It was the fourth edition of the College Football Playoff (CFP) and involved the top four teams in the country as ranked by the College Football Playoff poll playing in two semifinals, with the winners of each advancing to the national championship game.
The Sugar Bowl semifinal, between Clemson and Alabama, was a rematch of the national championship games in 2016 and 2017; each team won one of those matchups.
By virtue of their victories, Alabama and Georgia advanced to the national championship game, held on January 8 in Atlanta.
The three-game playoff recorded an increase of 21% over the previous edition, with an average of 26.2 million viewers.
This made it the second-most-watched cable broadcast in history behind the inaugural CFP national championship between Ohio State and Oregon.
The 2017–18 CFP selection committee was chaired by Texas Tech athletic director Kirby Hocutt.
Its other members were former Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer, former Southern Miss head coach Jeff Bower, former Central Michigan athletic director Herb Deromedi, Robert Morris University president Christopher B. Howard, former NCAA executive vice president Tom Jernstedt, former head coach Bobby Johnson, Arkansas athletic director and former CFP selection committee chairman Jeff Long, Oregon athletic director Rob Mullens, Clemson athletic director Dan Radakovich, Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith, former USA Today reporter Steve Wieberg, and former college head coach Tyrone Willingham.
[1] The 2017 season's first CFP rankings were released on October 31, with four conferences represented in the top six: No.
8 Notre Dame similarly gave them a berth to their respective conference championship.
[18][19] The final CFP rankings, and the resulting four-team playoff field, were revealed on December 3.
4 spot was awarded to Alabama, marking the first time two teams from the same conference were selected to participate in the playoff.
5, generated criticism from some, including Dan Wolken of USA Today, who said that Ohio State had been punished for its more difficult early-season non-conference schedule and that Alabama had seemingly been rewarded for their reputation and their loss to Auburn, meaning they did not have to risk a loss in the SEC Championship.
After an Austin Seibert field goal extended Oklahoma's lead to ten points with under ten minutes remaining in the second quarter, three punts followed before Oklahoma scored again on a pass from Baker Mayfield to CeeDee Lamb.
Oklahoma led 31–17 at halftime, but touchdowns by Michel and Nick Chubb tied the game as it entered the fourth quarter.
Each team scored a field goal in overtime before Georgia clinched a victory on a 27-yard touchdown rush by Michel.
The Crimson Tide scored the game's first ten points, and led 10–3 at halftime following a field goal by Alex Spence.
Later in the quarter, Alabama's Da'Ron Payne intercepted Kelly Bryant and set the Crimson Tide up to score on a touchdown pass, which he caught, several plays later.
[29] Those touchdowns were the game's final scoring plays; starting with five and a half minutes left in the third quarter, each team punted on their next three possessions.
Clemson's final drive began with seven minutes left in the game and spanned 75 yards in 18 plays before Bryant's incomplete pass on 4th & Goal from the Alabama 5-yard line sealed the Crimson Tide's victory.
[33] Georgia responded with a touchdown pass of their own, from Jake Fromm to Hardman, and the teams traded interceptions on each of their next drives.
[32] Georgia took possession to start overtime and finished their series with a 51-yard field goal by Blankenship, giving them a three-point lead.
Bulldogs defensive linemen Jonathan Ledbetter and Davin Bellamy sacked Tagovailoa on Alabama's first snap of overtime before Tagovailoa passed to DeVonta Smith for a 41-yard walk-off touchdown, winning Alabama the title.
[36] The playoff as a whole saw a viewership increase of 21% over the previous year[36] with an average of 26.2 million viewers.
[37] It was the second-most-watched cable broadcast ever, second only to the inaugural CFP national championship.