INDIANAPOLIS – Undefeated Oregon lived up to expectations and secured the No. 1 spot in the College Football Playoff. Underdog Clemson scored at the last second and stole one of the last.

Meanwhile, Georgia’s quarterback got injured, Alabama’s hopes grew bleaker, and the selection committee decided to create a 12-team postseason bracket that promises only one thing for certain: a 100 percent chance of upsetting at least some of the team’s rabid fan base College football.

The drama began – and ended – when No. 17 Clemson blew a three-touchdown lead Saturday night, then hit a 56-yard field goal with just one last minute to win and earn its way into the 12-team playoffs, 34-31 paced victory over No. 8 SMU.

This Atlantic Coast Conference title game ended any chance of a quiet, predictable Selection Sunday.

It presented the committee with a decision it hoped it wouldn’t have to make: Take the three-loss Crimson Tide (9-3) and rejoin the Southeastern Conference. Or take SMU, which has just two losses and showed so much heart in its comeback against Clemson that even the opposing coach lobbied for the Mustangs (11-2).

“This is a playoff football team,” said Clemson’s Dabo Sweeney, himself making his seventh playoff appearance. “SMU, they better be in the damn playoffs. What a comeback these guys have made.”

SMU coach Rhett Lashley didn’t argue.

“It doesn’t matter what I say, but it would be incredibly wrong” if SMU were left out, he said. “I think that would be unprecedented. It would set a really bad precedent. It would break all the tenets of what we were told.”

The committee’s most closely scrutinized decision will determine whether the SEC sends three or four teams to this year’s tournament and whether the ACC gets one or two. The bracket reveal show begins Sunday at 9 a.m. PT on ESPN.

It’s all but certain the Big Ten will have four, led by Oregon, a 45-37 win over Penn State in a game that cemented the Ducks (13-0) as the postseason favorite.

The SMU loss also caused a stir in the discussion about a bye in the first round. Arizona State, which began the day with a 45-19 win over Iowa State for the Big 12 title, now appears to be on track to become the fourth-best conference champion. The best four advance directly to the quarterfinals.

Of course, this assumes the committee ensures the Sun Devils are ahead of Clemson. ASU finished 15th in the latest rankings, two spots ahead of the Tigers.

Georgia QB suffers injury, but Dawgs get big break

After a 22-19 overtime win over No. 2 Texas in SEC play, there will be no doubt about giving Georgia a bye in the first round.

But to say the Bulldogs (11-2) are currently one of the top four teams in the country might be an exaggeration.

They were outgained by more than 100 yards by the Longhorns; they have two losses; They also have a big question mark at quarterback after Carson Beck left the game with an injured hand.

The committee has taken injuries into consideration before — it eliminated Florida State, which had injured QBs on its roster, from the four-team playoffs last year.

That won’t happen to Georgia, but it will force a discussion about who really deserves those byes.

They are currently projected to go to teams that were ranked No. 1 (Oregon), No. 5 (Georgia), No. 10 (Boise State) and No. 15 (Arizona State) just a week ago and whose rankings are likely only one or two different on Sunday Places will change.

Indiana asks: Why aren’t we a home team?

Everything else will be a matter of analysis, statistics, “eye testing” and some semblance of an attempt by the committee to prevent an insurrection in conference headquarters and coaches’ offices across the country.

The first round games will be played at four locations on December 20th and 21st, so home advantage is very important.

Curt Cignetti, the coach of No. 9 Indiana, was among those watching Saturday’s games and asked, “Why aren’t we seeded for a home game right now?”

The Hoosiers lost the biggest game of their season 38-15 to Ohio State, which was three spots ahead of Indiana following its own 13-10 loss to Michigan.

Keep an eye on other teams

Notre Dame: As an independent, the Irish were never entitled to a bye but will be at home for the first weekend, probably as a No. 5, 6 or 7 seed. Could the Fighting Irish and Indiana be a 7-on-10 national game in the first round?

Texas: The Longhorns are 11-0 against the World and 0-2 against Georgia. The committee has indicated it is disinclined to punish title game losers that much, so Texas could finish at No. 5 and seemingly no lower than No. 7. A possible quarterfinal between Arizona State and Texas (as a 3-6 and 4-5 matchup) seems like a fun addition to the Fiesta Bowl in the Southwest, but the two could also meet in the Peach Bowl in Atlanta instead…depending on how things play out develop the results.

