After Alabama’s resounding 42-13 win over Missouri in the SEC Championship, its place as the No. 1 seed in the inaugural College Football Playoff was all but set. Nick Saban and his players gathered in the team’s meeting room and gave the announcement a golf clap when their ranking was revealed.

Oregon’s place as No. 2 was also a given. But the only remaining decision was who those two teams would play.

The selection committee emerged from its conclave to announce the final four on ESPN.

After much consternation and a season of craziness, Alabama will play Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl on New Year’s Day. Oregon and Florida State will play on the same day in the Rose Bowl.

Ohio State crushed Wisconsin in its title game, TCU did what it had to do, and Baylor beat TCU. But it looks like Ohio State’s win over Wisconsin was enough to put it in the playoff.

“With the championship game, Ohio State demonstrated that they were a total team, and they did overcome replacing two quarterbacks,” Playoff committee chair Jeff Long said. “It was decisive for Ohio State to move into that fourth spot.”

Here’s the top Four:

1. Alabama
2. Oregon
3. Florida State
4. Ohio State

It’s Nick Saban vs. Urban Meyer in the Sugar Bowl, and Marcus Mariota vs. Jameis Winston in the Rose Bowl. I’ll take that.