The College Football Playoff semifinals will begin on Thursday with a matchup between No. 6 Penn State and No. 7 Notre Dame. It will then wrap up on Friday after a matchup with No. 5 Texas and No. 8 Ohio State.

The Big Ten and SEC have played five head-to-head games during Bowl Season. The Big Ten is 4-1 in those contests, the only loss being Iowa ‘s 27-24 Music City Bowl loss to Missouri. The conference also boasts two CFP Semifinal participants ( Ohio State, Penn State) to the SEC’s one ( Texas ).

Ultimately, Alabama hired Kalen DeBoer, who had just led the Washington Huskies to the national championship game. Unfortunately, DeBoer's first season in Tuscaloosa did not go as planned. The Crimson Tide finished with their fewest wins since 2007, Saban's inaugural season.

Paul Finebaum compared current conversations around Georgia to another SEC powerhouse with high expectations. On Monday's McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning, Finebaum addressed a perception that the SEC is no longer a dominant entity.