Great game, but not for west coast

Say what you want to about the College Football Playoff, but in this year’s version, you’d have a hard time that they got it wrong with the four teams selected.

Great semifinal games.

And an even greater national title game.

Exactly what you’d ask for — and more — with the switch to a four-team playoff a few years ago.

DON’T GET me wrong, having two teams from the same conference — this year just happened to be the Southeastern Conference — playing for the national title doesn’t exactly scream must see television in this part of the country. But if you happen to call yourself a college football fan, and didn’t watch the game featuring Alabama against Georgia, you really missed out.

Georgia jumped out to a 13-0 halftime lead and seemed destined to run away with the championship. Alabama switched its quarterback to a true freshman, found a way to score some points and got back in the game before it was too late. Georgia really could have put Alabama away with an interception, but threw one of its own, and the Crimson Tide took the momentum back and didn’t give it back.

Alabama had to make a few plays late, but did. Georgia had its chances, but couldn’t get it done when it mattered late.

Even after sacking the Alabama quarterback, Georgia got caught on a deep pass for the winning touchdown.

You really can’t predict that kind of stuff.

THE LAST team to play for a national title from the Pac-12 Conference was Oregon, who lost to Ohio State in 2014 in Arlington, Texas.

The Ducks also came up short to Auburn and star quarterback Cam Newton in 2010 in Glendale, Ariz.

If that doesn’t seem like that the loss to Oregon was that long ago, keep in mind that the Ducks had Marcus Mariota at quarterback and have since had three different coaches since that night.

Newton has a playoff losses against the Seattle Seahawks, with a win that still stings a little bit on the way to Newton’s lone Super Bowl appearance so far.

Washington has at least advanced to the national semifinals, but didn’t quite have enough to get past Alabama in a 2017 game.

And while Washington State might hang around in the playoff conversation a little longer than in previous years, they still have some work to do to be considered among the best of the best. Maybe a bowl win one of these years might be a starting point.

On the bright side, the team with the best shot at the playoffs next year might be Idaho.

Granted, the football team will be moving to the Football Championship Subdivision next fall, with that division actually playing a 16-team tournament to determine its national champion.

Of course, the Big Sky Conference is a lot better than when the Vandals left it along with Boise State over 20 years ago, and there’s no guarantees they’ll just march through the conference.

Then again, it might be the worst thing to happen to see Idaho take on Eastern Washington next January in Frisco, Texas for a national title.

Not quite what some might ask for, but what you could get.

And maybe the closest thing you might see to two west coast conference-based teams playing for a national title anytime soon.

Jason Elliott is a sports writer for the Coeur d’Alene Press. He can be reached by telephone at (208) 664-8176, Ext. 2020 or via email at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @JECdAPress.