Pennsylvania state: Coach James Franklin said he felt the Nittany Lions showed enough against Oregon to stay home in the first game, but “we’ll be excited for every opportunity that comes our way.” Penn State is open in the regular season lost to Ohio State on its home field, so the rankings of these two teams could be a talking point, but Penn State and Notre Dame seem likely to be fighting for sixth place.

Ohio State and Tennessee: Last week, they would have been paired in an 8-9 game at Ohio State – fair enough, except the AP Top 25 would have placed them on the flip-flop, which would have given the Vols the home opener. The 8-9 winner would go to the Rose Bowl to face Oregon on New Year’s Day.

Boise State: Friday night’s win puts Heisman Trophy hopeful running back Ashton Jeanty into the playoffs – with a bye, no less. I love the underdog, love the playoffs, but does it make sense for Alabama to play, say, Texas for the right to play the Mountain West champion in the Fiesta Bowl?

Miami: They were the first team eliminated last week, will likely be the second team eliminated this week, and along with the loser in the SMU-Alabama debate, a great example of how expanding the playoffs does not include the college postseason makes perfect.

The results of Saturday’s title game…

SEC – No. 5 Georgia 22, No. 2 Texas 19 (OT): Gunner Stockton, a little-known backup who had barely played for Georgia, came off the bench after an injury to Carson Beck and led the Bulldogs to an improbable overtime win in Atlanta.

The Bulldogs (11-2) won their third SEC title under coach Kirby Smart, but the trophy comes with an even bigger prize – a first-round bye in the playoffs. Georgia is assured of playing in the quarterfinal game of the Sugar Bowl on New Year’s Day en route to its third national title in four seasons.

Texas (11-2, No. 2 CFP) failed to win an SEC title in its first season in the league and will host a first-round game on either Dec. 20 or 21. Both losses came to the Bulldogs. who prevailed 30-15 when the powerhouse programs met in Austin during the regular season.

But the big question for Georgia during the celebration was the health of Beck, the two-year starter who was sidelined with a throwing arm injury on the final play of the first half.

Stockton, a third-year student, had played in just six games in his college career – all mere rehashes of overwhelming victories. He led the Bulldogs to a touchdown and two field goals before taking a hard hit on a run in overtime that sent his helmet flying.

Beck, who could barely lift his arm, came back into the game and scored the first goal on the 4th. All he had to do – and could do – was pass the hand to Trevor Etienne, who stormed into the end zone to end the game’s first overtime game in the 33-year history of the SEC Championship.

Big Ten – No. 1 Oregon 45, No. 3 Penn State 37: Dillon Gabriel threw four touchdown passes and Oregon beat Penn State in Indianapolis, giving the Ducks a first-round bye and almost certainly the first playoff spot.

The Ducks (13-0, No. 1 CFP) are the only undefeated team in FBS – barely. They nearly blew a 15-point lead in the final four minutes and ended the Nittany Lions’ last gasp by intercepting Drew Allar’s pass with 1:54 left in a wild, crazy championship weekend.

Jordan James ran for two points and helped Oregon win its first Pac-12 championship since 2020 in its first year in the Big Ten.

Penn State (11-2, No. 3 CFP) is also expected to reach the first 12-team playoff field, although its four-game winning streak was snapped after failing to win one early in the fourth quarter Implemented 2-point conversion – and thus the score was 38-30.

Oregon then capped a 75-yard drive with James’ 12-yard touchdown run to make it 45-30 with 7:28 left.

ACC – No. 18 Clemson 34, No. 8 SMU: Cade Klubnik threw for 262 yards and four touchdowns, Nolan Hauser kicked a 56-yard field goal as time expired and Clemson defeated SMU in Charlotte, North Carolina to secure a playoff spot.

Hauser’s field goal was the longest in ACC Championship Game history.

Bryant Wesco had eight catches for 143 yards and two touchdowns in the first quarter for the Tigers (10-3, No. 17 CFP), who needed a win to advance to the expanded 12-team playoffs. Jake Briningstool added two short TD receptions as Clemson improved to 9-1 in ACC championship games under coach Dabo Swinney.

Kevin Jennings threw for 310 yards and three touchdowns and one score for SMU (11-1, No. 8 CFP), which went 8-0 in the regular season in its first year since transferring from American Athletic in the ACC Conference .

The error-related loss cost the Mustangs a chance at a first-round bye in the CFP and could potentially keep them out of the field altogether.