Clemson, Alabama, Michigan State and Oklahoma headed to College Football Playoff

After a season full of upsets and wild finishes, Saturday left nothing but certainty for the College Football Playoff committee. 

Clemson, Alabama, Michigan State and Oklahoma were announced as the top four teams in the final College Football Playoff rankings and will battle for the national title in nearly a month's time. The top-seeded Tigers will face off against the Sooners in the Orange Bowl, while the second-seeded Crimson Tide will take on the Spartans in the Cotton Bowl on New Year's Eve. 

Heading into the final week of the action, it appeared that all Clemson and Alabama needed to do to secure a playoff spot was win their respective conference championships. The Crimson Tide rolled No. 18 Florida 29-15 in the SEC Championship behind another solid performance from running back Derrick Henry. The Heisman candidate racked up 44 carries and 189 yards on the ground and helped the Alabama offense slowly find its way against a stout Gator defense. 

Meanwhile, the Tigers appeared to be well on their way to the playoff before No. 10 North Carolina made a late rally that put them in position to possibly tie the game. Trailing 35-16, the Tar Heels scored on two of their next three drives and cut the lead to 45-37. On the ensuing onside kick attempt, North Carolina was incorrectly called for offsides after coming away with the football, giving the Tigers the ACC Championship. Quarterback Deshaun Watson finished with five total touchdowns, throwing for 289 yards and running for 131 more for Clemson, who finished the season with a perfect 13-0 mark. 

In the most riveting encounter of the game, Michigan State battled No. 4 Iowa with the victor almost assured of a College Football Playoff berth. The highly-anticipated Big Ten Championship did not disappoint as the Spartans scored the game-winning touchdown with 27 seconds remaining after they drove 82 yards down the field in 22 plays. The Hawkeyes could not muster a last-ditch field goal attempt and their possible undefeated season fell by the way side in a 16-13 defeat. 

Unlike its other playoff counterparts, Oklahoma did not play Saturday and appeared to have already clinched a spot in the top four following three consecutive wins against top-25 opponents. The Sooners will get a chance to avenge their bowl defeat against the Tigers a year ago—a game in which they fell behind 40-0 after just three quarters