP selection committee would have been much easier if Clemson had lost to Virginia Tech in the ACC Championship Game in Orlando. In his first two seasons since taking over for Bill O’Brien, Franklin’s teams went 7-6 twice and hadn’t been a factor in the Big Ten East, arguably one of the toughest divisions in college football.

Although Penn State didn’t snatch a playoff spot, the team did have an impressive season. They nearly got there this year, but the committee made the right call.

Numerous players realize it, too.

I know. The system is flawed.