Alabama and Clemson combined for 14 College Football Playoff appearances, 10 CFP championship game appearances and five national championships in the four-team era from 2014-23. The schools dominated that 10-year period, and that repetitive success forced the 12-team expansion conversation because it was time to get some new blood in there.

After a wild Saturday, nobody appears to be great and those who appear good sometimes aren’t as good as they appear.