College Football Playoff Rankings 2015: Twitter Reacts to Final Reveal

Sunday marked the release of the final College Football Playoff rankings, with Clemson, Alabama, Michigan State and Oklahoma locked in as the Top Four. 

All the nation's elite except the Sooners took the field Saturday during conference championship weekend and took care of business to solidify their spots in the standings. CBS Sports revealed the marquee bowl matchups before the 3 p.m. ET release of the complete rankings:

Michigan State had the closest call Saturday, needing a touchdown with less than 30 seconds left to stun previously unbeaten and fourth-ranked Iowa 16-13 in the Big Ten title game. The winner of that contest was virtually guaranteed a spot in the CFP picture, and Sparty got it done with the clutch, late score.

Thanks to 608 yards of total offense, Clemson managed to best North Carolina 45-37 to win the ACC, while Alabama easily disposed of Florida 29-15 to claim the SEC crown.

Quarterback Deshaun Watson is the catalyst for the Tigers' high-octane attack and is the epitome of a dual threat (3,512 yards passing, 887 yards rushing, 41 total touchdowns). His counterpart at Oklahoma, Baker Mayfield, has thrown 35 TDs to only five interceptions this season, which should make for a compelling Orange Bowl QB duel.

ESPN Stats & Info had anecdotes on all teams, but perhaps most notable was how their data indicates the last one in the Top Four may be the best:

"

Oklahoma: No. 4 in final CFP rankings. @OU_Football: 1st in ESPN FPI, would be favored by at least 2 pts vs any other team on neutral field

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) December 6, 2015"

CFP committee chairman Jeff Long didn't waver in justifying the Tigers staying put at No. 1, though.

"When we got together and voted, Clemson was clearly the No. 1 team in the country," said Long, per Will Vandervort of the Clemson Insider.

Sharon Katz of ESPN included a graphic to suggest Oklahoma is perceived as superior and highlighted a key statistic:

These conflicting narratives emerging about the Orange Bowl only add to the excitement. The two teams met in last year's Russell Athletic Bowl, which Clemson won in a 40-6 rout.

The SEC Network's Tony Barnhart believes both participants will light up the scoreboard this time around:

As for the other CFP bowl, Alabama has leaned heavily on running back Derrick Henry in the past two contests, as he's amassed a whopping 90 carries in that span. What may be most important for Alabama in the Cotton Bowl is how well Jake Coker can keep Michigan State honest as a passer.

Sparty allows only 3.55 yards per carry as the nation's No. 7 rush defense, per NCAA.com, so even Henry will have to get crafty and, as usual, absorb plenty of contact to find running room. The good news is he mercifully has a break to recover from his tremendous workload of late.

CBSSports.com's Will Brinson had a fitting reaction to what figures to be a physical Cotton Bowl matchup:

Adam Rittenberg of ESPN logged the reaction Alabama coach Nick Saban had to his side's impending opponent, alluding to how strong Michigan State finished to win the Big Ten:

Although Saban may not be taking the Spartans lightly, oddsmakers appear to be. Graham Couch of the Lansing State Journal referenced that in his take on the early spread:

Joe Reedy of the Associated Press noticed how giddy Saban appeared to be—quite a departure from his typical, dry demeanor:

Speaking of polarizing phenomena, whether it was by design or simply how everything worked out, the diverse styles on display in the College Football Playoff semifinals will be fascinating to behold.

Two wide-open, spread offenses in Clemson and Oklahoma will do battle and serve as a stark contrast to the old-school, throwback principles that comprise the identities of Alabama and Michigan State.

Odds Shark lists the Crimson Tide as favorites to win the national championship at plus-130. The Sooners are second (plus-240), followed by Michigan State and Clemson at plus-600. Andrea Adelson of ESPN.com believes the committee cut Alabama a break as her analysis falls in line with the national title odds:

Reputation has a lot to do with the hierarchy, but Alabama deserves it thanks to the powerhouse Saban has constructed in Tuscaloosa.

Saban's team is the only one to return to the CFP this year. After losing to eventual champion Ohio State in 2014, the Tide are bound to be thirsty for vengeance—especially with questions surrounding their lackluster strength of schedule and whether they're deserving of such gaudy status at the moment.

After winning three of four national titles, Saban has gone the past two seasons without claiming college football's ultimate prize. It would be most fitting to do so amid a controversial 2015 campaign with two magnificent performances on the grand stage.