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Bowl projections: Will Michigan football or Alabama be the No. 1 seed in CFP?

The College Football Playoff picture entering the final weekend was pretty straightforward. Georgia, Michigan, Cincinnati and Oklahoma State were all favored to win their games and would be the four participants in the semifinals.

It didn't quite work out that way. The Bulldogs were handled by Alabama in the SEC title game. The Cowboys fell to Baylor in a dramatic finish in the Big 12 title game.

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Those results changed the calculations, but there's still no mystery about the four teams that will be in the playoff. Michigan and Cincinnati confirmed their spots with wins. Georgia stayed in, despite the loss. Out goes Oklahoma State and in comes Alabama.

Michigan wide receiver A.J. Henning celebrates a first down against Iowa during the first half of the Big Ten championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021.
Michigan wide receiver A.J. Henning celebrates a first down against Iowa during the first half of the Big Ten championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021.

The only question is how the quartet will be ranked. Cases can be made for Michigan and Alabama. Yes, the Crimson Tide looked fantastic against Georgia. However, their three previous wins against SEC opponents were by a combined 15 points, including a four-overtime defeat of 6-6 Auburn.

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