Georgia, Michigan, TCU, Ohio State chosen for College Football Playoff

Georgia, Michigan, TCU and Ohio State will play for the national championship after being chosen for the College Football Playoff on Sunday.

After not playing in a conference championship game, the Buckeyes (11-1) moved up one spot following USC‘s loss in the Pac-12 title game Friday to give the Big Ten two playoff teams for the first time in the format’s nine-year history.

No. 4 Ohio State will face No. 1 Georgia in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, and No. 2 Michigan will face No. 3 TCU in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl on Dec. 31.

The CFP National Championship presented by AT&T will be played Jan. 9 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.

Georgia opened as a 7-point favorite over Ohio State at Caesars Sportsbook, and Michigan is a 9-point favorite over TCU.

TCU (12-1) held on to its No. 3 ranking after losing in overtime in the Big 12 championship game to Kansas State. The Horned Frogs and Buckeyes are the fifth and sixth teams to make the College Football Playoff without winning a conference title.

Horned Frogs coach Sonny Dykes said he was concerned about his team’s playoff status after the loss but added that he had faith in the selection committee.

“I think we’re certainly deserving,” Dykes said.

Alabama (10-2) had hoped to make a jump into the top four following USC’s and TCU’s losses, with coach Nick Saban lobbying for his team Saturday.

“If we played any of those teams that are on the edge of getting in, would we be the underdogs or the favorite?” Saban said on Fox at halftime of the Big Ten championship.

The Crimson Tide were ranked fifth by the selection committee.

Georgia (13-0) and Michigan (13-0) are in the playoff for the second straight year. They won their respective conference title games handily Saturday and will look to become the fourth team to win the CFP with an undefeated record.

The only time Georgia and Ohio State have previously played was in the 1992 Citrus Bowl, a 21-14 Bulldogs victory. TCU, whose only national title came in 1938, has never played Michigan.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.